Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly looks on during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Navy in South Bend, Ind., on Nov. 6. LSU is hiring him away from Notre Dame, a stunning move of one of the most accomplished coaches in college football jumping from the sport’s most storied program to a Southeastern Conference powerhouse. | AP Photos

By jumping ship at this key moment, Brian Kelly has turned a season of achievement and promise into a bitter pill of disappointment and betrayal.

Team sports really do teach important life lessons. In the case of ex-Notre Dame football coach Brian Kelly [“Brian’s gone: LSU antes up for Kelly“], his bolting ND for a $75 million contract at LSU teaches his young players that money and ego are all that matter in big-time college sports, and any reference to character, loyalty, teamwork, etc., is so much hypocritical blather. By jumping ship at this key moment, Kelly has turned a season of achievement and promise into a bitter pill of disappointment and betrayal.

Kelly’s salary — hundreds of times what an adjunct instructor at LSU makes — will provide for a luxurious lifestyle. But I wonder if it’s enough to make up for the fact that in future years, all Kelly will be remembered for is selling out his players when they most needed him. As for LSU, the school may win a few more games, but at a cost in institutional reputation, morale and integrity that will dwarf even Kelly’s grotesquely bloated paycheck.

Hugh Iglarsh, Skokie

SEND LETTERS TO: [email protected]. We want to hear from our readers. To be considered for publication, letters must include your full name, your neighborhood or hometown and a phone number for verification purposes. Letters should be a maximum of approximately 350 words.

Important life lessons

Recently, I’ve been reading a blog post that follows the Facebook posts and tweets of anti-vaxxers and COVID-19 deniers. They are filled with hate for President Joe Biden and Democrats and support for COVID conspiracy theories.

The other common thread that runs through them is that in each story someone gets COVID and bad things happen. Family members die horrible deaths alone. Children are orphaned and families bankrupted. For what? Political affiliation is no reason to risk the lives of your family and the rest of us. If you’re eligible, please get the shot.

Richard Keslinke, Algonquin

Correct analysis

Rev. Jesse Jackson’s column addressing travel bans and the omicron variant is the most concise, morally and scientifically correct analysis of the need for global action to address the pandemic I have seen. I thank God for his sane voice of reason.

Is anyone in ANY government listening?

Rick Wetzel, Old Town

New caucus

First Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green, R-Ga. Then Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz. Now Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., faces the possibility of losing her House committee assignments over reprehensible words and deeds.

Looks like the GOP has established a new House caucus to join the Freedom Caucus and others. Call it the Committeeless Caucus.

Walt Zlotow, Glen Ellyn

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Joliet West’s Cortez Lewis (12) grabbing a rebound and looking for a pass as the Tigers play Vashon. | Allen Cunningham/For the Sun-Times

All the scores from around the area.

Please send scores and corrections to [email protected].

Tuesday, November 30, 2021

LAKE SHORE ATHLETIC

Waldorf at British School, 5:30

METRO PREP

Chesterton Holy Family at Hinsdale Adventist, 7:00

NOBLE LEAGUE – BLUE

Baker at UIC, 7:00

Golder at Rauner, 7:00

NOBLE LEAGUE – GOLD

Butler at ITW-Speer, 7:00

Comer at Rowe-Clark, 5:30

DRW at Johnson, 7:00

RIVER VALLEY

Clifton Central at Momence, 7:00

Donovan at Grace Christian, 7:00

Illinois Lutheran at Grant Park, 7:00

St. Anne at Gardner-So. Wilmington, 6:45

Tri-Point at Beecher, 7:00

SOUTHWEST PRAIRIE – EAST

Joliet Central at Plainfield East, PPD

Joliet West at Plainfield Central, 6:30

Romeoville at Plainfield South, 6:30

SOUTHWEST PRAIRIE – WEST

Minooka at Oswego, 6:30

Oswego East at West Aurora, 6:30

Plainfield North at Yorkville, 6:30

NON CONFERENCE

Amboy at Serena, 7:00

Andrew at Argo, 6:30

Back of the Yards at Little Village, 5:00

Bartlett at Geneva, 7:15

Bloom at Lincoln-Way East, 6:30

Bowen at Hubbard, 5:00

Christ the King at St. Ignatius, 7:15

Clemente at Farragut, 5:00

Curie at De La Salle, 6:00

DeKalb at Glenbard West, 7:00

DePue at Woodland, 7:00

Dunbar at Clark, 6:30

Dwight at Prairie Central, 7:00

Earlville at Mendota, 7:00

East Aurora at Metea Valley, 6:30

Galva at Midland, 7:00

Glenbard North at Naperville Central, 7:00

Grant at Buffalo Grove, 7:00

Greenview at Lowpoint-Washburn, 7:30

Hall at LaSalle-Peru, 7:00

Hiawatha at South Beloit, 7:00

IC Catholic at Lake Park, 7:15

Intrinsic at Schurz, 5:00

Johnsburg at Grayslake Central, 7:00

Juarez at Solorio, 5:00

Julian at Vocational, 5:00

Kewanee at Dixon, 6:00

King at Mount Carmel, 7:00

Lake Forest at Glenbrook South, 7:00

Lake Zurich at Prospect, 7:00

Lakes at Vernon Hills, 7:00

Lane at Bulls, 5:30

Latin at Holy Trinity, 6:30

Lemont at Sandburg, 5:45

Leyden at Elmwood Park, 7:00

Lindblom at Brooks, 5:00

Midland at Galva, 7:00

Morris at Seneca, 7:00

Muchin at Payton, 6:30

Nazareth at Downers Grove South, 6:00

Neuqua Valley at Morton, 5:30

Niles West at Highland Park, 7:00

North Boone at Marengo, 7:00

Oregon at Ashton-Franklin Center, 7:00

Pecatonica at Genoa-Kingston, 7:00

Perspectives-Lead at Phillips, 5:00

Phoenix at Kelly, 5:00

Plano at Hinckley-Big Rock, 7:00

Princeville at Putnam County, 7:00

Reavis at Lincoln-Way West, 6:30

Reed-Custer at Flanagan-Cornell, 6:45

Roanoke-Benson at Calvary (Normal), 7:00

Rockford Christian at Marmion, 7:00

Roosevelt at Lake View, 7:00

Sandwich at Yorkville Christian, 7:00

Schaumburg at Proviso West, 7:00

Schaumburg Christian at North Shore, 6:00

South Shore at King, 5:00

St. Bede at Marquette, 7:00

Sterling at Rochelle, 7:00

Stevenson at Carmel, 7:00

Stillman Valley at Woodstock North, 7:00

Thornridge at Lockport, 6:30

Tinley Park at Stagg, 6:00

University High at Jones, 6:30

Uplift at Collins, 5:00

Urban Prep-West at Fenger, 5:00

Westlake Christian at Grayslake North, 7:00

Williams Bay (WI) at Richmond-Burton, 7:00

Woodstock at Badger (WI), 7:00

LAKES

Fremd at St. Viator, 7:00

AURORA CHRISTIAN

Joliet Catholic vs. St. Edward, 4:30

Aurora Central vs. Mooseheart, 6:00

Harvest Christian vs. IMSA, 7:30

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In this courtroom sketch, Lawrence Paul Visoski Jr., who was one of Jeffrey Epstein’s pilots, testifies on the witness stand during Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex trafficking trial, Monday, Nov. 29, 2021, in New York. | AP

The witness, using the pseudonym “Jane,” was the first of four alleged victims expected to testify against Maxwell at a New York City trial where she is charged with recruiting and grooming girls for Epstein to sexually abuse from 1994 to at least 2004.

NEW YORK — A woman testified on Tuesday that British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell was often in the room when the witness, then just 14, had sexual interactions with the financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Maxwell “was very casual,” she told a New York City jury. “Like it was no big deal.”

She claimed the defendant instructed her on how to give Epstein sexual massages and sometimes physically participated in the encounters as well.

The witness, using the pseudonym “Jane,” was the first of four alleged victims expected to testify against Maxwell at a New York City trial where she is charged with recruiting and grooming girls for Epstein to sexually abuse from 1994 to at least 2004.

The witness first met Epstein in 1994 when she was attending a music camp in pursuit of a singing career, she said. He came up to her and introduced himself as a donor. They discovered that they both lived in Palm Beach, Florida, she said.

The woman and her mother soon received invitations to Epstein’s home, she said. He and Maxwell would take her shopping for clothes, including underwear from Victoria’s Secret, she said.

The cycle of abuse started when Epstein abruptly took her by hand one day and said, “Follow me,” before taking her to a pool house at the home. Then he pulled down his pants, pulled her close and “proceeded to masturbate,” she said.

“I was frozen in fear,” she said. “I’d never see a penis before. … I was terrified and felt gross and felt ashamed.”

Another time, she was taken to a massage room where he and Maxwell both took advantage of her, she said.

“There were hands everywhere and Jeffrey proceeded to masturbate again,” she said.

Other encounters involved sex toys or turned into oral sex “orgies” with other young women and Maxwell, she added.

On cross-examination, defense lawyer Laura Menninger sought to grill the witness on why she waited 20 years to report the alleged abuse by Maxwell. Menninger also asked if it was true she had previously spoken to her siblings and others close to her about Epstein’s behavior, but left Maxwell out of the earlier accounts.

“You never mentioned Ghislaine Maxwell?” the lawyer asked.

“I don’t know,” the witness responded, adding she only remembered being uncomfortable with going into all the details.

The cross-examination was expected to continue Wednesday.

Maxwell has pleaded not guilty. One of her lawyers said in an opening statement Monday that she’s being made a scapegoat for Epstein, who killed himself in his Manhattan jail cell at age 66 in 2019 as he awaited a sex trafficking trial.

Earlier Tuesday, a former pilot for Epstein testified that he never saw evidence of sexual activity on planes as he flew his boss and others — including a prince and ex-presidents — for nearly three decades.

Lawrence Paul Visoski Jr., the trial’s first witness, was responding to questions by a defense lawyer when he acknowledged that he never encountered sexual activity aboard two jets he piloted for roughly 1,000 trips between 1991 and 2019.

He said he stayed in the cockpit for the majority of flights, but would sometimes emerge to go to the bathroom or get coffee.

Although he was called as a witness by the government, Visoski’s testimony seemed to aid the defense of Maxwell as he answered questions posed by Maxwell attorney Christian Everdell about what he saw when he straightened up the aircraft after a flight.

Visoski didn’t hesitate when Everdell asked him if he ever saw sexual activity when he went for coffee or found sex toys when he cleaned up.

“Never,” the pilot answered to both questions. He said he never saw used condoms either.

And when he was asked if he ever saw sex acts with underage females, he answered: “Absolutely not.”

The pilot said Epstein never warned him to stay in the cockpit during flights and also encouraged him to use a bathroom near the rear of the plane that would require him to walk past the plane’s couches.

He said he never saw any children on his planes who were not accompanied by their parents.

When Everdell asked him about a teenager who prosecutors say was sexually abused by Epstein before she became an adult, Visoski said he believed she was “mature” when he was introduced to her.

He also acknowledged that Clinton was a passenger on a few flights in the 2000s and he had piloted planes with Britain’s Prince Andrew, the late U.S. Sen. John Glenn of Ohio — the first American to orbit Earth — and former presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, “more than once.”

Epstein’s plane was derisively nicknamed “The Lolita Express” by some in the media after allegations emerged that he had used it to fly teenage girls to his private island, his New Mexico ranch and his New York City townhouse.

Maxwell, 59, traveled for decades in circles that put her in contact with accomplished and wealthy people before her July 2020 arrest.

Asked by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey where Maxwell stood in the hierarchy of Epstein’s world, Visoski said Maxwell “was the Number 2.” He added that “Epstein was the big Number 1.”

That testimony supported what Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Pomerantz told jurors in her opening statement Monday: Epstein and Maxwell were “partners in crime.”

Read More

Two shipping containers belonging to Kidz Korna are on this log in the 6500 block of South Parnell Avenue in Englewood. But there used to be three, and the third container, stolen sometime before Saturday afternoon, held tens of thousands of dollars in donated toys, clothes, electronics and other gifts that Kidz Korna and Flags of the Heart had planned to hand out at Christmastime. | Cheyanne M. Daniels/Sun-Times

A 53-foot-long white shipping container stolen from an Englewood lot sometime over the weekend contained about $50,000 in donated toys, clothes and other Christmas gifts.

For nearly a year, Delece Williams’ organization, Kidz Korna, has been collecting donations of toys, clothes and electronics.

Williams and Sharon Preston, founder of Flags of the Heart, planned to hand out those items at Christmastime to families in a roughly 40-block area they had “adopted.”

“We have a lot of senior citizens that’s dependent on us to help them with the grandkids as well as single parents,” Preston said at a press conference Monday. “Everybody knows that COVID hit, and it’s trying times right now. We need to step up and support the people that we can.”

But now it’s Williams and Preston who could use a little support — in finding, or maybe replacing, those donations.

Sometime over the weekend, the 53-foot-long shipping container they’d been storing their bounty in was stolen from a lot in Englewood.

Williams discovered the theft about 1 p.m. Saturday when she arrived to drop off more items. Two containers were there. The one with the gifts was not.

She was in shock.

“I thought that at first someone may have taken it by mistake,” she said of the missing white container, which has a serial number of UMXU 630361.

Cheyanne M. Daniels/Sun-Times
Delece Williams of Kidz Korna (at microphone) and Sharon Preston of Flags of the Heart (white coat) held a news conference Monday at the Englewood lot where a Kidz Korna shipping container holding about $50,000 in donated Christmas presents was stolen. With Williams was her husband, house music DJ Farley Jackmaster Funk (left).

That container, donated by CSX Transportation, as well as two others belonging to Kidz Korna, had been at a lot in the 6500 block of Parnell Avenue. One of the remaining shipping containers was filled with Kidz Korna’s office supplies; the other held old tires.

She called the railroad; CSX told her they hadn’t authorized the removal (the lot is near some railroad tracks).

Then she knocked on some neighbors’ doors, asking if anyone had seen anything.

“One of the neighbors said a tow truck was here on Friday,” Williams said. “They sat out here for about an hour, and then they just towed it away.”

Normally, Williams added, neighbors would have told the truck driver the container was there by permission. But because the thief had the tools to lift such a large item, neighbors thought Williams or another member of Kidz Korna knew it was being moved.

The container was about 80% filled — with toys, new clothing and shoes, personal heaters, more than 10,000 pieces of custom jewelry, blankets, electronics, school supplies and more. Williams estimated the donations were worth $50,000.

“CSX is saddened to learn that a storage container donated to the Kids Korner Foundation has gone missing,” said Cindy Schild, a company spokeswoman. “We are disappointed that someone would take toys intended for needy families in our community. We hope that the stolen property will be recovered and are supporting local law enforcement as they investigate.”

Williams founded Kidz Korna in 1994; Her goal was to minimize violence and abuse in the community through partnerships with media, the Chicago Police Department and community organizations.

This year, Kidz Korna partnered with Flags of the Heart for its 16th Annual Winter Wonderland Giveaway Driveby & Tour.

“We took money out of our pockets at the end of Christmas [last year] because they mark the toys down, the coats down, and we went to purchase a lot of stuff,” Preston said. “Just for it to be gone, that we cannot provide for the kids the way we like to, help the senior citizens … it’s just a hurting feeling.”

Cheyanne M. Daniels/Sun-Times
Despite the theft of about $50,000 in donations, Flags of the Heart founder Sharon Preston (left) and Kidz Korna founder/president Delece Williams remain hopeful they’ll have enough donations to share for the Christmas season.

Williams said she received a call Monday morning that CPD detectives may have a lead. But the detective was not available Monday, and a call to the Chicago police seeking details on the investigation was not returned.

Saturday’s theft wasn’t the first time Kidz Korna had been targeted.

A few weeks ago, the container holding its office supplies was mistakenly removed. Then, shortly before the gifts were stolen, Williams and her team found the lock on the container door had been cut off and replaced. (They cut that new lock off and put one of theirs back on again.)

Monday, Williams said this should be a warning for other community organizations.

“We’ve been hearing a lot about the car thefts and the carjackings,” said Williams. “Now we have to be very mindful of the containers being stolen. A lot of you know businesses have downsized or closed down, and they get those temporary containers. They put them on the sidewalks … and they’re unprotected. You would think that they’re safe. That’s what I thought.”

Preston said the community partners also will “adopt” five families on Christmas Eve.

“We’re going to feed them, give them toys, give them gift cards and everything we can,” Preston said.

And they will work harder than ever for the main giveaway to go on.

Money can be donated through CashApp$ to KidzKorna or at the Kidz Korna main office, 7901 S. Ashland Ave.

Donations also can be dropped off at:

o U.S. Bank, 815 W. 63rd St., 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday,

o Farley’s House Music Store, 1301 E. 87th St., 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays.

Cheyanne M. Daniels is a staff reporter at the Chicago Sun-Times via Report for America, a not-for-profit journalism program that aims to bolster the paper’s coverage of communities on the South and West sides.

Read More

Ed Oquendo caught a beautiful rainbow trout Monday on the Chicago lakefront. | Provided by Linda Oquendo

The building of the perch bite around the Chicago’s South Side slips and the Calumet along with “Early ice fishing season is upon us!” up North lead this sprawling raw-file Midwest Fishing Report.

The building of the perch bite around the Chicago’s South Side slips and the Calumet along with “Early ice fishing season is upon us!” up North lead this sprawling raw-file Midwest Fishing Report.

Yes, ice fishing reports of sorts from northern Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Linda Oquendo sent the photo at the top of Ed Oquendo with a beautiful steelhead on the Chicago lakefront.

LAKEFRONT PERCH

Fraser Semple messaged the photo above and this:

Dale, took a day off work to chase perch in the Calumet Harbor area, after catch and releasing many small ones, just when I debated having a last cast at twilight I took in a personal best 14″ Perch. After some time in a livewell for pictures it was safely released.

Arden Katz Lots of perch at the South Side slips, but the bite is very light, just the feel of weight. Those using heavy line and crappie rigs are having a harder time. He uses very light line and a sensitive rod with a double Mini-Mite and spikes with a small pencil weight below.

Steve Palmisano at Henry’s Sports and Bait texted:

Excellent southside reports. It’s been red hot and started Wednesday before thanksgiving. Warm weather coming and good times

Stacey Greene at Park Bait at Montrose Harbor texted:

Diversey and Belmont [have] a couple perch. A lot of good perch reports from Navy Pier South. The weather looks like it’s going to be okay for the next week or so, so as of right now I plan to stay open through the next couple weeks. Have a great week

Capt. Rich Sleziak at Slez’s Bait in Lake Station, Indiana, texted:

Perch fair over in cal park and up the river everyday is different move around fish different areas is best.

Chris Strand on Tuesday messaged the photo right and this:

Went to may pier for perch. I didn’t get a bite but didn’t have minnows. Those who did caught some small ones. Highlight of the day was seeing this… never saw one in person before! Someone else caught and released it

Provided by Chris Strand
A mudpuppy at Navy Pier.

I know my first sighting of a mudpuppy, caught at Navy Pier, stuck with me. The photo brought back good memories.

PIER PASSES

The $6 pier passes, which allow legal access to select piers at most Chicago harbors, went on sale Monday. A number of additional piers were added this year to bring the total to 31 piers. The passes may be bought at Henry’s Sports and Bait, Park Bait and Northerly Island Visitor Center. Henry’s and Park Bait are cash only; Northerly Island is credit-card only.

Carl Vizzone, fishing coordinator for the Chicago Park District gave these details:

A pier pass gives fisherman an opportunity to use various docks in 6 of our harbors. There are 31 different piers to choose from in our harbor system. The only harbor that may not be ready to go on schedule is Burnham as it is our late leaver harbor for boaters. We printed Covid guidelines on the passes as well as Westrec has hand sanitizer stations at each accessible gate that we will try to keep filled. Pier pass program runs from November 15th through March 31st, from 6 AM to 11 PM 7 days per week. Passes will be available at Henry’s Bait & Sports, Park Bait Shop and at Northerly Island Visitors Center. There should be metal signage on all eligible pier gates with info and contact number.

NAVY PIER ANGLING

The north side of Navy Pier is open for anglers. The discounted parking for anglers is $9 if out by 10 a.m.

LAKEFRONT PARKING

Chicago Park District’s parking passes for the fisherman’s parking lots at DuSable and Burnham harbors are on sale at Henry’s Sports and Bait in Bridgeport and Park Bait at Montrose Harbor.

Readers suggest SpotHero app downtown. Otherwise, here are some basics: Foster (free street parking or pay lot); Montrose (now a mix of metered and free street parking); Belmont (pay lots on north and south sides); Diversey (pay lot or street parking); DuSable Harbor (pay lot or fisherman’s lot); Northerly Island/Burnham Harbor (meters, pay lot or fisherman’s lot); 31st/Burnham (meter parking between McCormick Place and 31st Street Harbor); Oakwood/39th (meters); 63rd Street/Casino Pier (pay lot); Steelworkers Park (free street parking at east end of 87th); Cal Park (free parking).

AREA LAKES

The main focus remains crappie and waiting on local ice.

Provided
Ken “Husker” O’Malley with a good local largemouth bass.

Ken “Husker” O’Malley emailed:

Hey Dale,

Here is a recap of this past weeks fishing.

Area lakes-there has been skim ice a few mornings as overnight temps have started some ice building. The forecast for mid week will create open water opportunities.

Bass have been decent early morning hours. The bite slows mid-morning. The best bait has been a jig with a 4 inch chigger craw. If you think you are working the bait too slow, slow it down more. Bass have not been chasing any kind of moving bait. The most consistent color has been black/blue.

Thanksgiving morning I was thankful for this beast as it hit when I popped the jig off a reed. I managed to flip the fish over shoreline cover despite my drag giving line. Who says dinner and football are the best part of the day!

Here is the nature pic of the week [below]. A late fall blaze.

TTYL

—

Ken “Husker” O’Malley

Husker Outdoors
Waterwerks fishing team

Ken “Husker” O’Malley
A late fall scene as nature photo of the week.

CHAIN O’LAKES AREA

Art Frisell at Triangle Sports and Marine in Antioch said the bite is OK, but the water level is extremely low (use caution when launching) and in between (some busting skim ice), so look for crappie in 15 feet during the day on main lake points with small fatheads and slip-bobber rigs; try main lake points for walleye, too, with jigs and large fatheads; some trying for muskies with large suckers in deep water off main lake points.

NOTE: Check updates on water conditions at foxwaterway.com or (847) 587-8540.

NOTE 2: The Stratton Lock and Dam is closed through April 30.

COOLING LAKES

Braidwood, Heidecke and LaSalle are closed for the season.

DOWNSTATE

POWERTON: Fishing is closed.

SPRING LAKE: Boat fishing is closed on the main lake; boat fishing is allowed from the Sky Ranch Road ramp to Maple Island buoy during waterfowl seasons. Bank fishing along South Lake Road is not allowed until after 1 p.m. during waterfowl season.

EMIQUON PRESERVE: During waterfowl season, non-waterfowl hunting boating (which includes fishing) is not allowed until noon. Access permits and liability waivers are required. They are available Tuesday to Saturday at Dickson Mounts Museum, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

SHELBYVILLE: Check with Ken Wilson of Lithia Guide Service.

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS: Check with Jason Johns of Boneyard Fishing.

HENNEPIN-HOPPER: Closed for the season. Check regulations at http://www.wetlands-initiative.org/dixon-paddling-fishing.

GREEN LAKE AREA, WISCONSIN

Guide Mike Norris emailed:

Fishing Report – 11/29/2021

Mike Norris

With nighttime air temps dropping into the mid 20’s and daytime air temps rising back into the mid-30’s, it is a time of transition here is south-central Wisconsin. Due to these fluctuations in air temperatures, it will be another week before we get weather cold enough to form safe walkable ice on our shallower lakes. Big Green Lake, which due to its size and depth remains ice free, presents the best opportunity for diehard anglers to pursue smallmouth bass or walleye. It is harder to launch a boat with Big Green’s public launch ramps having been pulled, but weather permitting, rigging sucker minnows for smallmouth during the day and slow trolling crankbaits for walleye in the evening remain the best bet for anglers who desire to catch a trophy fish.

GREEN/STURGEON BAYS, WISCONSIN

Lance LaVine at Howie’s Tackle in Sturgeon Bay emailed this:

Good morning fellas. Sorry I’m a day late. Hope I’m not too late

Perch fishing has been outstanding up until this point and will continue as it has the past handful of years and right up until ice-up. Concentrate your efforts in and around the shallow bays like Sawyer Harbor, Riley’s Bay and Little Sturgeon from shore or from a boat. Fathead minnows are the main bait now that the water has cooled

The night time Walleye has been pretty darn good and will stay good right up until ice. Trolling near shore drop off with suspending crank baits has been the ticket there. There is also a decent shore fishing bite going on right now in Sturgeon Bay in all of the community, public areas.

The Northern Pike fishing has also been phenomenal throughout the area especially in and around the 3 shallow bays that hold a bunch of Perch along with the Sturgeon Bay ship canal. Dragging around big sucker minnows, casting and trolling with large crank baits, plastics and spinner baits

The Smallmouth Bass bite has also been very good when you can get out on the water comfortably. Howie’s Shorty tubes slowly dragged in that 25 to 40 foot range seems to be the ticket as of late.

Thanks;

Lance LaVine

Howie’s Tackle
1309 Green Bay Rd
Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235
Ph: 920-746-9916

KANKAKEE RIVER

Bob Johnson emailed the photo left and this:

Hello Dale hope all is well with you -The fall Walleye are here with both Size and numbers. I caught the Walleye on slow rolling crainkbaits, swim baits and jigs fished up river bringing lures back at a very slow retrieve. Snap the swim baits on occasion produced some hits.

Largemouth was caught on finesse bait in slack water close to river current.

Water conditions are good with temps at 39 and gin clear. Also caught a few white Bass mixed in with walleye. Bass was about 4 lbs and biggest walleye was 25″ at 5 lbs. found the walleye staged on sand bars coming off the islands from 3 to 7 feet. A good day!!

A good day indeed.

George Peters emailed the photo below and this:

Happy holidays Dale! Went down to the Kankakee on Saturday trying to get a Walleye, while fishing a jig slow and deep guess what? This 20″ smallmouth instead. Water temp was 42 degrees and that is a bit cold for bass, but you never know in fishing.

Walleye should be good as long as we stay ice free. G. Peters

Ice free is going to be around for a while (I think).

LAKE ERIE

Click here for the Ohio DNR Report.

LAKEFRONT

See perch at the top.

Stacey Greene at Park Bait at Montrose Harbor texted:

Hope you and everybody had a great holiday.

Diversey and Belmont still have trout and a couple perch.No reports from Montrose not many people trying this way yet.A lot of good perch reports from Navy Pier South.The weather looks like it’s going to be okay for the next week or soso as of right now I plan to stay open through the next couple weeks.Have a great week

My hours should be staying 6 a.m. through 3 p.m. with the possibility of leaving early if we do have bad weather.

Capt. Dan Leslie at the Salmon Stop in Waukegan said some steelhead and a few coho are around the harbor; South Rocks has been best. Robinson’s is upping price in minnows slightly, so be prepared.

SALMON SNAGGING: Here are the details from the IDNR:

4) Snagging for chinook and coho salmon only is permitted from the following Lake Michigan shoreline areas from October 1 through December 31; however, no snagging is allowed at any time within 200 feet of a moored watercraft or as posted: A) Lincoln Park Lagoon from the Fullerton Avenue Bridge to the southern end of the Lagoon. B) Waukegan Harbor (in North Harbor basin only). C) Winnetka Power Plant discharge area. D) Jackson Harbor (Inner and Outer Harbors).

d) Disposition of Snagged Salmon and Paddlefish. All snagged salmon and paddlefish must be removed from the area from which they are taken and disposed of properly, in accordance with Article 5, Section 5-5 of the Fish and Aquatic Life Code.

MADISON LAKES, WISCONSIN

Click here for the update from D&S Bait.

MAZONIA

Closed, but Monster stays open all year. Other areas reopen after various hunting seasons.

MINNESOTA

Provided by McQuoid’s Inn
The winter look of Mille Lacs.

Justin Lederer emailed the photo above and this ice report from McQuoid’s Inn in Isle, Minn.:

Justin Lederer checking in from McQuoids Inn Lake Mille Lacs. McQuoids now owns Macs Twin Bay right down the road for premium lake access. Ice is setting up in the bays few shacks out as of 11/29. We will be opening up the lake access for walking out this weekend. If you looking to get out on the ice come on up it’s that time.

For those wondering about ice.

NORTHERN WISCONSIN

And more for those wondering about ice.

Kurt Justice at Kurt’s Island Sport Shop in Minocqua emailed:

Early ice fishing season is upon us! Small lakes and protected bays reporting 3-4+” of good solid ice, prior to Mondays (11/29) snow.

Walleyes: Very Good – Evening bites in shallow weeds of 4-6′ of water. Get out early to check ice conditions and set-up. Fish are aggressive early like this, Jigging Raps, Chubby Darters, Rip ‘n Raps, Slab Raps. Shiver Minnows worked at dusk, as well as lively shiners on tip-downs. Work closer to shore (2-4’) if dusk bite fades as Walleyes moving shallow to feed while ice still not very thick.

Northern Pike: Very Good – Shiners, chubs or suckers on tip-ups. Jigging Slender Spoons tipped with a minnow head also producing well. Pike very active, reports of anglers not getting all 3 tip-ups out before having a “limit” of eaters.

Crappie: Good – Also shallow in 4-8′ of green weeds taking small minnows or Little Cecils tipped with waxies.

Caution is highly advisable as larger lakes have yet to freeze, or have not put on safe ice thickness due to wind. Foot traffic only, spud your way out to keep track of ice thickness. Fish with a friend (or Mother-in-law) and let them walk out first. Don’t travel on early ice without picks and rope. Last night’s snow (4″ in Minocqua/Arbor Vitae to 8″ in St. Germaine) will be hard on new ice. Hopefully, 18 hour period of above freezing temps starting Wed thru Thurs AM will be enough to knock snow down to allow cold to shore up ice thickness.

There are opportunities to fish now, but use common sense when thinking of early ice conditions and always be prepared.

Kurt Justice

Kurt’s Island Sport Shop – Like us on Facebook

NORTHWEST INDIANA

Capt. Rich Sleziak at Slez’s Bait in Lake Station texted:

Perch fair over in cal park and up the river everyday is different move around fish different areas is best.

Steelhead action on voodoo jigs tipped with beemoth in the local tributaries

Lakers along the reef outside of burns ditch when weather permits. Blade baits or jigging spoons best.

Christina Petrites at Stan’s Bait & Tackle Center in Hammond emailed:

Hi, Dale. I hope you & your family enjoyed the holiday weekend. Here’s what we have for you this week:

River Steelhead fishing remains good, with anglers having their best luck on mag lips & flatfish.

Walleye are still being taken at the Wolf Lake & the St Joseph dam using nightcrawlers, tubes, & jigs.

Smallmouth are doing well throughout the rivers.

Inland lakes have slowed down but are still moderately producing bluegill catches.

ROCK RIVER, WISCONSIN

Roger Jackson emailed the photo above and this on an outing with Arden Katz:

Dale, Arden Katz and Roger Jackson were fishing the Rock river, picking up some Walleyes, kept a couple 18 inchers, realeased a lot back for another day! We were at Jefferson dam.

SHABBONA LAKE

Concessions are closed. Site hours through Jan. 31 are 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN

Staff at Tackle Haven in Benton Harbor said steelhead are coming into the river and should continue to come in; very few whitefish off the pier and the occasional accidental walleye in the river.

Paddle and Pole hosts the Berrien Springs Fish Ladder Camera.

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Commissioner Rob Manfred at the World Series. | Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images

Unless MLB and the players’ union do something about an expiring collective bargaining agreement by 11:59 p.m. ET on Wednesday, it’s lockout time.

As the Cubs’ 2020 season came to a fruitless end, Kris Bryant had five words left in the emotional tank: “I don’t give a [blank].”

He was done with outside criticism of his play and, more to the point, done caring about the Cubs more than they cared about him. His service time had been manipulated. He clearly would have to wait to get paid — likely by another team as a free agent, and only then if everything worked out with a much-speculated-about work stoppage looming on … whoa.

Here we are, practically: 11:59 p.m. ET on Wednesday. It got here so fast. Unless Major League Baseball and the players’ union do something about an expiring collective bargaining agreement by then, it’s lockout time — the first work stoppage since the players’ strike of 1994 that wiped out a World Series that, oh, by the way, the White Sox had a real chance to be a part of.

So here’s the question now: Does anybody give a blank?

The players do — about tanking, service-time manipulation and, with league revenues having soared about $10 billion a year, salary suppression.

The owners do — about slicing the pie as greedily as possible for themselves, of course, while fast-tracking negotiations because, as conventional wisdom goes, the MLBPA gains an edge the closer things get to the scheduled start of the 2022 season.

But who’s giving a blank about what matters most? From where some of us rubes sit, that’s still, today and always, the fans.

“I don’t think there’s anybody who understands any better than I do that from the perspective of the fans, they don’t want a labor dispute,” commissioner Rob Manfred recently told reporters. “And that’s why our No. 1 priority is to make a deal.”

The cringey Manfred can continue to bloviate about that all he wants, but a lockout means free agency and the trade market stop cold as roster freezes take effect Thursday. Might as well scrap the Winter Meetings now. As for the start of spring training, well, we’ll see. After Manfred worked overtime to portray the players as the bad guys throughout bitter negotiations leading to a 60-game pandemic season in 2020, payback could be a real blank.

And what about the Cubs and Sox? As other clubs have rushed to sign top free agents before the CBA expires, the two in our market have mostly sat on their hands. It’s unsurprising with the Cubs, who blew things up without a conscience, but with the Sox? They’ve watched one potential target after another get away. Who’s minding the supposed championship window, anyway?

Maybe Cubs fans are in a collective daze — who could blame them? — but Sox fans seem beyond frustrated. At least they give a you-know-what.

JUST SAYIN’

Why did Brian Kelly leave Notre Dame? Five reasons:

1. Money. Nobody is going to outspend LSU on football over the long haul.

2. Recruits. He can get any of ’em into school in Baton Rouge. In South Bend? For Kelly, that was an ongoing aggravation.

3. A national title. He knows he can’t beat Alabama, Georgia or Clemson in a playoff unless he’s on equal footing. He now has a chance to get there.

4. Unchecked power. Kelly will be king of the ranch, like Kevin Costner‘s John Dutton character in “Yellowstone.” No one above him will pester or question him. He’ll be able to do whatever the hell he wants. Just like predecessor Ed Orgeron, who apparently barely bothered to work anymore after a championship 2019 season.

5. Also, money. Cha-ching!

o Even after 12 seasons at Notre Dame, Kelly gets portrayed by some as a coach who always has a bag packed and one foot out the door. In other words, as a leaver. It’s not really fair. He gave three good years each to Central Michigan and Cincinnati on his way up and then put in more time with the Irish than most successful coaches have at any one stop.

But he should be ashamed and embarrassed by how he left. Everyone in power in college football should be ashamed and embarrassed. Leaving a team on the doorstep of the playoff? Letting players find out via social media? Meeting with them — all too briefly — after the fact? Kelly didn’t invent these sordid moves, but they’re fundamentally wrong. Somebody, anybody, have some integrity and insist on waiting until the season is over.

o It’s still too early to know if Cincinnati’s Luke Fickell will be the next coach at Notre Dame, but we can confirm Adam Sandler will be playing him in the movie. Holy doppelgangers, people.

Iowa State’s Matt Campbell and Irish defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman also make sense — Freeman, 35, would be an inspired hire — but there are others. By law, Pat Fitzgerald‘s name is being included by some in initial speculation.

o My latest college basketball AP Top 25 ballot: 1. Duke, 2. Gonzaga, 3. Purdue, 4. Baylor, 5. UCLA, 6. Kansas, 7. Kentucky, 8. Villanova, 9. Arkansas, 10. Arizona, 11. Iowa State, 12. Florida, 13. Tennessee, 14. USC, 15. Connecticut, 16. Houston, 17. Auburn, 18. Memphis, 19. BYU, 20. Texas, 21. Xavier, 22. Michigan State, 23. Alabama, 24. LSU, 25. Louisville.

o Illinois center Kofi Cockburn has 89 points in his last three games and leads the nation in scoring at 26.8 a game. Guess we can take him off the list of the Illini’s early-season problems.

o Still searching high and low for a way — any way — Iowa can beat Michigan in the Big Ten title game. It’s not going well.

o Wait, what about Matt Nagy to Notre Dame?

But seriously, folks.

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This year, try gifting these delicious, locally crafted items to the foodies in your life.Read More

Ald. Ed Burke (far left) sparred with Mayor Lori Lightfoot during her very first Chicago City Council meeting, back in May 2019. | 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 52 degrees. Tonight will see increasing clouds with a low around 33. Tomorrow will be mostly cloudy with a high near 52.

Top story

Lightfoot threatens to veto any new ward map that protects indicted Ald. Edward Burke

Mayor Lori Lightfoot is prepared to veto any new ward map that protects her longtime political nemesis, indicted Ald. Edward Burke (14th), her City Council allies have been told.

The mayor’s veto threat is not surprising, given her longstanding political animus toward Burke, her repeated demands for his resignation and the fact that Lightfoot owes her election to the Burke corruption scandal.

But it further complicates an already contentious situation that is going right down to the wire with the Rules Committee abruptly canceling a meeting scheduled for today. Direct introduction of a citywide map to allow for immediate consideration at tomorrow’s full Council meeting would require 34 votes.

The new citywide ward map being crafted for the Rules Committee by Mike Kasper, who served for decades as the election law expert for deposed Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, goes to great lengths to protect Burke.

It would accommodate an explosion of white population downtown and along the lakefront by creating a new downtown ward that takes in “pieces of the West Loop and pieces of the South Loop above the 25th Ward.”

That would protect Burke by keeping his 14th Ward out of Little Village.

For Lightfoot, who touted her reform credentials with a promise to “bring in the light,” both of those incumbent protection maneuvers are abhorrent. So is the Rules Committee’s hide-the-ball failure to disclose a final map with enough time for the public to weigh in, made worse by the abrupt cancellation of today’s meeting.

But, Sun-Times sources said it is the decision to save Burke that sticks most in the mayor’s craw and prompted the veto threat.

Fran Spielman has more on the map drama as tomorrow’s deadline looms.

More news you need

Adam Hollingsworth, the activist known as the “Dread Head Cowboy,” was sentenced today to 90 days in jail on a contempt charge after arguing with a Cook County judge during his animal cruelty trial. The contempt charge lands a day after Hollingsworth quarreled with the same judge over claims that prosecutors had not turned over all their files to him.

Jussie Smollett’s family members presented a united front this morning as they arrived at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse for the second day of Smollett’s trial. The 39-year-old actor’s older brother, Jojo Smollett, told reporters that it has been difficult for the family to watch Jussie be accused of staging a hate crime and lying to Chicago police about it.

During a town hall meeting at Lavizzo Elementary in Roseland last night, parents, police brass and school leaders spoke about the death of student Kevin Tinker, whose mother was fatally shot days later at the spot of her son’s shooting. Lavizzo principal Tracey Stelly was among those at the meeting pressing for answers after losing 14-year-old Tinker and his mother, Delisa Tucker.

Community leaders are asking for help in locating or replacing thousands of dollars worth of donated Christmas gifts intended for local families. Over the weekend, a 53-foot-long shipping container was stolen from an Englewood lot, along with $50,000 in donated toys, clothes and other gifts stored inside.
Mayor Lightfoot will be in Washington today through Friday for a series of meetings at the Capitol and the White House for, among other matters, infrastructure funds for the city. She is set to meet with Sen. Dick Durbin, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and others, our Lynn Sweet reports.

‘Tis the season — Chicago’s annual overnight winter parking ban begins at 3 a.m. tomorrow on more than 100 miles of city streets. Running from 3 to 7 a.m. every night through April 1, the ban is enforced regardless of snow.

A new exhibit at the Oakbrook Center aims to paint an intimate portrait of Princess Diana through the lens of Anwar Hussein — her lifelong photographer and close confidant. “Princess Diana Exhibition: Accredited Access,” opening Thursday, pairs Hussein’s narration with the images.
Chicagoans will be seeing green next year when “Wicked” returns to the city for an extended fall run. The beloved Tony- and Grammy Award-winning musical will put down stakes at the Nederlander Theatre from Sept 28-Dec. 4, 2022.

A bright one

Youth football team raises money to compete for national championship: ‘A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity’

When the South Side Wolfpack youth football team qualified for the national championships, the players were not sure they could attend. The program was short on money for travel and hotel expenses.

But in a GoFundMe effort, the 13-and-under football team raised over $45,000, surpassing their goal by $15,000. The players are now packing for Kissimmee, Florida, where the team will compete with seven teams from across the country.

The Wolfpack cheerleading team, the Lady Wolves, will also compete for a national championship title in Tampa. The additional money means extra gear and equipment, and a visit to Universal Studios, according to Wolfpack coach Earnest Radcliffe.

Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
Wolfpack coach Earnest Radcliffe thanks the community for donating to help get the team to the national championships in Floria.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go and play in the national championships,” Radcliffe said. “Anytime you can continue to put our student-athletes in a positive environment, it’s going to give them hope and continue to let their dreams flow.”

The team previously caught the attention of former President Barack Obama. In June, Obama visited a team practice during which he congratulated the players on their success and encouraged them to apply their athletic training skills to their academics.

Devon Armstrong, 13, an outside linebacker and a defensive end for the South Side Wolfpack, has been part of the program for eight years. “Most of the team has been together for over four or more years, so we’ve built very good brotherhood. We all go to each other’s houses,” Devon said.

Sneha Dey has more on the undefeated Wolfpack team here.

From the press box

The Cubs added veteran catcher Yan Gomes on a two-year, $13 million contract, Russell Dorsey reports.
The White Sox today officially announced the signing of right-hander Kendall Graveman to a three-year, $24 million deal.
Glenbrook South’s Cooper Noard, Hyde Park’s Davontae Hall and St. Charles North’s Ethan Marlowe are among Chicago-area high school basketball stars ready to break out in their senior seasons.
Ezra Hendrickson has worked for some of the best coaches in MLS history. The Fire are hoping he’ll be able to apply some of that to their club, Brian Sandalow writes.

Your daily question ?

What is a uniquely Chicago holiday tradition?

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: If you could watch behind-the-scenes footage of the making of one record (like the new The Beatles documentary “Get Back”), what album would it be?

Here’s what some of you said…

“Kevin Federline’s unreleased album from like 2000 or something, just because it will be a trainwreck and unintentionally hilarious. I remember MTV showed a clip of his single during an interview and man, that was funny to watch.” — Samuel Saldana

“‘Who’s Next.’ Pete Townshend’s original plans for that concept and album were beyond ambitious.” — Mark Garcia

“Pink Floyd’s ‘Meddle,’ Rush’s ‘2112,’ Prince and the Revolution’s ‘1999,’ Lynyrd Skynyrd’s ‘Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd’ and Foreigner’s ‘4’ just to name a few.” — Jovan Byars

“Queen’s ‘A Night at the Opera.’ Seeing everything that went into recording Bohemian Rhapsody would be epic.” — Kevin Roecker

“Stevie Wonder’s Songs in The Key Of Life.” — Michael Griffith Jr.

“‘Mas’ by Alejandro Sanz” — Karinitta Arceo

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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A parent hugs a child as others come to pick up students from the Meijer store in Oxford, Mich., following an active shooter situation at Oxford High School in Oxford, Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2021. Police took a suspected shooter into custody and there were multiple victims, the Oakland County Sheriff’s office said. | AP

Authorities arrested the suspect at the school and recovered a handgun. They didn’t immediately release the names of the suspect or victims.

OXFORD TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A 15-year-old sophomore opened fire at his Michigan high school on Tuesday, killing three students and wounding six other people, including a teacher, authorities said.

Oakland County Undersheriff Mike McCabe said at a news conference that he didn’t know what the assailant’s motives were for the attack at Oxford High School in Oxford Township, a community of about 22,000 people roughly 30 miles north of Detroit.

Officers responded at around 12:55 p.m. to a flood of 911 calls about an active shooter at the school, McCabe said. Authorities arrested the suspect at the school and recovered a semi-automatic handgun and several clips.

“Deputies confronted him, he had the weapon on him, they took him into custody,” McCabe said, adding that suspect wasn’t hurt when he was taken into custody and he refused to say how he got the gun into the school.

Authorities didn’t immediately release the names of the suspect or victims.

Tim Throne, the superintendent of Oxford Community Schools, said he didn’t know yet know the victims’ names or whether their families had been contacted.

“I’m shocked. It’s devastating,” the shaken superintendent told reporters.

The school was placed on lockdown after the attack, with some children sheltering in locked classrooms while officers searched the premises. They were later taken to a nearby Meijer grocery store to be picked up by their parents.

Isabel Flores told WJBK-TV that she and other students heard gunshots and saw another student bleeding from the face.

They then ran from the area through the rear of the school, said Flores, a 15-year-old ninth grader.

McCabe said investigators would be looking through social media posts for any evidence of a possible motive.

Robin Redding said her son, Treshan Bryant, is a 12th grader at the school but stayed home on Tuesday. She said he had heard threats of a shooting at the school.

“This couldn’t be just random,” she said.

Redding didn’t provide specifics about what her son had heard, but she expressed concern with school safety in general.

“Kids just, like they’re just mad at each other at this school,” she said.

Bryant said he texted several younger cousins in the morning and they said they didn’t want to go to school, and he got a bad feeling. He asked his mom if he could do his assignments online.

Bryant said he had heard vague threats “for a long time now” about plans for a shooting at the school.

“You’re not supposed to play about that,” he said of the threats. “This is real life.”

Michigan’s governor, Gretchen Whitmer, was one of several elected officials who expressed condolences to the victims.

“Gun violence is a public health crisis that claims lives every day. We have the tools to reduce gun violence in Michigan. This is a time for us to come together and help our children feel safe at school,” Whitmer said in a statement.

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