Lemont’s Joseph Pender (4) drives the baseline against Sandburg. | Allen Cunningham/For the Sun-Times

All the scores from around the area.

Please send scores and corrections to [email protected].

Wednesday, December 1, 2021

CHICAGO PREP

Ellison at Ida Crown, 7:30

FOX VALLEY

Burlington Central at Hampshire, 7:30

Crystal Lake Central at McHenry, 7:00

Dundee-Crown at Crystal Lake South, 7:00

Jacobs at Cary-Grove, 7:00

Prairie Ridge at Huntley, 7:00

LAKE SHORE ATHLETIC

Beacon at British School, 6:15

METRO PREP

Lycee Francais at Islamic Foundation, 6:30

Universal at Hinsdale Adventist, 6:00

NIC – 10

Auburn at Hononegah, 7:00

Boylan at Freeport, 7:00

Guilford at Belvidere North, 7:00

Harlem at Belvidere, 7:00

Jefferson at Rockford East, 7:00

NOBLE LEAGUE – BLUE

Hansberry at Pritzker, 7:00

Mansueto at Noble Street, 7:00

Muchin at Noble Academy, 7:00

NON CONFERENCE

Back of the Yards at Kennedy, 6:30

Bowen at Manley, 5:00

Bradley-Bourbonnais at Coal City, 7:00

Chicago Academy at Austin, 5:00

Chicago Christian at Oak Lawn, 6:30

Christian Liberty at Lake Forest Acad-Blk, 6:30

Crete-Monee at Oak Forest, 6:30

Deerfield at Grayslake North, 7:00

Eisenhower at Southland, 7:00

Elgin Academy at Alden-Hebron, 7:00

Fasman Yeshiva at Northside, 8:00

Gary West Side (IN) at Longwood, 6:30

Intrinsic at Rochelle Zell, 6:30

Intrinsic-Downtown at Goode, 5:00

Johnsburg at Antioch, 7:00

Juarez at Hancock, 5:00

King at Kenwood, 5:00

Lakes at Wilmot Union (WI), 7:00

Latin at Jones, 6:30

Little Village at Roosevelt, 5:00

Mather at Hope Academy, 7:00

Mundelein at North Chicago, 7:00

Notre Dame at Loyola, 7:00

Phoenix at Sullivan, 5:00

Prosser at Legal Prep, 5:00

Putnam County at Peoria Christian, 7:00

Raby at Senn, 6:00

Rockford Lutheran at Marian Central, 7:00

Roycemore at Waldorf, 6:00

Shepard at St. Francis de Sales, 6:30

Spry at Cristo Rey, 6:00

Thornwood at Harlan, 5:00

Uplift at Amundsen, 5:00

Urban Prep-Bronzeville at Julian, 5:00

Urban Prep-West at Englewood STEM, 5:00

Wheeling at Maine East, 7:30

Woodstock at Wauconda, 7:00

AURORA CHRISTIAN

Joliet Catholic vs. Aurora Central, 4:30

Aurora Christian vs. Crossroads, 6:00

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Phillips’s Tyler Turner (17) looks for a receiver against Simeon at Gately Stadium. | Kevin Tanaka/For the Sun-Times

The All-Public League football team was selected by a committee of Public League coaches and administrators.

Tyler Turner didn’t play football as an eighth-grader because he wanted to train for his high school career.

But then came a series of events that kept him from doing what he prepared to be: a starting varsity quarterback for a full season.

That opportunity finally arrived this fall and the Phillips senior didn’t waste it. Turner passed for about 2,300 yards with 23 touchdowns and just four interceptions to earn a spot on the All-Public League first team selected by coaches.

He follows in the footsteps of other Wildcats quarterbacks to make first team all-city, including Dewayne Collins and J’Bore Gibbs.

Turner is aware of Phillips’ quarterback legacy.

“I trained with J’Bore,” he said. “[But] I just want to be Tyler Turner and play my game.”

It took a lot longer than he expected.

Turner started his high-school career at Hubbard, where he was projected to be on the varsity as a freshman. But a broken elbow cost him that season.

He transferred to Phillips before his sophomore year. But eligibility issues limited him to playing on the sophomore team. Then came COVID and an abbreviated spring season.

Finally this fall, Turner had a full season to showcase his talent. The Wildcats opened with two lopsided road losses against Batavia and Mount Carmel, but then ran off nine consecutive wins en route to a 9-3 finish. They won the Illini Land of Lincoln title and reached the IHSA quarterfinals for the eighth straight postseason.

The season’s turning point for Turner and the Wildcats came in Week 5 against Simeon. Turner threw two TD passes to fellow All-City first-teamer Avante Savage, including the game-winner with 10 seconds left, in a 14-12 win.

“We started out [the season] slow,” Turner said. “We started picking up momentum. The Simeon game is where it felt like it was shifting.”

Joe Winslow, the Wildcats’ longtime offensive coordinator who took over as head coach this season, loves Turner’s blue-collar approach.

“He’s just a hard-working kid,” Winslow said. “This year he stayed at my house on weekends. He learned the playbook and threw himself into a leadership role.”

Turner and Savage were among seven first-team picks for Phillips, joining running back Desean Hill, offensive lineman Damien Thomas, defensive linemen Antwon McAdams and Thomas Spaulding, and defensive back Jahon Walker.

The 27-member team also includes Nebraska recruit Jalil Martin, a defensive back from Kenwood, and two of the state’s top young prospects: Simeon receiver Malik Elzy, a four-star junior with 14 offers, and Morgan Park running back Tysean Griffin, who has seven offers.

Prep Bowl runner-up Kenwood also is represented by offensive lineman Elijah Matthews, defensive lineman Marquise Lightfoot and linebacker K’Vion Thunderbird.

Simeon also had four first-teamers: Elzy, offensive lineman Jose Manning, linebacker Latrell Scott and defensive back Andre Crews. The other team with at least three first-teamers was Taft: offensive lineman Grzegorz Krupa, linebacker Ryan Porebski and punter Nicholas Moleda.

Brooks had a pair of first-teamers: receiver Cameron Pickett and defensive lineman Chidiebere Anaele. So did Young with offensive lineman Tomi Bisiryu and kicker Fernando Lozano.

Rounding out the team are Amundsen receiver Adam Muench, South Shore athlete Kristian Nelson, Hubbard kickoff returner Asean Johnson, Westinghouse linebacker Daveon Shaw and Crane punt returner Darrian Towns.

The All-Public League football team was selected by a committee of Public League coaches and administrators.

2021 Chicago Sun-Times All-Public League Team

Offense

QB Tyler Turner, Phillips, Sr.
RB Desean Hill, Phillips, Jr.
RB Tysean Griffin, Morgan Park, So.
WR Malik Elzy, Simeon, Jr
WR Avante Savage, Phillips, Sr.
WR Cameron Pickett, Brooks, Sr.
WR Adam Muench, Amundsen, Jr.
ATH Kristian Nelson, South Shore, Sr.
OL Damien Thomas, Phillips, Sr.
OL Elijah Matthews, Kenwood, Sr.
OL Tomi Bisiriyu, Young, Sr.
OL Grzegorz Krupa, Taft, Jr.
OL Jose Manning, Simeon, Jr.
K Fernando Lozano, Young, Sr.
KR Asean Johnson, Hubbard, Sr.

Defense

DL Chidiebere Anaele, Brooks, Sr.
DL Marquise Lighfoot, Kenwood, So.
DL Antwon McAdams, Phillips, Sr.
DL Thomas Spaulding, Phillips, Sr.
LB Ryan Porebski, Taft, Sr.
LB K’Vion Thunderbird, Kenwood, Jr.
LB Latrell Scott, Simeon, Sr.
LB Daveon Shaw, Westinghouse, Sr.
DB Jahon Walker, Phillips, Sr.
DB Andre Crews, Simeon, Jr.
DB Jalil Martin, Kenwood, Sr.
P Nicholas Moleda, Taft, Sr.
PR Darrian Towns, Crane, Jr.

Second Team Offense

QB Aaron Warren, Morgan Park, Sr.
RB Jermaine Robinson, Urban Prep
RB Jaylen Scott, Crane, Sr.
WR Ryan Cruz, Tilden, Jr.
TE Aleksandar Dale, Young, Jr.
ATH Torrence Branch, Corliss, Sr.
ATH Tyler Benjamin, Perspectives, Sr.
ATH Joseph Spaulding, King, Sr.
OL Jaylin Caldwell, Phillips, Sr.
OL Leno Campbell, Dyett, Sr.
OL Devan King, Morgan Park, Sr.
OL Christian Walton, Brooks, So.
K Russell Anglada, Amundsen, Jr.
KR Willie Taylor, Clark, JR.

Second Team Defense

DL Tyler Washington, Hubbard, Jr.
DL Kaleb Robinson, Julian, Sr.
DL Michael Oladipo, Taft, Sr.
DL Joshua Chancellor-Seay, Dyett, Sr.
LB Taveon Carter, Urban Prep, Sr.
LB Elliott Graziano, Payton, Sr.
LB Jonah Irving, Mather, Sr.
LB Jeffrey Wardlow, Corliss, Sr.
DB Diego Oliver, Kenwood, Sr.
DB Anthony Hood, Young, So.
DB Kaymen Coleman, Von Steuben, Sr.
P Jacob Valentin, Steinmetz, Sr.
PR Tyquan Sanders, North Lawndale, Sr.

Honorable Mention

RB Hector Ramirez, Chicago Academy, Sr.
RB Reginald Fox, Julian, Sr.
WR Demarion Windfield, Westinghouse, Sr.
WR Charlie Newton, Payton, Jr.
WR Shawn Harris, Morgan Park, Sr.
OL Amonte Williams, Kenwood, Sr.
OL Jamal McKenzie, Corliss, Jr.
OL Derrick Gaddy, Crane, Sr.
DB Jaykwon Armour, Phillips, Jr.
DB Cameron Manney, Curie, Sr.
DB Gile Niyomutabazi, Sullivan, Sr.
DB Isaiah Cruz, Taft, Sr.
DL Achoy Stewart, Simeon, Sr.
LB Shauntrel Wilson, Simeon, Sr.
LB Michael Duckins, North Lawndale, Sr.

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Graham is in his 12th season and has 83 career touchdown catches. | AP Photos

Graham has handled the closing chapter of his career with class, and regardless of his production dwindling this season, he was a good signing by the Bears. Now it’s time to appreciate what could be the final six games of a great career.

Jimmy Graham knows he’s near the end. He’s not sure how much longer he can cling to his football career, but fresh off his 35th birthday, he sees it fading.

Every great athlete must grapple with the stage at which their physical abilities decline and the sport seems to be sweeping them out the door, and only some handle it with graceful self-awareness. Some are in denial, refusing to see the signs. Others pivot to a different style of play or shift to a more specialized role.

It’s a little of all of that for Graham.

He has embraced guiding the Bears’ younger tight ends like Cole Kmet, but he’s still desperate to push his career numbers as high as he can with an eye on his already-strong Hall of Fame candidacy. He also still covets the championship that has eluded him for 12 seasons, but his team is 4-7 and he’s getting sporadic playing time.

“I’ve been chasing the ring for a long time,” Graham said. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be satisfied with it if I’m not carrying some type of hardware after all the work and all the dedication. I’ve given a lot to get to the point that I’m at today.

“I don’t know [about retirement]. I’m sure my body will let me know. I’m sure the league will let me know because nobody will want me on their team.”

That message has been coming through in pieces over the last few years, and Graham will probably get a more conclusive answer when he hits free agency after this season. Given his age and the fact that he has just six catches for 98 yards and a touchdown while playing 22% of the snaps, there probably won’t be much — if any — demand.

The Packers cut him in March 2020, and Graham went unsigned for two weeks before agreeing to a two-year, $16 million deal with the Bears that was widely panned as overspending. Graham and the Bears were vindicated, though, when his 50 catches, 456 yards and eight touchdowns exceeded the output of all their 2019 tight ends combined.

Still, with the expected emergence of Kmet, it was surprising the Bears brought Graham back for $10 million this season.

Graham, by the way, said he joined the Bears thinking he could win a title with them. After spending his entire career with Drew Brees, Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers, it’s hard to believe he was imagining the Lombardi Trophy when he linked up with Mitch Trubisky. The Bears have gone 12-15 and had one of the NFL’s worst offenses during his time with them.

“You’ve gotta look [2018] they went on a run that was pretty special,” Graham said. “There was a lot of upside… Sometimes it’s timing, and sometimes you’ve gotta pick and choose as you have and I have done that.

“I don’t regret anything I’ve ever done or any decision I’ve made in this league. I’m blessed to be here, a part of these guys and a part of this franchise.”

If these last six games are the final phase for Graham, it’s worth appreciating what he’s accomplished.

After playing basketball at the University of Miami, he launched himself into the NFL after one season of college football. He had two 1,000-yard seasons, made five Pro Bowls and was an all-pro in 2013.

While Pro Football Reference’s projections have him far from a sure bet for the Hall of Fame, he is sixth all-time among tight ends in catches (705), eighth in yardage (8,437) and fourth in touchdowns (83).

The Bears got in only at the end of that run, but they were still better for having him. Ultimately, he was the ideal bridge to Kmet in both production and mentorship, and bringing him in was a success.

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A 14-year-old boy was fatally shot Nov. 29, 2021, in Back of the Yards. | File photo

The shooting happened about 12:50 a.m. Monday in the 1800 block of West 46th Street, officials said.

A 14-year-old boy was killed in a shooting Monday in Back of the Yards on the South Side.

Louis Corngo was walking outside about 12:50 a.m. in the 1800 block of West 46th Street when someone approached him and opened fire, Chicago police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office said.

Corngo was shot in the arm and leg and was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead later that evening, officials said.

An autopsy released Wednesday found he died of multiple gunshot wounds, the medical examiner’s office said. His death was ruled a homicide.

No arrests have been reported.

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Leslie Odom Jr. performs at the Tony Awards in September. | Theo Wargo/Getty Images

There’s plenty to see and do online and in-person in the week ahead.

Theater

Liz Lauren
Pos plays the Ghost of Christmas Past in “Q Brothers Christmas Carol.”
For some wild holiday fun, check out “Q Brothers Christmas Carol,” a hip-hop reinterpretation of the holiday classic created by the Q Brothers Collective. Directed by GQ and JQ and developed with Rick Boynton, it remixes Charles Dickens’ classic tale via musical styles ranging from reggae and dancehall music to dubstep and epic rock ballads. From Dec. 8-23 at Chicago Shakespeare at Navy Pier, 800 E. Grand. Tickets: $38-$56. Visit chicagoshakes.com.

“8-Track: The Sounds of the ’70s” is a sung-through musical built around hit songs from the title decade. Devised by Rick Steves and directed and choreographed by Jamal Howard, the show follows four young adults as they navigate their lives to the tunes of The Carpenters, Marvin Gaye, The Doobie Brothers, The Bee Gees and many more. From Dec. 3-23 at Theo-Ubique Theatre, 721 Howard, Evanston. Tickets: $42-$54, dinner is an additional $29. Visit theo-u.com.
Krista Scott’s adaptation of Charles Dickens’ holiday classic “A Christmas Carol” returns Dec. 2-24 at Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W. Campbell, Arlington Heights. Tickets: $30. Visit metropolisarts.com … Musical theater actress Angela Ingersoll’s “The 12 Dames of Christmas” features holiday tunes as they were sung by some of America’s legendary female singers. At 7:30 p.m. Dec. 6 and 1 p.m. Dec. 7 at Marriott Theatre, 10 Marriott Dr., Lincolnshire. Tickets: $55. Visit artistsloungelive.com.

Dance

The Joffrey Ballet’s holiday treat “The Nutcracker” returns with live performances. Christopher Wheeldon’s reimagining of the classic sets the tale on Christmas Eve, 1892, months before the opening of the 1893 World’s Fair. Young Marie and her mother host a Christmas Eve celebration, after which Marie embarks on an adventure with the Nutcracker Prince through a dreamlike World’s Fair. From Dec. 4-26 at Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Wacker. Tickets: $35+. Visit joffrey.org.
Dan Swinson
“The Art Deco Nutcracker” is at the Athenaeum Theatre.A&A Ballet’s “The Art Deco Nutcracker” is choreographer Alexei Kremnev’s fresh take on the holiday favorite. Set in 1920s America, the storyline is reworked to feature added scenes and characters, all inspired by the Art Deco era. At 2 and 7 p.m. Dec. 4 at Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport. Tickets: $25. Visit aacenterfordance.org.

Comedy

WME
Comedian Ramy Youssef will appear Dec. 3-4 at The Den Theatre.

Comedian Ramy Youssef has brought his unique voice and perspective to the Golden Globe-winning comedy-drama series “Ramy” on Hulu. The terrific show is inspired by his own experiences as a first-generation Egyptian-American Muslin on a spiritual journey. While he’s been busy with the series (a third season was filmed last summer), he’s also made room for some stand-up performances. Youssef performs at 7 and 9:15 p.m. Dec. 3-4 at The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee. Tickets: $33-$59. Visit thedentheatre.com.

Music

The award-winning, multi-talented Leslie Odom Jr. captivated audiences as Aaron Burr in the Broadway staging of “Hamilton” and as legendary singer Sam Cooke in the film “One Night in Miami.” Now he’s touring behind his new holiday release, “The Christmas Album,” on which he reimagines timeless holiday tunes (“Last Christmas,” “O Holy Night,” “Little Drummer Boy” and more). At 7:30 p.m. Dec. 4 at CIBC Theatre, 18 W. Monroe. The show is sold out but resale tickets are available for $140 and up at broadwayinchicago.com.
Walter Petrule
Irish Christmas in America returns to the Old Town School.
Now in its 16th year, Irish Christmas in America returns with its salute to the holiday season. Produced by Sligo fiddler Oisin MacDiarmada, the show features Irish music, song and dance with singers Niamh Farrell and Seamus Begley and dancer Samantha Harvey, plus a photographic backdrop of Ireland’s rich holiday traditions. At 4 and 8 p.m. Dec. 4 at Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N. Lincoln. Tickets: $28. Visit oldtownschool.org.
The Newberry Consort and EnsAmble Ad-Hoc bring “A Mexican Christmas” to three historic churches. The unique program celebrates the diverse musical traditions of Mexico including classic villancicos (Mexican carols) and sacred polyphonic music from Mexico City convents. At 8 p.m. Dec. 2 at St. John Cantius Catholic Church, 825 N. Carpenter; at 8 p.m. Dec. 3 at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 939 Hinman, Evanston, and 3 p.m. Dec. 5 at Mother of the Americas Parish, 2226 S. Whipple. Tickets: $20-$50. Visit newberryconsort.org.

Nate Treedome
Pert Near Sandstone
After a long wait, the Minneapolis-based progressive-bluegrass band Pert Near Sandstone finally is on tour celebrating its 2020 album, “Rising Tide.” The five band members rejuvenate American stringband music with a raw energy while also respecting the genre’s roots. Horseshoes & Hand Grenades opens at 9 p.m. Dec. 3 at Martyrs, 3855 N. Lincoln. Tickets: $25. Visit martyrslive.com.
The Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus returns with its holiday a cappella show, “Unplugged,” featuring 150 singers and 20 dancers. Among the performances are two spirituals by Jester Hairston, a new rendition of “Carol of the Bells,” a Hanukkah parody, and, of course, Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” At 8 p.m. Dec. 3 at Harris Theater, 205 E. Randolph; 8 p.m. Dec. 4 at North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd, Skokie, and 3 p.m. Dec. 5 at Beverly Arts Center, 2407 W. 111th. Tickets: $25-$52. Visit cgmc.org/holiday.

She & Him (Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward) celebrate the 10th anniversary of their holiday album, “A Very She & Him Christmas,” with a deluxe edition of the album and a handful of tour dates. The reissue includes a few new tracks, including a cover of Madonna’s “Holiday” and Wham’s Christmas breakup balled, “Last Christmas.” The duo performs at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 7 at the Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State. Tickets: $36+. Visit ticketmaster.com.

Courtesy of the artist
The Kinks are among the acts pictured in Heather McAdams’ Lil’ Country Calendar.

Chris and Heather’s Country Calendar Show celebrates the release of Heather McAdams’ 2002 Lil’ Country Calendar with 12 live acts plus 16mm films of music legends. Performing music by the calendar’s featured act each month are Devil in a Woodpile covering Roy Acuff, Scott Ligon’s All Stars covering The Kinks, Dave Drazin covering Martha Davis, Hawk Colman covering Ike and Tina Turner, Kelly Hogan & Co. covering The Boswell Sisters, The Lawrence Peters Outfit covering The Stonemans, John Connors covering Doris Day, Jane Baxter Miller and Kent Kessler covering Waylon Jennings, Joel Paterson covering Lani McIntyre, Phil Angotti covering Donovan, Eddie Korosa Jr. Chicago’s Polka Band covering Lawrence Welk and Andrew Sa covering Hawkshaw Hawkins. At 8 p.m. Dec. 4 at FitzGerald’s, 6615 W. Roosevelt. Tickets: $25. Visit fitzgeraldsnightclub.com.

A Chanticleer Christmas features a cappella arrangements of holiday music both familiar and new at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 7-8 at Fourth Presbyterian Church, 126 E. Chestnut. Tickets: $39-$90. Visit cso.org … The Civic Orchestra of Chicago performs Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos at 7 p.m. Dec. 6 at Fourth Presbyterian Church, 126 E. Chestnut. Free. Visit cso.org … Chicago a cappella presents its annual holiday concert series Dec. 3-5 and 10-12 at various locations in Chicago and suburbs. For more information, visit chicagoacappella.org … A holiday performance by the Rembrandt Chamber Musicians is at 3 p.m. Dec. 5 at Northwestern University’s Alice Millar Chapel, 1870 Sheridan, Evanston. Tickets: $12-$41. Visit rembrandtchambermusicians.org … A chamber choir, St. Charles Singers, presents “Candlelight Carols,” a mix of holiday favorites and lesser-known seasonal songs. At 7:30 p.m. Dec. 3 and 3 p.m. Dec. 5 at Baker Memorial United Methodist Church, 307 Cedar, St. Charles, and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 4 at Fourth Presbyterian Church, 126 E. Chestnut. Tickets: $10-$40. Visit stcharlessingers.com.

Museums

“The Secret Forest” at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum is a new interactive exhibit designed to connect young visitors with nature. Visitors can traverse an indoor forest and immerse themselves in a variety of natural environments. Featured are slides, exploration tunnels and a boat that can be steered on an imaginary river. The exhibit is ongoing at the museum, 2430 N. Cannon. Admission: $6-$9, children under 3 free. Visit naturemuseum.org.
Courtesy of the artist
A John Soss collage from “On the Beach.”John Soss, longtime marketing guru at Jam Productions, has in recent years found an outlet for his artistic side as a collage artist. His side project began on bike rides and walks along the Lake Michigan shoreline where he collected all types of things that washed up or were left behind, ranging from lake glass and beach toys to rocks and driftwood. You name it, he’s probably found it. Photographs of the colorful and striking collages Soss compiles are the focus of the exhibit “On the Beach” from Dec. 3-30 at Tony Fitzpatrick’s The Dime Gallery, 1513 N. Western. Admission is free. Visit thedimechicago.godaddysites.com

Family holiday fun

Brighten the season with a pair of Holiday Flower Shows at the Garfield Park Conservatory (300 N. Central Park) and the Lincoln Park Conservatory (2391 N. Stockton). The Garfield Park show, “Serenity,” features poinsettias as well as blossoming plants atypical for this time of year. “Candy Cane” turns Lincoln Park’s Show House into an imaginary swirl of holiday treats via red and white poinsettias, holiday lights and a 12-foot poinsettia tree. Admission is free; timed reservations are required for both. Visit chicagoparkdistrict.com.

Lightscape, an after-dark, illuminated trail at the Chicago Botanic Garden, features a new walking path with singing trees and a light-filled Winter Cathedral plus other new features. To Jan. 2 at 1000 Lake Cook Rd., Glencoe. Admission is free; parking is $25; timed reservations required. Visit chicagobotanic.org.

CZS/Brookfield Zoo
Holiday Magic illuminates the Brookfield Zoo.
The Brookfield Zoo’s Holiday Magic turns the zoo grounds into a festive wonderland featuring the new Sea of Lights, a 41-foot-tall tree, a 3D walk-through gingerbread house, the Game of Gnomes scavenger hunt, a skating rink, holiday-themed food and a drop-off box for letters to Santa. Admission: $17.95-$24.95, timed reservations required; parking $15. Visit czs.org/holidaymagic.
All decked out for the holidays with a dazzling light display, Six Flags Great America’s Holiday in the Park Lights in Gurnee offers seasonal performances, select family rides including the Columbia Carousel, photo ops with Santa Claus, activities like cookie decorating and more. To Dec. 30, $24.99+, no reservations required. To Jan. 9 there’s also a drive-through option on select nights; $17.99+, reservations required and each person in car must have a ticket. Visit sixflags.com/greatamerica.
Parkway Bank Park, 5501 Park Pl. in Rosemont, brings back the Chicago Wolves Ice Rink, which offers families a chance for fresh air, exercise and fun. Open every day through Jan. 4 and select Sundays and holidays through Feb. 27. Admission is free; skate rental is $8. For more information, visit rosemont.com/thepark.

Holiday markets

Courtesy of the artist
Jewelry from Beach Glass Bingo is for sale at the One of a Kind Show.
The season’s biggest artisan event, the One of a Kind Show, returns with its usual vast array of work ranging from fine art, ceramics and fiber art to furniture, jewelry and photography. Nearly 400 artists will be on hand to share their inspiration and insights into the creative process. From Dec. 2-5 at Merchandise Mart, 222 W. Merchandise Mart Plaza. Admission: $10, children under 12 free. Visit oneofakindshowchicago.com.
Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s virtual Holiday Artisan Market features one-of-a-kind gift ideas from more than 250 artists including onstage performers, backstage technicians, designers and community partners from the theater’s annual Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks program. Streams from Dec. 2-5. Visit chicagoshakes.com.

Randolph Street Market presents a curated selection of antiques, vintage and modern artisan goods including decorative objects, housewares, fashion, jewelry, art and more. From 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays Dec. 4-19 at 830 N. Michigan. Admission: $10, children under 12 free. Visit randolphstreetmarket.com.
The 32nd annual International Small Print Exhibition and Holiday Sale features work by more than 85 printmakers. Also for sale are textiles, jewelry, cards, t-shirts and more. From Dec. 3-19 at Chicago Printmakers Collaborative, 4912 N. Western. Admission is free. Visit chicagoprintmakers.com.
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People relaxing at Oak Street Beach in August. | Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

Parks CEO Rosa Escareno also announced that hiring of lifeguards for summer 2022 would be pushed back until “intensive” training is conducted.

Chicago Park District officials will spend at least $617,139 and hire five investigators for a new unit tasked with preventing and investigating sexual assault and supporting victims as part of a $510.9 million budget passed unanimously Wednesday.

As district leaders continue to clean up Park District staff and practices following a rampant sexual abuse and assault scandal among city lifeguards, interim CEO Rosa Escareno also announced that hiring of lifeguards for next summer would be pushed back until “intensive” training is conducted.

“We are delaying the start of the next program, which starts in January. We are delaying it by a couple of weeks — taking two weeks to actually do a very intense training of the Aquatics Division. That’s just one example of how we are revisiting what the organization has been doing in relation to training,” Escareno said.

“When we talk about prevention and accountability, it’s because we meant that. Our job is to prevent this from ever even happening. And when it does happen, people will be held accountable. … This training does not absolve individuals of that. … [But] if you do not train your staff correctly — if they don’t know the rules of the road and understand the consequences they will face — then it’s all for nothing.”

The new Office of Prevention and Accountability had been announced by former Park District Superintendent Mike Kelly before Mayor Lori Lightfoot forced him out.

Precise powers and budget for the new office were not known — even after Escareno unveiled the $510.9 million budget last month.

On Wednesday, Escareno told the board the $617,139 office would be staffed at least initially by a team of five. That includes: a director, a senior investigator, two more investigators and a “case intake specialist.” The budget does not include funding for training, which will come from elsewhere in the Park District budget, she said.

“We are at a pivotal moment at the Chicago Park District and we have a responsibility to rise to this occasion and make the real, long-term changes that this moment demands,” Escareno told the board.

Calling the $617,139-a-year budget a “first step,” Escareno said she plans to return to the board next month seeking approval of “changes to the Chicago Park District code that will fully empower” the new office “to prevent misconduct and hold offenders accountable through independent, impartial and thorough investigations.”

“The code amendments will also give the office … the responsibility to coordinate access to support services, help develop training, implement new Park District policies … and provide for the appointment of the director of the new office by the superintendent with the advice and consent of the board,” she said.

Well aware Kelly and former board chairwoman Avis LaVelle had kept park board members in the dark about the lifeguard scandal, Escareno said: “It will also establish a mandated, regular reporting structure and include a number of checks and balances to ensure the office is able to conduct investigations independently.”

Park Board members didn’t blanche at the thought of devoting the money to the new office. In fact, said newly-appointed board member Modesto Valle: “I’m wondering if this is enough money. … Have we done benchmarking on salaries to make sure we attract the best for these positions?”

Escareno described the budget as a “starting point,” adding: “I am not going to be shy. … If this office over the first year feels that it needs more resources, it is going to be a priority. We will come back. We will request additional resources.”

Wednesday’s board meeting was the first chaired by interim Park Board President Tim King. The founder and CEO of Urban Prep School, King stepped up after LaVelle was forced out for her poor handling of sexual misconduct among lifeguards at the city’s pools and beaches.

Currently, sex abuse complaints by employees are supposed to be reported to the parks’ human resources department or to the district’s inspector general’s office. But that didn’t always happen, as revealed earlier this year, when the Chicago Sun-Times reported what an independent investigator would later confirm: that then-CEO Michael Kelly sat on a teenage lifeguard’s detailed, heartbreaking complaint of abuse and harassment for six weeks before sending it up the chain — and then only after a second lifeguard sent a more damning complaint to the mayor’s office.

Kelly was forced to resign and three top aides were fired in disciplinary proceedings Escareno has promised will continue.

As for the $510.9 million budget, which does not raise fees on park district programs, it includes a rare property tax increase of $4.3 million, which amounts to about $4 more per year for the average homeowner, as the park district restores its programs to pre-pandemic levels.

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Brian Kelly (left) is introduced as LSU’s new head football coach by athletics director Scott Woodward during a news conference Wednesday in Baton Rouge, La. | Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images

Why would anyone be shocked that a college football coach was looking out for No. 1?

I’m trying to understand the public outrage over Brian Kelly’s decision to leave Notre Dame for LSU. Help me out here, all you apoplectic college football fans.

You had expected what, exactly? That Kelly would be the one coach to say no to gobs of money? That, when his life ended, he’d be buried at Notre Dame Stadium, a playbook in one hand and a shillelagh in the other?

Fifty percent of being a college football coach is thinking about possible job opportunities. The other 50% is talking about your current team as “family.”

What’s that? You find it scandalous that Kelly would leave his players high and dry while the sixth-ranked Irish still have a chance of making the College Football Playoff?

Do you own a home in your fairy tale or do you just rent?

We’ve been through decades of this, of coaches doing at every turn what’s in their best interest. The only surprise this time is that there are people who thought Kelly’s story was going to have a happy ending for anyone other than him. Same goes with Lincoln Riley, who recently left Oklahoma for USC. Do you think Riley feels a bit of shame that his two dogs are named Boomer and Sooner? If he’s like every other college coach, he’s already changed their names to Trojan and Call My Agent.

I’m supposed to feel anger at any of this? Disbelief? A burning sensation in my large intestine? Sorry, no. Mostly, I’m amused at the fierce reaction to Kelly’s cover-of-darkness move to LSU.

What about the “student-athletes,” you ask, your voice cracking from the injustice of it all.

I’m beyond feeling sorry for the players, not because they don’t deserve better but because signing a letter of intent is, by definition, signing away your fanciful view of life. Coaches leave. It’s what they do. You know what else they do? They ask players to be there for each other, which sounds hypocritical when those coaches bolt for better-paying jobs. It sounds hypocritical because it is. Hypocrisy is as much a part of the system as weight rooms are. All of us – you, me and the beer in your recliner’s cup holder – know this.

If a high school athlete and his family don’t go into the recruiting process with their eyes wide open, it’s because they’ve ignored the mountain of evidence that says coaches can’t be trusted.

You rage. I shrug. But I ask you again: What do you expect from these people?

If you fall for the fiction that the coach of the college program you love is not like all those other coaches out there — the coaches who should be housed in the reptile house at the zoo — you, sir or madam, are a fool.

If you believe that the locker-room video of your coach giving a walk-on a scholarship is for anything other than the coach’s image and his ability to attract other players to the program, you’re as gullible as a puppy.

If you’ve bought into the coach’s nonsense that his program is, indeed, a “family,” I have some bad news for you: Pops is shacking up with someone else.

It’s beyond me why any clear-thinking person would assign virtue to a football coach. Kelly and Riley are the latest examples of why you shouldn’t believe a coach, but the bigger question is why anyone would have needed further examples.

This is on you, folks. Blame yourself for any feelings of betrayal you might be experiencing. Never fall in love with a coach. You’d be better off falling in love with a disposable razor.

Coaches argue that it works both ways, that schools jettison coaches all the time. They’re correct. It’s a tough, win-now, money driven world with plenty of unpleasantness to go around. Not exactly breaking news.

My guess is that LSU’s 10-year, $95 million offer reminded Kelly that he had a better chance of winning a national title if he left Notre Dame. I’m also guessing a $1.2 million, interest-free home loan and two courtesy vehicles didn’t hurt.

Kelly’s contract is filled with incentives. He’ll get $200,000 if the Tigers make it to a College Football Playoff semifinal, $300,000 if they get to the championship game and $500,000 if they win the national title.

He can earn an extra $50,000 based on his team’s academic performance. Kind of cute how they try to make education seem important.

There’s no honor in any of this, but since when did honor have anything to do with college football?

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