Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she was disappointed that a COPA report recommended suspending Office Ella French, who was killed in the line of duty before the report was released. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times file

“It just doesn’t make sense that COPA made this decision,” mayor said.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Friday denounced as the “height of tone-deafness” the Civilian Office of Police Accountability’s decision to release a report recommending a three-day suspension for slain Chicago Police Officer Ella French.

In a report released this week, COPA accused French of failing to wear a body-worn camera when she showed up at the botched raid on the home of social worker Anjanette Young and failing to fill out the required form.

COPA spokesman Ephraim Eaddy said the oversight agency’s “summary report and investigation” into the police raid on Young’s home was completed on April 27.

That’s more than three months before French, 29, was fatally shot and her partner, Carlos Yanez Jr., was critically wounded after they pulled over an SUV with expired plates at 63rd and Bell Avenue.

Eaddy has argued that COPA is compelled by city ordinance to “make reports open to public inspection” and can “only redact information to the extent it is exempted from disclosure” by the Freedom of Information Act.

But the argument didn’t fly with Lightfoot.

“I am disappointed. As we all know, painfully, Ella French gave her life in service to the city. It is disappointing to me, in light of her passing, that COPA still felt the need to include her name in their recommendation for discipline of a deceased individual. That, to me, seems the height of tone-deafness,” the mayor said.

“They could have taken different action — particularly in light of the fact that Ms. Young herself said that Officer French showed her respect and treated her with dignity. It just doesn’t make sense that COPA made this decision.”

Neither Eaddy nor interim COPA Chief Administrator Andrea Kersten could be reached for comment.

The mayor’s sense of outrage was shared by two of her influential City Council allies.

Ald. Matt O’Shea (19th), whose Far Southwest Side ward is home to scores of Chicago Police officers, was incredulous that COPA would dare to besmirch the name of a fallen officer hailed by everyone for her bravery.

“It’s despicable. And then, they wonder why no one wants to serve as a member of the Chicago Police Department anymore. No one wants to become a Chicago Police officer. Another assault like this. Despicable. Ella French was a hero,” O’Shea said.

Even if French failed to activate her bodycam or fill out the proper paperwork, O’Shea said, “You put that in a box like you do with any kind of criminal case if the individual is dead.”

Ald. Chris Taliaferro (29th), chairman of the City Council’s Committee on Public Safety, said common decency demanded that French’s name and the punishment recommended before she died be stricken from the report before it was released.”

“Looking at it from a perspective of good taste and bad taste. Let me say it like this: It’s in bad taste that her name is in it. Officer French should not have been on that report,” said Taliaferro, a former Chicago police sergeant.

But Taliaferro said he also understands the box that COPA was in.

“It is, in fact, a disciplinary matter that went before the department and, by ordinance, it’s supposed to be reported on. So, what happens if you take it off? Then, you have someone else saying, `Why did you take Officer French’s name off? Are you violating rules and regulations by doing that?'” Taliaferro said.

On Aug. 11, Young released a statement saying French was the only officer who showed her “dignity and respect.”

French “assisted Ms. Young and allowed her to get dressed, in the privacy of her bedroom,” the statement said.

COPA’s report backs that up. It praised French as one of only a handful of officers who “took affirmative steps to protect Ms. Young’s dignity.”

French arrived roughly 10 minutes into the raid after conducting a search outside Young’s home.

She removed the handcuffs from Young, took her to a bedroom to get dressed, then put the handcuffs back on the social worker and returned her to the custody of the other, more senior officers on the scene.

Under questioning from COPA investigators, the report said French said she handcuffed Young after the social worker got dressed because she “perceived Ms. Young to be in a highly volatile emotional state” and, as a probationary officer at the time, did not believe she was “in a position to alter the conditions” or her detention.

In late May, Lightfoot bowed to pressure from police reform advocates and appointed Kersten, then COPA’s chief investigator, as interim administrator, replacing Sydney Roberts, who was forced out. The mayor had been poised to anoint Lori Lypson, chief operating officer at the Public Building Commission, to replace Roberts.

During budget hearings, Kersten impressed City Council members with her knowledge of the job and made it clear that she wanted to stay.

The question now is whether the suspension recommendation for Ella French diminishes her chances.

Read More

DePaul College Prep’s former campus on the North Side is home to a residence for Catholic priests from the Resurrectionist religious order. One member who is listed as living there: a cleric accused of molesting children in California, then was moved to Chicago. | Robert Herguth / Sun-Times

Rev. Timothy Keppel ended up living next to two Chicago-area schools, records show. His Resurrectionist order didn’t tell either about the accusations he faced. The order also has had other credibly accused clerics living in Chicago.

The Rev. Timothy Keppel was overseeing two parishes near San Bernardino, Calif., when a man told the diocese there that, while in his teens, he’d been repeatedly sexually abused by the priest.

The abuse happened decades earlier, he said. And Keppel was never charged with a crime.

But the Resurrectionist religious order of Catholic priests, brothers and deacons that Keppel belongs to determined the accusations were credible.

So it barred him for life from public ministry. And it later included him in its online posting of members found to have been credibly accused of child sex offenses.

Yet Keppel — who was moved to the order’s Chicago region, its U.S. headquarters — continued to have a role with the Resurrectionists, despite being ordered to dedicate his life to “prayer and penance” as a church-imposed sanction.

Since being banned from ministry, he has taken part in fundraisers in the Chicago area for the order, including being on the organizing committee for a 2017 fundraiser in Des Plaines that raised more than $100,000 to benefit “our seminarians, brothers and senior religious,” according to a Resurrectionists’ newsletter.

Neither the Resurrectionists nor the top Catholic cleric in Illinois, Cardinal Blase Cupich, will say where Keppel has been living.

Based on interviews and records, though, he has lived next to two high schools in the city and suburbs, neither which appears to have been told of the child sex abuse accusations.

In 2013, Keppel swapped his California driver’s license for an Illinois license, giving his address as a Crystal Lake home owned by his order.

The house is next to Prairie Ridge High School’s athletic fields. But Prairie Ridge and McHenry County Community High School District 155 officials weren’t “made aware of the individual or the allegations against him,” according to district spokeswoman Shannon Podzimek.

Another priest who lives at the Resurrectionists-owned home told a reporter Keppel had lived there but moved to the city.

Google Maps
The Rev. Timothy Keppel’s former front yard in Crystal Lake (left) and the adjacent Prairie Ridge High School baseball field.

In 2015, Keppel renewed his driver’s license, giving a home address in the 3600 block of North California Avenue. That’s a residence for his order that was part of DePaul College Prep’s campus until the school moved to a nearby site in August 2020. Records show Keppel renewed his license at an Illinois secretary of state facility in McHenry County in September, again giving the Chicago address.

Keppel, 71, whose voter registration since 2015 shows the same address, didn’t respond to calls or emails seeking an interview.

Robert Herguth / Sun-Times
St. Hyacinth Basilica, 3636 W. Wolfram St., is among the Chicago-area parishes staffed by Resurrectionist priests.

The Resurrectionists aren’t as well known as some other male Catholic orders in the Chicago area, where the Jesuits, Augustinians, Franciscans and Christian Brothers all have a significant presence. Yet the order, whose clerics serve in 15 countries, staffs 11 churches in Chicago and the suburbs, including the historic Polish parishes St. Hyacinth Basilica, 3636 W. Wolfram St., and St. Stanislaus Kostka Church, 1351 W. Evergreen Ave.

For decades, the order also ran Weber High School, an all-boys institution on the Northwest Side that was closed in 1999, and what formerly was known as Gordon Tech High School at Addison Street and California Avenue and is now DePaul College Prep.

Another order, the Vincentians, who run DePaul University, now sponsors DePaul College Prep, which moved last year to a new North Side campus.

Mary Dempsey, president of DePaul College Prep, says she hadn’t heard of Keppel. Dempsey says that, during the period the school shared a campus with the Resurrectionists, “I did ask and receive assurances that nobody living in the residence was under any restrictions.”

The Rev. Paul Voisin, superior general of the order, who’s based at the group’s international headquarters in Rome, says he visited just before the COVID pandemic last year and saw Keppel in Chicago.

“I did see him on occasions during the day at what was Gordon Tech,” Voisin says. “As far as I know, he was residing” in Crystal Lake and “did not sleep there on California Avenue.”

Voisin confirms Keppel has been involved in recent years with fundraising for the order. He says he doesn’t know all what that entails, suggesting asking the Rev. Steven Bartczyszyn, leader of the Resurrectionists’ U.S. province and a former Weber principal.

Asked about Keppel and others on his order’s list of clerics found to have been credibly accused of child sex offenses and listed as having lived in Chicago, Bartczyszyn won’t comment.

St. Hyacinth Basilica
The Rev. Steven Bartczyszyn, leader of the Resurrectionists’ U.S. province based in Chicago.

Bartczyszyn was installed as provincial superior in late 2019.

A predecessor, the Rev. Gene Szarek, held that post when the order made public a list of its members with an “established allegation of sexual abuse of a minor in this country since 1950.”

“The USA Resurrectionists are publishing this list in the spirit of transparency and reconciliation,” Szarek wrote then.

Robert Herguth / Sun-Times
The Resurrectionist order’s residence at 3601 N. California Ave.

“There are seven names on our list,” he wrote. “All but one are deceased. The living member is permanently removed from active ministry and lives a life of prayer and penance.”

That list — which, according to the order, was inadvertently removed from its website and reposted after a reporter asked about it — includes no details about the priests, only their names.

That’s a more limited disclosure than what some orders operating in Chicago and the Archdiocese of Chicago provide.

Bartczyszyn, based at St. Hyacinth, won’t disclose information about the abuse accusations the men on his order’s list faced or say where those clerics were assigned.

Through interviews and records, though, the Sun-Times found Chicago-area connections to credibly accused Resurrectionists clerics, in addition to Keppel, including:

Rev. Konstanty Przybylski, who was convicted in Canada in 2006 of sexually abusing two boys between 1995 and 2000 while assigned to an Ontario parish, including assaults during travels to the Chicago area, where Przybylski previously ministered at St. Hyacinth, records show.

“Przybylski sexually abused the minors at his home at the time in Ontario and on trips to Chicago, Rome and Poland,” according to a 2019 report by Jeff Anderson & Associates, a law firm that’s filed numerous lawsuits against church authorities over abuse accusations.

In 2006, the London Free Press newspaper in Ontario reported that a Przybylski abuse victim, then 22, testified at a sentencing hearing that the priest asked him when he was a boy whether he masturbated. He testified that, when he said yes, the priest told him that was a sin — unless they masturbated each other.

The victim testified that, as a boy, he traveled with Przybylski to Rome and met Pope John Paul II, according to the newspaper. But it reported what should have been a joyous experience to meet the worldwide head of the Catholic church was “tarnished because, during the trip, just minutes from the Vatican, Przybylski abused him.”

Przybylski was sentenced to five years in prison. He has since died.

Robert Talach, a Canadian attorney who has sued the church over Przybylski’s sexual abuse of children, filed suit against church authorities in Canada last year for a man who said Przybylski “repeatedly sexually abused, assaulted and molested” him in the 1990s when the victim was a young man.

Rev. Adalbert Kowalczyk, who was accused in a lawsuit nearly 20 years ago of molesting a girl in the 1960s at a California parish. The suit was eventually settled.
Provided
The Rev. Adalbert Kowalczyk’s assignment history, as compiled by the Jeff Anderson & Associates law firm, which has filed many lawsuits against the Catholic church over sex abuse accusations.

Kowalczyk, previously stationed at Chicago churches, was sent back from California and again assigned to serve Chicago churches, including St. Stanislaus, records show.

Kowalczyk died in the early 1970s. He’s buried in Niles at St. Adalbert Cemetery, where his order has a crypt and burial site.

Robert Herguth / Sun-Times
The Resurrectionists’ burial site at St. Adalbert Cemetery in Niles.
Rev. Charles Mrowinski, who died in 2008. In 2013, Mrowinski was accused of abusing a minor in the Chicago area in 1984, according to church records. From 1982 to 1986, he was pastor of St. Hedwig Church, 2226 N. Hoyne Ave., which Szarek now serves. Mrowinski previously ministered in Missouri and Canada.
Rev. Lawrence Kurlandski, who records show taught at Gordon Tech in the 1950s and 1960s and at Weber in the 1980s. He was accused in a 2003 lawsuit of molesting a girl in the 1940s in California, according to records that indicate he died in around 1990.

Catholic religious orders operate semi-autonomously. That means Cupich has no direct authority over those operating within the archdiocese — the territory of Cook and Lake counties he oversees. But they need his authority to operate on his turf, for instance, running churches or schools.

Pope Francis has left it to individual orders and dioceses whether to disclose any information about abuse by their clergy. The Archdiocese of Chicago gives details about the accusations against diocesan priests — who directly reported to Cupich or his predecessor bishops. But, though Cupich for years has demanded that orders operating in Chicago inform him of any clergy members accused of abuse, he doesn’t include order priests in the archdiocese’s list.

So Keppel isn’t on the archdiocese’s list. Nor is he on the Diocese of Rockford’s list. Its territory includes Crystal Lake.

A Rockford diocese spokeswoman says Keppel “is not on our list because he is not present and/or ministering here.”

Beyond being named on his order’s list, Keppel — who was ordained a priest in 1977 and still goes by the priestly title “Father” — is on a list maintained by the Diocese of San Bernardino. That’s where he led two parishes when the first abuse accusation was made against him.

John Andrews, a spokesman for the California diocese, says Keppel faced accusations involving “multiple incidents” between 1977 and 1983.

Read More

Graeme Edge, drummer for The Moody Blues, has died. He was 80. | AP file

His drumming expertise was a key ingredient for the band’s massive prog-rock hits between the 1960s-70s including “Nights in White Satin,” “Tuesday Afternoon,” and “I’m Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band).”

LOS ANGELES — Graeme Edge, a drummer and co-founder of The Moody Blues, has died. He was 80.

The band’s frontman Justin Hayward confirmed Edge’s death Thursday on the group’s website. The cause of his death has not been revealed.

Hayward called Edge the backbone of the British rock band, which was inducted into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2018. The band’s last album was released in 2003.

“When Graeme told me he was retiring I knew that without him it couldn’t be the Moody Blues anymore,” Hayward said. “And that’s what happened. It’s true to say that he kept the group together throughout all the years, because he loved it.”

In 1964, Edge co-founded the group in Birmingham, England. His drumming expertise was a key ingredient for the band’s massive prog-rock hits between the 1960s-70s including “Nights in White Satin,” “Tuesday Afternoon,” and “I’m Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band).”

“In the late 1960s we became the group that Graeme always wanted it to be, and he was called upon to be a poet as well as a drummer,” said Hayward, who joined The Moody Blues in 1966 with bassist John Lodge after Denny Laine’s departure from the band.

“He delivered that beautifully and brilliantly, while creating an atmosphere and setting that the music would never have achieved without his words,” he continued. “I asked Jeremy Irons to recreate them for our last tours together and it was absolutely magical.”

Edge was featured in The Moody Blues’ 16 studio albums starting with “The Magnificent Moodies” in 1965 and ending with their final album, the Christmas-themed “December” in 2003.

Lodge paid homage to Edge on the band’s Facebook page, also lauding him for his spoken word talents.

“To me he was the White Eagle of the North with his beautiful poetry,” he said. “His friendship, his love of life and his ‘unique’ style of drumming that was the engine room of the Moody Blues. … I will miss you Graeme.”

Read More

Read More

The Happy Fits | Rahil Ahsruff

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

Family Fun

Macy’s Holiday Traditions shine bright this year beginning with the store’s windows along State Street between Randolph and Washington. This year the colorful display tells the story of a small reindeer named Tiptoe who is “too shy to fly” with Santa’s team on Christmas Eve. Inside the store, the 45-foot-tall Great Tree is the centerpiece to holiday dining in the Walnut Room (to Jan. 9). And children can visit a certain jolly old man in Santaland, an enchanted world showcasing Santa’s workshop (to Dec. 24). Reservations are required for the Walnut Room (macyswalnutroom.com) and Santaland (macys.com/Santaland).

Theater

Michael Brosilow
Namir Smallwood and Carrie Coon star in Steppenwolf’s production of “Bug.” Steppenwolf Theatre picks up where it left off with “Bug,” Tracy Letts’ searing, paranoid drama which was on stage in March 2020 when the theater shut down at the start of the pandemic. Returning are ensemble members Randall Arney, Carrie Coon, Namir Smallwood plus Jennifer Engstrom and Steve Key; David Cromer directs. From Nov. 11-Dec. 12 at Steppenwolf Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted. Tickets: $20-$110. Visit steppenwolftheatre.org.
Lynn Lane/Houston Grand Opera
Lyric Opera of Chicago is presenting the Spanish opera “Florencia en el Amazonas”
Journey down the Amazon with the Lyric Opera’s premiere of “Florencia en al Amazon.” Mexican composer Daniel Catan’s Spanish-language opera, about a glamorous diva (Ana Maria Martinez) on a life-changing adventure on the Amazon, is suffused with lush music and magical realism. Francesca Zambello directs, Jordan de Souza conducts. From Nov. 13-28 at Lyric Opera, 20 N. Wacker. Tickets: $39+. Visit lyricopera.org.
With hopes of creating a new holiday tradition, The House Theatre of Chicago presents the world premiere of Lanise Antoine Shelley’s adaptation of Hans Christian Anderson’s beloved fable “The Snow Queen.” Directed by Amber D. Montgomery, the story is infused with The House’s trademark use of magic, puppetry and music. From Nov. 12-Jan. 2 at Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division. Tickets: $20-$50. Visit thehousetheatre.com.
Another new holiday show, “Love Actually? The Unauthorized Musical Parody,” is Bob and Tobly McSmith’s parody of the iconic romantic comedy film. The Off Broadway hit follows nine quirky couples looking for love. “In under 90 minutes, six actors play 50 plus roles as they conquer 144 costume and 42 wig changes,” director Tim Drucker says. From Nov. 17-Jan. 2 at the Apollo Theater, 2540 N. Lincoln. Tickets: $29-$69. Visit ticketmaster.com.

“Kiss Me Kate,” the first Tony Award winner for best musical, is the next production at the Marriott Theatre. The musical, with a book by Sam and Bella Spewack and music and lyrics by Cole Porter, follows the hijinks as a married couple, Lilli Vanessi (Susan Moniz) and Fred Graham (Larry Adams), battle on stage and off during a production of Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew.” From Nov. 17-Jan. 16 at Marriott Theatre, 10 Marriott Dr., Lincolnshire. Tickets: $50-$60. Visit marriotttheatre.com.
Yasmina Reza’s dark comedy “God of Carnage” uncovers what happens when two high-strung couples meet for a civilized discussion about a playground altercation between their two young sons. Co-directed by Derek Bertelsen and Robert Tobin. From Nov. 12-Dec. 12 at AstonRep Theatre at The Edge Theatre, 1133 W. Catalpa. Tickets: $20. Visit astonrep.com.
The Porchlight Revisits series, which celebrates rarely seen musicals, presents three performances of Dan Goggin’s “Nunsense,” about the Little Sisters of Hoboken and their plan to raise some emergency money. Directed by Michelle Lauto. At 7 p.m. Nov. 17, 1:30 and 7 p.m. Nov. 18 at Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn. Tickets: $49. Visit porchlightmusictheatre.org.

Spenser Davis Photo
Broken Nose Theatre is presenting “Primer” featuring JD Caudill and Aria Szalai-Raymond.
Broken Nose Theatre presents the world premiere of Spenser Davis’ audio drama “Primer,” which looks at how a singular act of destruction at a Michigan Avenue store affects a host of individuals, from the store’s security team and managers to its employees. Directed by Brittney Brown. Streams from Nov. 15-Dec. 5. Tickets: pay-what-you-can. Visit brokennosetheatre.com.

“You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown”: Clark Gesner, Michael Mayer and Andrew Lippa’s musical in which the entire Peanuts gang explore life’s great questions. From Nov. 11-Dec. 23 at Citadel Theatre, 300 S. Waukegan, Lake Forest. Tickets: $20-$45. Visit citadeltheatre.org.
Babes with Blades’ Fighting Words Festival features readings of three new plays: “Phantom Queens” by Jessica Johnson, “Child’s Play” by Frank Garland” and “The Mark” by Jillian Leff. From Nov 13-14 at The Factory Theatre, 1623 W. Howard. Admission is free, a stream also is available. Visit babeswithblades.org.

Dance

Dance Chicago presents “Dance Transformations,” a program showcasing young dancers and choreographers new to the Chicago dance scene. Dance styles include ballet, tap, jazz, ethnic and more. At 8 p.m. Nov. 13 at Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport. Tickets: $18-$31. Visit athenaeumtheatre.org.
Asian Improv Arts Midwest and Links Hall present the Bridge Dance Festival, featuring performers who connect to their Asian heritage. The online event includes work by Yuko Takahashi Dance Company, Marina Fukushima, Ray Nakazawa and Pranita Nayar and Ashwaty Chennat. Streams at 7 p.m. Nov. 12-13. Tickets: $15, $20 or pay-what-you-can. Visit linkshall.org.

Music

English rock band Genesis kicks off its first U.S. tour in 14 years at the United Center. Billed as a farewell tour, Phil Collins (front-and-center as lead singer), Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford are joined by their longtime guitar and bass player Daryl Stuermer and, on drums, 20-year-old Nic Collins replacing his father who can no longer play because of health issues. At 8 p.m. Nov. 15-16 at United Center, 1901 W. Madison. Tickets: $145+. Visit ticketmaster.com

Shervin Lainez Photo
Carsie Blanton
Singer-songwriter Carsie Blanton’s catchy songs are filled with hints of country, folk, soul, swing and pop. Her recent album “Love & Rage” is filled with what she calls protest songs written during the pandemic. Blanton also is a longtime John Prine fan and wrote the lovely tribute “Fishin’ with You,” when the beloved performer passed away in 2020. The soulful music of Milton opens the show at 8 p.m. Nov. 14 at FitzGerald’s, 6615 W. Roosevelt, Berwyn. Tickets: $15. Visit fitzgeraldsnightclub.com.
New Jersey trio The Happy Fits create orchestral tinged indie-pop that has been called “some of the freshest, catchiest pop music around right now” by NPR. The band tours behind the new album “What Could Be Better” featuring more of the band’s unique guitar-and-cello rock. Also on the bill: M.A.G.S. and Snarls. The all-ages show begins at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 12 at Beat Kitchen, 2100 W. Belmont. Tickets: $16. Visit beatkitchen.com.

The New Philharmonic performs Dvorak’s “Symphony No. 9 in E-Minor “plus Pablo de Sarasate’s Fantasy on Bizet’s “Carmen” featuring guest violinist David Taylor, Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s assistant concertmaster. The piece is considered one of the most challenging for violin. Soprano Alisa Jordheim joins Taylor for Strauss’s “Morgen!” At 7:30 p.m. Nov. 13 and 3 p.m. Nov. 14 at McAninch Arts Center, 425 Fawell, Glen Ellyn. Tickets: $10-$53. Visit atthemac.org.
At the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra’s fall concert CYSO alum Mary Elizabeth Bowden performs the Chicago premiere of Vivian Fung’s “Concerto for Trumpet,” CYSO’s Bianca Ciubancan performs Paganini’s “Violin Concerto No. 1 in D Major” and CYSO’s Louis Auxenfans performs Mozart’s “Clarinet Concerto in A Major.” The program also includes works by Samuel Barber, Leonard Bernstein and Tchaikovsky. Allen Tinkham conducts. At 7 p.m. Nov. 14 at Orchestra Hall, 220 S. Michigan. Tickets: $20-$60. Visit cyso.org.
Works by Mozart and Beethoven are on the program for Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra. The concert, conducted by Stilian Kirov, opens with Mozart’s “Sinfonia Concertante for Winds” featuring four of IPO’s own principal wind players as soloists: Naomi Bensdorf Frisch (oboe), Erin Kozakis (bassoon), Trevor O’Riordan (clarinet) and Lee Shirer (French horn). Rounding out the concert is Beethoven’s light-hearted “Symphony No. 8.” At 7:30 p.m. Nov. 13 at Ozinga Chapel, Trinity Christian College, 6601 W. College, Palos Heights. Tickets: $10-$67. Visit ipomusic.org.

Museums

Pat Nabong/Sun-Times
Ravi Shankar’s beloved sitar is on display in the exhibit “Ravi Shankar: Ragamala To Rockstar.”The South Asia Institute presents Ravi Shankar: Ragamala to Rockstar, a Retrospective of the Maestro’s Life in Music,” an exhibit showcasing the legacy of the musician who was instrumental in bringing Indian classical music to mainstream audiences. George Harrison called him the “godfather of world music.” Included are rare concert posters and art prints, photographs, videos, record covers and personal artifacts. To March 5 at South Asia Institute, 1925 S. Michigan. Admission: $10. Visit saichicago.org.

Read More

Virginia Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin arrives to speak at an election night party in Chantilly, Va., on Nov. 3, 2021, after he defeated Democrat Terry McAuliffe. | Andrew Harnik/AP Photos

With the election of Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, nothing fundamental has changed. The public nearly always turns against the party of an incumbent president during his first year, partly because the losers are more motivated.

As a lifelong sports fan, it’s been decades since I let a ballgame make me unhappy. Back when my sons would plunge into mourning over Razorback basketball losses, I’d remind them that somebody loses every game that’s played. No point brooding; there will be another game soon.

I feel basically the same about off-year elections. A governor elected by a 51-48 margin, like both Virginia Republican Glenn Youngkin and New Jersey Democrat Phil Murphy, won’t be able to alter the fundamentals of political life in those states — much less anywhere else.

To choose the most obvious example, Gov. Youngkin will find it easy to fulfill his biggest campaign promise: banning the teaching of critical race theory in the Commonwealth. That’s because nobody actually teaches it, giving GOP “cancel culture” a big head start. It’s an obscure academic doctrine metamorphosed into a Fox News phantasm.

Former Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s awkward statement that parents have no business dictating school curricula was an unforced error that may have determined the outcome. Many voters understood him to mean that parents should butt out altogether, a crucial mistake.

The whole episode couldn’t help but stir up memories of my young wife being summoned before a rural Virginia school board after teaching Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men” to 10th graders. One parent found the phrase “blue ball” (describing a toy) to be sexually suggestive and demanded her firing.

The board exonerated her.

Meanwhile, I had done some substituting at the county’s segregated Black high school, with its worn, hand-me-down textbooks and rocks used as bases on the ball field. I wonder what critical race theory would say about that?

Don’t tell the children.

But I digress. McAuliffe’s biggest blunder may have been running against the ghost of Donald Trump. A handsome suburbanite out of GOP central casting, Youngkin managed to hold Trumpist voters without alienating others — mainly by keeping the big blowhard out of Virginia and far from his campaign.

Otherwise, neither the Virginia nor New Jersey results did much to justify the melodramatic coverage — particularly on cable TV. Josh Marshall put things in perspective on his Talking Points Memo website:

“New Jersey’s Murphy has won what the press portrays as a squeaker, almost illegitimate and certainly embarrassing, by a margin of 77,000 votes. The Great White Hope Glenn Youngkin, on the other hand, won his Virginia landslide victory of all victories by 79,000 …

“We can add to this that Murphy is the first Democratic governor of New Jersey to be reelected in 44 years. Meanwhile, going back 48 years, the party which does not hold the presidency has won the Virginia race all but one time. That was when Terry McAuliffe won in 2013.”

In short, nothing fundamental has changed. The public nearly always turns against the party of an incumbent president during his first year, partly because the losers are more motivated. In 2009, after Barack Obama had defeated John McCain, Democrats lost both the New Jersey and Virginia governorships. The year after Trump defeated Hillary Clinton in 2016, Democrats won in both states. Pendulum swings are inevitable.

That’s why the most intriguing reaction amid the hullabaloo on the network news programs was voiced by the far-right Gateway Pundit website. To wit: Why did Virginia Democrats let Youngkin win?

See, in Trumpist precincts — Gateway Pundit proprietor Jim Hoft was feted at Mar-a-Lago only last weekend — the “Big Steal” is an article of faith, although Republicans haven’t won a presidential race in Virginia since 2008. Trump lost there in 2020 by 450,000 votes.

“So where were the magical votes this year?” Hoft demanded to know. “Was this omission on purpose? Was this part of a larger psy-op on the American public? … Throw in McAuliffe as a sacrificial lamb knowing they can steal any future election at will?”

Well, I certainly hope so.

Because by any rational standard, President Joe Biden had a string of remarkable successes last week, although you sure couldn’t tell from the media coverage. Never mind his successful appearance at the world climate summit in Glasgow. On Friday, a Labor Department jobs report showed the U.S. economy taking off, with 530,000 new jobs created in October, and revised figures from September adding 235,000 more. Unemployment edged down to 4.6%, while the stock market reached record highs.

Then on Friday night, the House finally passed the bipartisan $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill, the largest transportation initiative in U.S. history. Passage of Biden’s $2 trillion “Build Back Better” plan appears all but assured.

Meanwhile, the COVID-19 death rate shrinks and vaccinations of children have begun. Yet “Dems in Disarray” is the perennial theme Washington pundits have chosen, and they’re not easily dissuaded. On her CNN program last Friday, Erin Burnett badgered and talked over guests who advised patience on the infrastructure bill.

Come Monday, she demanded to know why Biden hadn’t signed it yet.

Send letters to [email protected]

Arkansas Times columnist Gene Lyons is a National Magazine Award winner and co-author of “The Hunting of the President.”

Read More

A grand Gold Coast greystone offers rooftop views of the city.Read More

There’s no reason to stay cooped up all winter! While Chicago winters make it tempting to just couch potato until spring, the Windy City has no shortage of fun indoor and outdoor activities for all ages. Here are 10 of our favorite winter activities in Chicago you should try this year to have an active and fun winter!

5700 S Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL 60637

WHEN: Nov. 17 thru Jan. 3

Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light at the Museum of Science and Industry is a one-of-a-kind experience. The Christmas exhibit began with a single tree in 1942 and has since grown into a forest of more than 50 trees and displays decorated to represent the holiday traditions and cultures around the world.

This year’s theme is the golden age of travel with a spotlight on the museum’s Pioneer Zephyr train and Take Flight’s 727. Patrons can also visit and pose with Santa in a festive photo studio in the museum’s holiday store. Tickets are available now. Don’t miss the lighting of the museum’s four-story Grand Tree on Nov. 17!

201 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60602

WHEN: Nov. 19 thru Jan. 9

The Tree Lighting Ceremony for Chicago’s official Christmas tree was virtual in 2020, but returns for in-person dazzling Friday, Nov. 19. The ceremony starts at 6 p.m. with the actual lighting at approximately 6:30 p.m. Fireworks and a special concert headlined by singer-songwriter Brian McKnight will follow at 6:35 p.m.

This year, the event has been reimagined and expanded. There will be multiple viewing locations with screens and concessions across the park and a main stage on the Great Lawn. If you miss the ceremony, the 51-foot Blue Spruce will still be shining brightly daily until Jan. 9.

337 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60601

WHEN: Nov. 19 thru Mar. 13

One of the joys of winter is outdoor ice skating—it’s a classic snow globe scenario after all! Nothing beats the skating ribbon at Maggie Daley Park, where you’ll get city views and a quarter-mile path to loop around.

This season has a nice bonus with Gogh Skating, a Vincent van Gogh experience brought to you by Immersive Van Gogh and the Chicago Park District. Immersive Van Gogh had a successful exhibit in Chicago this year and although its stop in the city ended in September, the magic continues on the skating ribbon.

The themed experience lets skaters glide across Van Gogh-inspired visuals, like “Starry Night” and “Sunflowers.” Reserve your spot today!

50 W Washington St, Chicago, IL 60602

3635 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60613

WHEN:

Christkindlmarket Chicago, Nov. 19 thru Dec. 24
Christkindlmarket Wrigleyville, Nov. 19 thru Dec. 31

Christkindlmarket offers a unique holiday shopping experience with tents selling crepes, bratwurst, fresh pretzels, ornaments, and other festive gifts all in an open-air market. This traditional holiday market is one of the most authentic of its kind outside of Europe.

This year celebrates Christkindlmarket’s 25th anniversary and the debut of special annual mugs and a new ornament. Fill your mugs with mulled wine and cheer on the start of the holiday season!

2200 N Cannon Dr, Chicago, IL 60614

WHEN: Nov. 19 thru Jan. 2

This fun, family-friendly Chicago tradition features hundreds of dynamic LED displays and dazzling lights in the shape of animals, trees, and more to create a twinkling winter wonderland.

There are also festive events like visits with Santa, a holiday pop-up bar, an enchanted forest, a light maze, and concerts. Reservations are required and tickets are available now—Mondays and Tuesdays are free!

201 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60602

WHEN: Nov. 26 thru Dec. 17

Put your karaoke chops to the test with the new Millennium Park Holiday Sing-Along series, previously “Caroling at Cloud Gate.” The event has been reimagined to be more inclusive of different backgrounds, cultures, and holiday music traditions.

Sing your heart out before Happy Hour Fridays at 6:00 pm, Nov. 26 to Dec. 17, and Sunday, Dec. 12.

WHEN: Dec. 11

TBOX, the world’s largest holiday bar crawl, returns in December for its 25th anniversary. This Chicago party tradition has hardcore partiers travel through 30 Wrigleyville bars from 10:30 am to 7:00 pm. Additionally, to make up for its 2020 hiatus, this year’s TBOX theme is “Back to the 90s” with a celebration of the music, fashion, movies, and culture of everything from the decade. 

Get your tickets now—proceeds support local Chicago and Lakeview charities as well as The Lakeview East Community Partnership.

3540 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60657

WHEN: Feb. 19

Who strips down to their underwear in the dead of winter and runs? Every February, thousands across the U.S. do. Cupid’s Undie Run supports those affected by neurofibromatosis, a rare genetic disorder that causes tumors to grow on nerves throughout the body.

This mile(ish) run starts with drinking and dancing at Sluggers World Class Sports Bar and ends with a dance party to get your body heat rising. Registration is now open.

1415 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60607

The Winter Olympics aren’t until February, but you can channel your inner athlete with outdoor curling right in the city. Kaiser Tiger has three ice curling lanes in their spacious beer garden.

The sausage, bacon, and beer-focusing gastropub has hearty eats and tons of brews on tap to keep you warm all winter long.

1410 Special Olympics Dr, Chicago, IL 60605

We may be in the flat Midwest, but you can still catch some thrilling heights right here in the city. The Soldier Field Sledding Hill located on parkland outside the stadium features a 33-foot slope with city views.

The Chicago Park District even makes faux snow when there isn’t enough, so you’ll always be whooshing down a white and fluffy hill. Snowball fights, snowmen, and snow angels are also welcome—just watch out for the sleds!

Read More

Living in the Midwest has its perks. Affordable rent. Nice people. All four glorious seasons. But as the weather starts to turn cold, there’s a good chance one of your neighbors will jokingly ask, “why do we choose to live here again?” Well, Diane, because Chicago is awesome and there’s a zillion thing to do indoors on any given day. Below are Chicago’s best indoor fun happening this season, and make sure you check out the rest of our winter guides too!

47 W Polk St suite l5 basement, Chicago, IL 60605

After being closed for a year, the number one escape room in Illinois is officially open again and ready to put your skills to the test! Bring the kids or try the adults-only room for a challenging and rewarding experience. Book your experience here. 

1031 W Madison St, Chicago, IL 60607

Chilly outside? Heat up inside. This local CrossFit gym is offering 14 free classes to new members with locations across the city. Whether you’re a beginner or gym buff, CTF trainers will help you work on your form and get you in the best shape of your life. 

303 W Erie St, Chicago, IL 60654

Imagine your body in zero-gravity. Totally weightless and buoyant. You’re floating in about 10 inches of perfectly warmed water and surrounded by complete darkness. Sound like a dream? Of course, it does. Suit up and get your float on for 60 or 90 minutes here. 

404 N Armour St, Chicago, IL 60642

Time to channel your inner kid. Jump your heart out at Altitude Chicago Trampoline Park during their Adults Only event. Hop across 30+ trampolines, foam pit, trampoline basketball, extreme dodgeball, and more. Plus, you’ll score a cold beer to help you wind down after you jump. Learn more here. 

81 E Wacker Pl, Chicago, IL 60601

Ward off Fall’s crisp chill in front of a cozy fire at this swanky location. The sultry space boasts a lovely fireplace surrounded by rich leather seating and a chic setting to unwind after a busy day of holiday shopping or sightseeing downtown. Check out the delicious boozy tea and their usual happy hour offerings!

Get bamboozled at Trickery

3453 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60657

Head to Boystown to check out Chicago’s finest venue for a truly entertaining and breathtaking magic show. The owner, Aaron, knows how to perfectly blend magic and comedy which will have you both laughing and scratching your head. BYOB and enjoy the show! Tickets here. 

Featured Image Credit: Altitude Trampoline Park

Read More

It’s that time of the year again here in Chicagoland. The time where we get together with our families and loved ones to celebrate the holidays. The time where we share gifts and say what we are most thankful for. But, it’s also the time of giving. And with many of our fellow community members struggling from the effects of the pandemic, there’s never been a better time to volunteer in Chicago.

When it comes to volunteering, there’s no better way to do it than going through one of our professional teams here in the city. So, to all of our readers, here’s our guide for how to volunteer in Chicago through our pro teams this year.

How To Volunteer Through The Chicago Cubs

Although it might not be the right time of year for it, there are a few perfect opportunities to volunteer through the Cubs for those who love the game of baseball. Through the Diamond Project, donatable funds are accepted to support youth baseball organizations and facilities. Contributors support the upkeep of many stadiums and baseball diamonds throughout the city, as well as provide new equipment for teams in need. This charitable arm of the Cubs also supports active lifestyles and encourages play through neighborhood-based leagues.

Cubs RBI is another inner city youth outreach program that expands its volunteering opportunities outside of Chicago. It serves to increase participation in baseball and softball, provide inclusion for all, and teach teamwork to it’s participants. 

Volunteering With The White Sox

If you’re wondering how to volunteer in Chicago, look no further than the Chicago White Sox. One of the most impactful parts of their organization is the White Sox Volunteer Corps, which serves to unite Sox fans through community service opportunities. Since starting in 2009, they have completed over 54,000 hours of service with over 550 events. And luckily, they still have plenty of opportunities remaining in 2021. 

For those looking for a way to give back and receive some unique White Sox memorabilia, look to the official White Sox charity auctions. Fans of the team can bid everything from game-worn items, to baseball cards, and more!

Chicago Sky Charities

The Chicago Sky season might be over, but through their Sky Cares program, fans can still participate in shaping their community. Typically, Sky Cares hosts events where people can donate their time to create an impact. While that may not be happening right now, there are still opportunities to donate to Sky Care charities and even give back with Sky Cares Tickets.

Giving Back Via The Bulls

The Bulls aren’t able to support in-person volunteer events in Chicago at this time, but they do have charities in place that are accepting donations in numerous ways. If you attend a game, you can donate an extra $1 with each concession stand purchase, and the Bulls will match any donation up to $50,000. In-game auctions and 50/50 raffles are another way to give back during the games. And for their other charities outside of the in-game options, visit the Chicago Bulls website to see who is accepting donations through the organization.

Ways To Volunteer With The Bears

In a normal year, fans of the Bears can give back to their community through the organization’s Bears Care program. Unfortunately, many opportunities and events, like the Bears Care Gala, have been shut down due to COVID. Once the Gala returns, community members can purchase tickets and tables for the event. They also have chances to donate auctionable items to support local Chicago Bears Charities.

Chicago Blackhawk Volunteer Opportunities

The Blackhawks also provide many ways to volunteer in Chicago. We could spend all day going into each program. But, there are a few key ones relevant to the upcoming holidays. For starters, the Chicago Blackhawks are supporting food drives and toy drives throughout the city. They are also encouraging fans to participate in their big winter gear drive and donate coats and other items to Cradles to Crayons. All of the specific details can be found on the Chicago Blackhawks website.

Read More