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M.J. Eberhart, 83, arrives on the summit of Mount Hayes on the Appalachian Trail in Gorham, New Hampshire. Eberhart, who goes by the trail name of Nimblewill Nomad, is the oldest person to hike the entire 2,193-mile Appalachian Trail. | Robert F. Bukaty / AP

M.J. Eberhart, who lives in Alabama, started walking when he retired over a quarter century ago. Now, he’s walked into the record books, topping 82-year-old Dale ‘Greybeard’ Sanders,

PORTLAND, Maine — When he retired more than a quarter century ago, M.J. “Sunny” Eberhart, an 83-year-old Alabama man known as the “Nimblewill Nomad,” started walking. He never stopped.

Now, Eberhart has walked into the record books as the oldest hiker to hike the entire 2,193-mile Appalachian Trail.

“I’ve a got a couple of skid marks on me,” he said, allowing that, despite the tens of thousands of miles under his belt, the trail was tough going at his age, with quite a few spills on slippery rocks. “But I’m OK. You’ve got to have an incredible resolve to do this.”

He hiked the trail out of order, in sections, to take advantage of optimal weather, and already had completed northern sections including Maine’s Mount Katahdin before completing his final section in the town of Dalton in western Massachusetts.

His feat comes in the same year that a 5-year-old hiked the entire trail, becoming one of the youngest to manage the feat.

Joining Eberhart for the finish was the former record-holder for the oldest to complete the trail., Dale “Greybeard” Sanders, who lives outside Memphis, Tennessee, finished the hike at 82 in 2017.

“My dear friend Nimblewill is taking my record away from me, and I’m happy for him,” Sanders said. “Records are made to be broken.”

Jordan Bowman of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, confirmed that Eberhart is the oldest to finish the trail, surpassing Sanders.

Eberhart began his wanderlust in earnest after retiring as an optometrist in Florida in 1993.

The man with flowing locks and impressive beard actually hiked farther than most who traverse the trail, which runs between Georgia’s Springer Mountain and Maine’s Katahdin. He started his hike in February at his home in Flagg Mountain, Alabama, adding hundreds of miles to the route.

The journey represented a modest distance, relatively speaking, for a guy who has trekked 4,400 miles from the Florida Keys to northern Quebec, an adventure he chronicled in a book titled “Ten Million Steps.” He later hiked from Newfoundland to Florida, an even greater distance. He also walked from Chicago to California along old Route 66.

On this hike, his body not being what it once was, he tried to limit himself to eight hours of hiking a day.

But he still got banged up. On a recent day in New Hampshire, he took a tumble and bloodied an elbow. A hiking companion asked whether he wanted to take a break.

Eberhart’s answer: “Do you think, if I complain about it, it will go away?” Then, he picked himself and pressing onward, said Odie Norman, of Huntsville, Alabama, who hiked 100 miles with him.

Eberhart’s age puts him at the opposite extreme from a pair of young hikers who completed the trail during the pandemic. Juniper Netteburg, 4, finished her journey with her missionary parents last year, and Harvey Sutton, 5, from Lynchburg, Virginia, completed the trail with his parents in August.

Eberhart, who met young Harvey, known as Little Man, along the trail, said he “impressed the dickens out of me.”

Eberhart hasn’t lost his desire to keep moving or to seek the sense of calm he finds on the trail in the company of the tight-knit and diverse hiking community.

He said he did his first major hike after trying to deal with the emotional and mental baggage that involved a divorce and losing the respect of his children, and he eventually found peace and forgiveness.

“You can seek peace,” he said during a recent break along his Appalachian Trail odyssey. “That doesn’t mean that you’re going to find it. I persevered to the point that the good Lord looked down on me and said you’re forgiven, you can be at peace.

“It’s a profound blessing. It’s as simple as that.”

With the hike over, Eberhart plans to return to his home at Flagg Mountain, the southernmost mountain topping 1,000 feet in the Appalachians, where he’s caretaker of a fire tower and cabins built by the Civilian Conservation Corps.

Norman, who publishes “The Hiker Yearbook,” said Eberhart probably won’t hang up his boots for good anytime soon.

“He said, ‘You know they’re calling this my final hike,’ ” Norman said. “hen, he laughed. I don’t think it’s going to be his last hike. I just don’t think he knows what’s he’s going to hike next.”

Robert F. Bukaty / AP
M.J. Eberhart, 83, carefully making his way along the Appalachian Trail in September. Read More

President Joe Biden joins Gov. J.B. Pritzker and workers on a tour of a data center under construction by Clayco in Elk Grove Village last month. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times file

While last Tuesday’s election results in Virginia and New Jersey definitely offered warning signs for Democrats, the weekend passage of the long delayed infrastructure bill provided some optimism as Illinois Democrats prepare for the midterm cycle.

A Republican political newcomer beat a well-known former Democratic governor in Virginia, and another Democratic governor narrowly won a second term in New Jersey last week, results some Republicans see as promising news for their party in Illinois.

While those developments are definitely warning signs for Democrats, the weekend passage of the long-delayed infrastructure bill provided some optimism as Illinois Democrats prepare for the midterm election cycle.

Joanna Klonsky, a longtime Democratic consultant, said last week’s election results showed Americans are feeling “pretty pessimistic right now about the direction of their country and their communities.”

But the passage of the infrastructure bill “absolutely” offsets the losses Democrats saw last week by showing President Joe Biden and the party “can deliver by passing infrastructure” — but she said they now must pass the rest of Biden’s “Build Back Better” agenda as well.

Whether Republican Glenn Youngkin’s victory in Virginia and Democrat Phil Murphy’s narrow win in New Jersey last week telegraph anything for Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s reelection, or other races in Illinois, remains to be seen.

Republicans who spoke to the Chicago Sun-Times said their party got a “boost” last Tuesday, one that could translate to quality candidates running for, and winning, office next year.

For Democrats in Illinois, “the midterm clock just started” and while the election is still a year off, the message from last week was clear: “you better be prepared,” said Tom Bowen, a Democratic strategist.

For Klonsky, what’s important is what happens next.

“Voters’ top concern in this moment is the rising cost of living,” she said in a statement. “By fulfilling their promise and passing Build Back Better, they can lower the costs of health care, prescription drugs, childcare and utility bills. … That will benefit Illinois Democrats up and down the ballot in big ways.”

The passage of those pieces of legislation, which are key to Biden’s agenda, “are critical for Democratic victories in the midterm, in Illinois and across the country,” Klonsky said.

Susan Walsh/AP file
Gov. J.B. Pritzker, left, and Rep. Mike Quigley, D-Ill., center, greet President Joe Biden at O’Hare International Airport last month.

The passage of the infrastructure bill “matters to messaging, but it doesn’t change the environment” Democrats will find themselves in — one where Republicans are excited and independents have soured, Bowen said.

That “environment” is improving for Democrats, but the only thing that will really change it “is the economy getting back to normal and COVID receding,” Bowen said.

Last week, Democrats saw some gains at the municipal level — namely in the mayoral races in Boston, Cleveland and New York City — but the results in the Virginia and New Jersey gubernatorial races were the biggest takeaways from Tuesday’s election.

Asked if he sees a red wave coming through Illinois, Bowen said the state is more Democratic than many others, which provides “comfort” to his party, but “Tuesday’s election results send a clear signal that Democrats should be prepared for a rough environment.”

Andrew Harnik/AP file
Virginia Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin tosses a signed basketball to supporters at an election night party in Chantilly, Va., last week.

Illinois voters will get to weigh in on a number of hotly contested races next year.

Two potential swing seats must be filled on the Illinois Supreme Court, which will have new boundaries for the first time since the 1960s. The race to succeed retiring Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White has so far been an intramural Democratic battle, but that could soon change as Republicans make their final campaign plans.

Then, of course, there’s the governor’s mansion.

Pritzker’s deep pockets and name recognition will likely help him overcome the two little known Democratic challengers vying to become the party’s nominee. And those advantages will also help in his general election fight against whoever emerges as his Republican challenger among the four vying for the GOP nomination.

How voters feel about the Democratic governor’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic will likely be a factor. Whether Biden’s performance in the first half of his term will affect Illinois voters’ decisions in state races next year is an open question.

Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times file
President Joe Biden joins Gov. J.B. Pritzker and workers at Clayco in Elk Grove Village last month.

Biden won Illinois easily last year, beating former President Donald Trump, 57.54% to 40.55%. That 17-percentage point victory was driven by the Democratic challenger’s wins in most of counties in the populous Chicago area as well as a handful of downstate counties. Trump carried the state’s other 88 counties.

Three of Pritzker’s GOP rivals — state Sen. Darren Bailey, former state Sen. Paul Schimpf and venture capitalist Jesse Sullivan — are from downstate. Businessman Gary Rabine lives in suburban Bull Valley.

Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times file; Facebook
Suburban businessman Gary Rabine, left, in March; State Sen. Darren Bailey, R-Xenia, center; former state Sen. Paul Schimpf, right.

Unforeseen challenges could also complicate the governor’s race.

“We haven’t had a governor up with a redrawn Legislature in a long time,” Bowen said, adding that a “robust amount of change” in the governor’s first term, plus a “tough environment,” could lead to challenges in in his bid for reelection.

Mitchell Armentrout/Sun-Times file
Republican gubernatorial candidate Jesse Sullivan speaks to a supporter outside the Cook County Criminal Court building last month.

Republicans in Illinois are hopeful last week’s election results could signify a change in their prospects.

Former Republican Gov. Jim Edgar said his party “got kind of a boost — Democrats got a warning.”

The popular two-term governor theorized that there could some suburban voters could swing back to the Republican Party, a move that could “rejuvenate” the GOP a little more.

But the passage of the infrastructure bill could help Democrats.

“It definitely stopped the image that the president and his party were completely inept, … they couldn’t get anything done,” Edgar said. “That kind of stopped the bleeding. Whether or not it’s going to be a big plus, I think only time will tell.”

Lou Foglia/Sun-Times file
Former Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar speaks during a luncheon hosted by the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform in 2016.

One Republican strategist said the recent election results give the party momentum and “enthusiasm.”

“Part of the challenge is convincing candidates that it’s worth doing, and they can win in the state as it stands now, and has been for a while, as a blue state,” the strategist said.

Passage of the infrastructure bill only offers the Democrats limited help in the strategist’s view.

“Unless it fixes some of these things that people seem to do have angst about — crime, inflation, supply chain issues — I still [think it’s] bound to be a Republican wave nationally, and I think that’s only likely to also take place in Illinois,” the GOP strategist said.

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The Las Vegas Raiders waived 2020 first-round pick Damon Arnette. | David Becker/AP

General manager Mike Mayock called it a “painful decision” to release Arnette on Monday but said it was necessary in response to a social media post with Arnette brandishing a gun and threatening to kill someone.

The Las Vegas Raiders waived 2020 first-round pick Damon Arnette and have now cut ties with both first-round picks from that draft before the midpoint of their second season because of off-field issues.

General manager Mike Mayock called it a “painful decision” to release Arnette on Monday but said it was necessary in response to a social media post with Arnette brandishing a gun and threatening to kill someone. Arnette was also being sued over a hit-and-run accident from 2020.

“There have been a series of bad decisions over the last year or so, but we can’t stand for the video of Damon with a gun threatening to take a life,” Mayock said. “The content was unacceptable, contrary to our values and our owner Mark Davis has been very clear and very consistent that this is not how we will conduct ourselves in this community. The bottom line, the Raiders will not tolerate this type of behavior.”

Arnette was drafted 19th overall to be a starting cornerback with a pick acquired in the Khalil Mack trade despite what Mayock called “significant concerns” about his character. Arnette was rated lower on most draft rankings but the Raiders believed after talking to his coaches at Ohio State that they could develop him on and off the field.

“Obviously in hindsight, we weren’t able to do it,” Mayock said. “I know a lot of people, including myself, we were all concerned about this, but at the time we thought it was an acceptable risk. Obviously, it’s painful on all levels.”

The move to cut Arnette comes less than a week after No. 12 overall pick Henry Ruggs III was released following a fatal DUI crash. Authorities said Ruggs was driving 156 mph with a blood-alcohol level twice the legal limit in Nevada. He faces multiple felonies and jail time if convicted.

Mayock defended the Raiders’ evaluation of character in the draft, saying the picks in the others years have been good character players and Arnette and Ruggs were aberrations.

“We found the risk acceptable after doing more homework on Arnette than anybody we’ve done in the years I’ve been here,” Mayock said. “Obviously, we missed. That is 100% on me.”

Arnette struggled when he played, dealing with injuries last season and then losing his starting job this year to Casey Hayward. Arnette was on injured reserve at the time of his release.

The two high-profile incidents with high draft picks raised questions about whether being in Las Vegas makes it more difficult on young players because of the temptations.

Mayock said the team does take the city into consideration when they look into acquiring players to determine how well they will fit but doesn’t believe it’s a major factor.

“We do have to be aware of Vegas. But my thing is in just about any mid- or big-sized city in the country, if you want to find trouble, you can find it,” he said.

The 2020 draft class that featured two first-round picks and three third-rounders was being counted on to be part of the foundation of a rebuilding but instead will likely go down as one of the worst in franchise history.

The two first-round picks were cut midway through their second season. The first third-rounder, Lynn Bowden Jr, was traded in a pick swap deal last summer before playing a snap for the Raiders, and another third-rounder, Tanner Muse, was cut this summer having not played a snap.

The only remaining players are third-round receiver Bryan Edwards, fourth-round guard John Simpson and fourth-round cornerback Amik Robertson.

Edwards has 29 catches in 20 career games, Simpson has struggled playing in place of injured Richie Incognito and Robertson has been a healthy scratch the past two weeks after getting pulled early in a game at Denver. Robertson has started just twice in two seasons.

The Raiders did make one addition Monday, signing speedy veteran receiver DeSean Jackson. The 34-year-old Jackson was cut by the Rams last week. He had eight catches for 221 yards but will provide a needed deep threat with Ruggs gone.

The Raiders (5-3) are coming off a 23-16 loss to the New York Giants but are tied with the Chargers for first in the AFC West.

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David Montgomery sprained his left knee against the Lions. | Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

He had been on IR with a sprained knee.

PITTSBURGH — David Montgomery is back — officially.

The Bears activated their running back from injured reserve Monday afternoon in advance of their “Monday Night Football” game against the Steelers. Montgomery will start and get the majority of the team’s carries, with upstart rookie Khalil Herbert working in a complementary role.

Montgomery missed four games after spraining his left knee against the Lions. He returned to practice last week, opening up a three-week window in which he had to be either activated off the IR or miss the rest of the season.

Bears coach Matt Nagy, who has been tight-lipped this season about injuries and their timelines, said Saturday he expected Montgomery to play.

“I think all week long that he’s looked really good,” Nagy said. “I would say there’s a really good chance, yes, of him being activated. Beginning of the week, we wanted to see like, how’s he going to look? You have no idea when he gets out there. I think for all intents and purposes, he’s looked really good.”

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As our lovely city opens back up, and as the holiday season approaches… You know what we are thinking? Yes — happy hours! On top of all the amazing deals you already know, we’re introducing you to new happy hours in Chicago at some of our favorite bars and restaurants.

So get your Google Maps app ready and Ventra cards loaded. Because someone is going to be out and about very soon!

1134 W Washington Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607

WHEN: Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm 

You read this right. For the first time in history, The Press Room is launching Happy Hour deals where diners can indulge in $1.00 oysters available by the half dozen or full dozen. If you are looking for the best happy hour deals in Chicago, travel to this destination and sip on $7.00 Old Fashioned cocktails, Vodka Martinis, or Gin Martinis!

Image Credit: DEFINE SOCIETIES

613 N Wells St Suite A, Chicago, IL 60654

WHEN: Monday thru Thursday, 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm

Yours Truly is the manifestation of third-generation restaurateur Adolfo Garcia’s modern take on the old-school 1990’s martini bar, focusing on sports programming and American comfort food.

And now, they’re launching irresistible Happy Hour deals! Enjoy $12 martinis and $9 wine options. Pick from an incredible selection of boutique international wines or go straight to the craft cocktail menu!

Image Credit: Lettuce Entertain You

1962 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614

WHEN: Monday to Friday from open to 6:00 PM

The Happy hour deal at Quality Crab in Chicago includes a chef’s selection of oysters on a half shell for $2.50 each, plus tax (gratuity not included). You can also try them on a Happy Hour Tower paired with Chef Donny’s French Fries — available with a half dozen or a dozen oysters.

In addition to the food specials, check out the cocktail specials starting at $2.50, plus tax.

177 N Ada St #001, Chicago, IL 60607

WHEN: Tuesdays thru Thursdays from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Psst… Have you heard? The Loyalist is now offering diners a “Burger, Beer, & Shot” special for just $19.00.

Available on Tuesdays through Thursdays from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm, diners can indulge in Chicago’s and one of the nation’s best burgers with an ice-cold beer and a shot!

180 N Field Blvd, Chicago, IL 60601

WHEN: Tuesday to Friday from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm

Avli on The Park, the latest contemporary Greek dining concept from Avli, has launched its happy hour on the beautiful, massive rooftop.

The menu features small bites like the filo shrimp ($6) and housemade spinach pie ($7), along with spreads (try the hummus and taramasalata), salad, and dessert. Specialty beer, cocktails, and Greek wines on special are also available for you to enjoy.

Image Credit: Bar Pendry

81 E Wacker Pl, Chicago, IL 60601

WHEN: Sundays from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm., November 14th — January 2nd

Beginning November 14th, Bar Pendry, the sultry fireside retreat located on the ground floor of the recently-debuted Pendry Chicago, is turning Sundays up a notch with Boozy Tea service.

Inventive single-serve sips, including:

Carbide Flip featuring Smoked Walnut Russian Caeavan tea orgeat, cinnamon, and allspice bourbon, egg, mole bitters, and allspice bram
Handsome Toddy with black tea, dark rum, black tea-infused agave nectar, and lemon juice

In addition, you can also enjoy large-format, punch-bowl style cocktails such as the Tango in the Vestibule and bourbon infused with brown-sugar-sweetened Queen Mary.

If you are searching for the best happy hour specials in Chicago, guests can indulge in opulent Tea Towers loaded with sweet and savory bites like Smoked Salmon rolls, Truffled Egg Tartlette, Brown Butter Chai Scones, and Pumpkin Spice Cake, paired with bottomless nonalcoholic tea by La Maison du Thé.

Reservations are available via OpenTable. 

74 W Illinois St, Chicago, IL 60654

WHEN: Monday thru Thursday: 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm

One of the local’s favorites, Ema, is reinstating their Happy Hour for the first time since the city’s reopening back in the summer! Come enjoy Select mezze, craft beers, and wines for $5.00 each (plus tax). This Happy Hour is for dine-in only.

817 W Lake St, Chicago, IL 60607

BLVD Steakhouse launches the BLVD Wine Club, which provides special selections and other perks for wine aficionados. Club members will receive exclusive access to off-menu bottles each month, insider details about wine specials before they occur, and first access to event tickets, such as the quarterly Champagne & Caviar tasting and the upcoming Wagyu Wine Dinner — an intimate dinner showcasing Wagyu from three different continents paired with notable wines that have been hand-selected by Rink.

Reservations for BLVD Steakhouse can be made through OpenTable.

PS: Vintage Thursdays are still here!

Featured Image Credit: Galdones Photography

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We know some of you are mega-talented in the kitchen. And we know you cannot wait to put on a brilliant meal for your friends and family this Thanksgiving. Well, let us add some brand new recipes from Chicago’s top chefs to your table. Check out these ultimate side recipes for Thanksgiving that you can try this year!

Image Credit: Pasta II Conte

Rose Mary

Noodles are a great side dish for you to bring on Thanksgiving and you’ll become the gathering’s favorite guest. Especially considering you’ll be using Top Chef Season 15’s winner Chef Joe’s recipe for handmade Cavatelli ‘Cacio e Pepe’.

Ingredients: 

2cups semolina rimacinata

1 cup room temperature water

1 pot boiling water, seasoned

1c parmesan fonduta 1oz olive oil

1T cracked black pepper

1oz butter diced

Directions: 

Dump flour on a wood cutting board and form a little well with your hand. Add water in the middle and begin to mix flour and water together with a fork until sticky dough is formed.

Fold in the rest of the flour with a bench scraper and then use your hands to form it into a ball.

Roll it a couple of times on the table, then wrap the dough and put into the fridge to rest for 10 minutes.

Pull out dough, cut into quarters, and work 1 at a time with the others wrapped. Roll into a long rope about ½” thick and then cut into pieces ½” wide.

Take each piece one by one and press down dough into a wood cavatelli board. Push and slide down the board, then set on a floured tray. Repeat until all dough is used.

Drop pasta in boiling water.

In a sauté pan over medium heat, add olive oil and black peppercorns. Heat until fragrant.

Pull off heat and add 2oz of the pasta cooking water, and then the pasta. After about 2- 3 minutes the pasta will begin to float.

Cook pasta down with water until it begins to thicken. Add fonduta, cook another minute, add butter, and then season to taste. Plate and crack fresh black pepper over the top.

Image Credit: Andros Taverna

Andros Taverna

Is it even Thanksgiving if there aren’t any sides of potatoes? Chef Doug’s Skordalia is a creative Thanksgiving side dish idea you didn’t know you needed in your life and it will for sure be the talk of your family’s gathering.

Ingredients:

1 lb gold potatoes

kosher salt to taste

3 to 6 garlic cloves

¼ cup plus 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

¾ cup Iliada extra virgin olive oil

Black pepper to taste

Directions: 

Boil potatoes with the skins on until tender and cooked through.
Once cooked, remove from the water and peel the skin off the potatoes.
Crush the tender potatoes with a whisk.
Add the lemon juice, minced garlic and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Store in the refrigerator until serving.
Image Credit: chopsticks and flour

urbanbelly, Table at Crate, Chef BK’s Pizza & Parm Shop, Chef BK’s Ramen Bar

We know you’re wondering what pesto has to do with Thanksgiving. But pesto doesn’t have to be exclusive to Italian cooking. It’s just a combination of nuts and oil and herbs and other ingredients, and it can be used in anything from a dipping sauce to a soup to a marinade or to a sandwich. So Chef Bill Kim took Asian versions of these ingredients—like kimchi instead of cheese for a little fermented element—and created a similarly balanced sauce that is distinctly Korean. It adds intensity and will elevate the flavors in your food.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Makes: 1 cup

Ingredients:

¼ cup Nuoc Cham Sauce

¼ cup Lemongrass Chili Sauce

1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce, plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce

¼ cup kimchi, homemade or store-bought

¼ cup dry-roasted peanuts

½ cup fresh basil leaves, firmly packed

¼ cup olive oil

Directions: 

Place the Nuoc Cham Sauce, Lemongrass Chili Sauce, chipotle chili and adobo sauce, kimchi, peanuts, basil, and oil in a food processor and process for about 1 minute, until coarsely blended.

Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 2 months. Or freeze in standard ice-cube trays, then transfer the cubes (about 2 tablespoons each) to plastic freezer bags and freeze for up to 2 months.

Image Credit: BLVD Steakhouse
BLVD Steakhouse
A wise person once said if you don’t like Brussels Sprouts, it’s because you’ve never had them prepared the right way, and you’ll learn that’s true when you assemble Chef Johnny’s amazing recipe as a side dish for your upcoming Thanksgiving celebration.
Serves: Two
Ingredients: 

1 lb. Brussels sprouts

1/4 lb. bacon

1 red bell pepper

2 eggs

1/4 Lime wedge

¼ C. Grapeseed oil

1 T. white vinegar or pickle juice

Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions: 

Clean the Brussels sprouts by cutting the bottom off and splitting them in half.

Toss with grapeseed oil, salt and pepper, and roast at 350*F for 10-12 minutes or until lightly caramelized and tender but not mushy.

Dice and render bacon until crispy. Strain off bacon grease and set aside.

Roast red bell pepper over an open flame. If you don’t have a gas range, place whole peppers in a 400*F oven until soft and caramelized. Place roasted peppers in a mixing bowl with a lid and set aside on a countertop until the peppers have cooled to room temperature. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, peel the skin and scrape the seeds. Discard the skins and seeds.

Transfer the roasted red pepper flesh to a blender and purée until smooth.

Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

In a saucepot, bring water to a boil.

Add white vinegar or pickle juice to the poach pot.

Crack one egg and gently place in the simmering water. You don’t want the water to boil too rapidly; it might break apart the egg. Give the water a little swirl with a spoon to keep the egg moving and not sticking to the bottom. Cook the poached egg as long as you desire. I suggest 2-3 minutes for a nice runny yolk.

Now you can assemble the dish! Start by placing a few spoonfuls of red pepper sauce in the bottom of your favorite bowl or side dish.

Next, toss the roasted Brussels sprouts with the cooked bacon. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.

Place the bacon/brussels sprouts mix over the red pepper sauce and top with a poached egg. Squeeze a wedge of lime over the top for a nice touch of acid and bon appétite!

Image Credit: Taste of Home
The Press Room
Move over Pumpkin, this Stuffed Kabocha Squash recipe is the perfect side dish to serve this Thanksgiving
For the filling:

12 baby portabella mushrooms

1 small eggplant

1 roma tomato

1/2 bunch Swiss chard

2 shallots

3 tablespoons sage

2 honey crisp apples

1 C white wine

2 C cooked rice

1 C feta crumbles
2 T toasted pumpkin seeds
1 kabocha squash
Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, cut kabocha squash in half, scoop out the seeds and place in the oven for 30 minutes

 Dice eggplant, Swiss chard, shallots, apples, and mushrooms and cook over high heat until caramelized

Add your sage and deglaze the pan with white wine.  Let sit until squash is done cooking.

In a food processor, blend together the cooked rice and cooked vegetables until smooth, remove the squash from the oven and place the filling in the halved squash, and crumble feta on top, bake at 375 for an additional 5 minutes, then turn on the broiler for 2 minutes.

Pull out of the oven and serve immediately. Garnish with pumpkin seed.
PS: The squash itself is a great option for gluten-free and vegan guests alike
For the sauce:

1 cucumber

2 cloves garlic

1 C yogurt

1/2 lemon

2T extra virgin olive oil

2T black pepper

Grate the cucumber and garlic on a cheese grater and lightly season with salt, let sit for about 30 minutes and then with cheese cloth or a towel ring them dry.  Combine the yogurt and cucumber mixture with lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil and black pepper.
Image Credit: Funkenhausen
Funkenhausen
The hearty casserole gets its satisfying chew from day-old soft pretzels. If you are looking for side dish ideas for Thanksgiving, the recipe makes a delicious stuffing for poultry or pork. If using as a stuffing for whole birds, he recommends adding the mixture to the cavity immediately before roasting. I’ve included the full recipe below.
Serves 4
Time: 1 hour, 50 minutes
Ingredients:

10 cups (1 lb. 12 oz.) day-old soft pretzels, cut in 1-in. pieces

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, plus more for greasing

1 cup (5 oz.) carrots, finely chopped

1 cup (4¾ oz.) celery, finely chopped

1 cup (5½ oz.) onions, finely chopped

Kosher salt

2 medium garlic cloves, minced (2 tsp.)

½ tsp. poultry seasoning

1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh sage

1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh thyme

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 lb. bratwurst or other mild sausage, casings removed

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup chicken stock

One 11-oz. can condensed cream of celery soup

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 350°F.

Spread the pretzels out in a single layer on 2 large baking sheets, then transfer to the oven and toast until the pretzel pieces are until just lightly golden and crispy, 15–17 minutes.

Transfer the pretzel pieces to a large bowl and set aside to cool to room temperature.In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter.

When the foam begins to subside, add the carrots, celery, onions, season lightly with koshers salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are tender, 12–14 minutes.

Add the garlic and poultry seasoning and continue cooking until fragrant, 2–3 minutes more.

Stir in the sage, thyme, parsley, and black pepper, remove from heat, then scrape the mixture into the bowl with the pretzel pieces.

Wipe out the skillet and return it to medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring frequently and breaking the meat apart with a wooden spoon until it is cooked through, 10–12 minutes.

Transfer the sausage and any drippings to the pretzel mixture. Stir gently to combine, then add the eggs, chicken stock, and cream of celery soup.

Use a silicone spatula to fold the mixture together.

Butter a 12-inch cast iron skillet or roasting pan, then transfer the stuffing into it, pressing down gently with a spatula.

Cover with aluminum foil, transfer to the oven and bake until heated through, about 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until golden brown and slightly crispy on the edges, 20-30 minutes more.

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Chef John Boudouvas’ Roasted Butternut Squash & Ground Turkey Arancini with Marsala Brown Gravy

Nonnina

Ingredients:

1-1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cubed

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 shallot, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup arborio rice

5 cups chicken

1/2 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup honey

1 bunch fresh sage finely chopped (about 10-15 leaves)

1 ½ pound Cooked Ground Turkey

3 eggs

6 ounces grated Parmesan Cheese

1/2 cup flour

1-1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs

Canola oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Toss butternut squash with 2 tablespoons olive oil and spread on a baking sheet. Roast for about 20 minutes, stirring once about halfway through. It should be soft when pierced with a fork when it is done.

While squash is cooking, heat remaining one tablespoon of oil in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Sauté the shallot and garlic for about 1 minute. Add rice and sauté for about a minute, until the grains start to turn translucent. Reduce heat to low.

Add stock (which is preferably being kept warm in another pan on the stove), a half cup at a time. Stir until the stock is absorbed and then add another half cup until all the stock has been used and the risotto is soft and creamy. This should take about 20 minutes.

When the squash is done, add it to the saucepan and stir until the squash has mostly broken down and is well-incorporated into the risotto. You may need to add a bit more stock to make this happen.

At this point fold in the cooked ground turkey, chopped sage, parmesan, salt and pepper.

Remove the risotto from the heat once the mixture has become quite stiff. Refrigerate the risotto for at least an hour or until it’s cool enough to handle. You could also prepare up to this point a day before completing the recipe.

While the risotto is cooling, Heat the honey very slowly in a small saucepan. Once it’s warm and liquid (about 100 degrees or so) remove it from the heat and add the sage leaves. You might want to muddle the leaves a little to help with the flavor extraction, but you’ll be fishing these sage leaves out later so don’t mash them up too much. Set the honey mixture aside.

When you’re ready to make your arancini get everything set up first. Have a bowl for each:  flour, 3 eggs beaten, panko.

Mix 1 lightly beaten egg into the risotto. Use a tablespoon and get a big scoop of risotto. Then roll the ball in flour, then dip in egg and finally roll in panko. Set aside on a tray. Repeat for the rest of the risotto.

Featured Image Credit: Unsplash

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Illinois State Rep. Tim Butler, R-Springfield, questions Andrew Ellison about his proposed maps during a House Redistricting Committee hearing at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield on Oct. 20. | Justin L. Fowler/The State Journal-Register via AP

This system would be as fair as a coin toss. Only those looking for an unfair advantage would oppose it.

The current chatter about redistricting and gerrymandering reminds me of how I have wanted, for decades, to create legislative maps:

Let a computer do it.

There would be only two criteria: Districts within a state would be as close as possible to equal in population and the borders of those districts would be as short as possible. The reason for the first is obvious. The reason for the second is that it would create compact districts without weird shapes.

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.

Who is in the districts would not be a consideration. It won’t matter if they are Democrats, Republican, Black, white, atheists or Evangelicals. It won’t matter who is mixed with who, what group is the majority in a district or what boundaries the districts disregard. They are voters. That is the only thing that matters, so forget about who is in the districts and focus on them being fair.

This system would be as fair as a coin toss. Only those looking for an unfair advantage would oppose it.

Curt Fredrikson, Mokena

Children bravely take the shot, but not the FOP

What a contrast in last Thursday’s Sun-Times. On one page, a big photo of a 6- or 7-year-old bravely baring his arm to get a vaccination. Two pages later, big burly Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara whining about his members being obligated to get the shot like every other responsible adult.

Andy Thayer, Uptown

Animal health is key to a sustainable planet

With record heat waves, tragic flooding and wildfires in the news, it’s hard not to have climate change top of the mind. Understanding the role that agriculture — specifically livestock — plays in climate change is paramount, and finding solutions to minimize environmental impact is a priority.

As a veterinarian, I have seen the benefits of focusing first on improving animal welfare. When animals are healthy, the food supply is safer, resources are used more efficiently and growers maximize output. Still, globally, one in five food-production animals is lost to preventable disease. This isn’t just bad for the animals. When animals are healthy, emissions are lower and farmers can operate more sustainably.

Innovative supplements and vaccines can cut emissions by targeting methane within the digestion process. In fact, emerging therapies can lower methane in dairy cows by 30%.

Improving animal welfare through new medicines is the key that unlocks efficient livestock production, more sustainable farming practices and reduced emissions from animals. We need a regulatory framework for new animal drugs that rewards science-based innovation to enhance animal health, which in turn boosts the health of our planet.

Will McCauley, DVM, Animal Health Institute

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Gaige Grosskreutz testifies about permanent injuries to his right arm and hand as he testifies about being shot in the right bicep during the Kyle Rittenhouse trial at the Kenosha County Courthouse on November 8, 2021 in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Rittenhouse shot three demonstrators, killing two of them, during a night of unrest that erupted in Kenosha after a police officer shot Jacob Blake seven times in the back while police attempted to arrest him in August 2020. Rittenhouse, from Antioch, Illinois, was 17 at the time of the shooting and armed with an assault rifle. He faces counts of felony homicide and felony attempted homicide. | Getty

“I thought the defendant was an active shooter,” the 27-year-old Gaige Grosskreutz said. Asked what was going through his mind as he drew closer to the 17-year-old Rittenhouse, he said, “That I was going to die.”

KENOSHA, Wis. — A protester and volunteer medic wounded on the streets of Kenosha by Kyle Rittenhouse testified Monday that he was pointing his own gun toward the rifle-toting Rittenhouse — unintentionally, he said — when the young man shot him.

Gaige Grosskreutz, the third and final man gunned down by Rittenhouse during a night of turbulent racial-justice protests in the summer of 2020, took the stand at Rittenhouse’s murder trial and recounted how he drew his own pistol after the bloodshed started.

“I thought the defendant was an active shooter,” the 27-year-old Grosskreutz said. Asked what was going through his mind as he got closer to the 17-year-old Rittenhouse, he said, “That I was going to die.”

Rittenhouse shot Grosskreutz in the arm, tearing away much of his bicep — or “vaporized” it, as the witness put it.

Rittenhouse, now 18, is on trial on charges of killing two men and wounding Grosskreutz. The one-time police youth cadet from Antioch, Illinois, had gone to Kenosha with an AR-style semi-automatic rifle and a medical kit in what he said was an effort to safeguard property from the damaging demonstrations that broke out over the shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, by a white Kenosha police officer.

Under questioning from the prosecution, Grosskreutz said he had his hands raised as he closed in on Rittenhouse and didn’t intend to shoot the young man. Prosecutor Thomas Binger asked Grosskreutz why he didn’t shoot first.

“That’s not the kind of person that I am. That’s not why I was out there,” he said. “It’s not who I am. And definitely not somebody I would want to become.”

But during cross-examination, Rittenhouse defense attorney Corey Chirafisi asked: “It wasn’t until you pointed your gun at him, advanced on him … that he fired, right?”

“Correct,” Grosskreutz replied. The defense also presented a photo showing Grosskreutz pointing the gun at Rittenhouse, who was on the ground with his rifle pointed up at Grosskreutz.

Grosskreutz, under follow-up questioning from the prosecutor, said he did not intend to point his weapon at Rittenhouse.

Prosecutors have portrayed Rittenhouse as the instigator of the violence. His lawyers have argued that he acted in self-defense. He could get life in prison if convicted of the most serious charges against him.

Wisconsin’s self-defense law allows someone to use deadly force only if “necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm.” The jury must decide whether Rittenhouse believed he was in such peril and whether that belief was reasonable under the circumstances.

Grosskreutz said he had gone to the protest in Kenosha to serve as a medic, wearing a hat that said “paramedic” and carrying medical supplies, in addition to a loaded pistol. He said his permit to carry a concealed weapon had expired and he did not have a valid one that night.

“I believe in the Second Amendment. I’m for people’s right to carry and bear arms,” he said, explaining why he was armed. “And that night was no different than any other day. It’s keys, phone, wallet, gun.”

He said he went into action after seeing Rittenhouse kill a man just feet away — the second person Rittenhouse fatally shot that night.

While Grosskreutz said he never verbally threatened Rittenhouse, Chirafisi, the defense attorney, said that people don’t have to use words to threaten others. They can do so by their actions, “like running after them down the street with a loaded firearm,” Chirafisi said.

On cross-examination, Chirafisi sought to portray Grosskreutz as dishonest in his description of the moments right before he was shot, with Chirafisi asserting that Grosskreutz was chasing Rittenhouse with his gun out. Grosskreutz denied he was chasing Rittenhouse.

Chirafisi also said Grosskreutz lied when he initially told multiple police officers that he dropped his weapon.

In addition, Chirafisi pointed to Grosskreutz’s lawsuit against the city of Kenosha, in which he alleges police enabled the violence by allowing an armed militia to have the run of the streets during the demonstration.

“If Mr. Rittenhouse is convicted, your chance of getting 10 million bucks is better, right?” Chirafisi said.

Chirafisi also asked Grosskreutz if he told his former roommate that his only regret was “not killing the kid and hesitating to pull the gun before emptying the entire mag into him.” Grosskreutz denied saying that.

At the defense table, Rittenhouse took detailed notes when the witness spoke about the moment he was shot.

Grosskreutz, who was trained as a paramedic, testified that he volunteered as a medic at protests in Milwaukee in the days after George Floyd died under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer in May 2020. Grosskreutz said he attended around 75 protests before the night he was shot, offering help to anyone needing medical attention.

He said he provided medical assistance to about 10 other people that night in Kenosha.

While Rittenhouse is white, as were those he shot, the case has stirred furious debate about the racial unrest that erupted around the U.S. that summer, as well as about vigilantism and the right to bear arms.

Last week, witnesses at the trial testified that the first man shot and killed, Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, was “hyperaggressive” and “acting belligerently” that night and threatened to kill Rittenhouse at one point.

One witness said Rosenbaum was gunned down after he chased Rittenhouse and lunged for the young man’s rifle.

Rosenbaum’s killing set in motion the bloodshed that followed moments later: Rittenhouse killed Anthony Huber, a 26-year-old protester seen on bystander video hitting Rittenhouse with a skateboard. Rittenhouse then wounded Grosskreutz.

Grosskreutz has a tattoo on the arm where he was shot. It is the common medical image of a snake wrapped around a staff, and at the top it has a banner that says, “Do no harm” and at the bottom, a banner reading “Do know harm.”

When the prosecutor played graphic video of Grosskreutz’s badly wounded arm, a few jurors seemed to grimace and look away.

Grosskreutz testified that he has difficulty lifting heavy objects with his right arm and has a loss of feeling extending from his bicep to his thumb.

___

Bauer reported from Madison, Wisconsin; Forliti from Minneapolis.

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Yamaan Nandolia is a freshman at University of Illinois Chicago majoring in computer science. | Tyler LaRiviere/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 mostly sunny with a high near 66 degrees. Tonight will be mostly cloudy with a low around 51. Tomorrow will be mostly cloudy with a chance for rain and a high near 56.

Top story

‘I canceled my plan of attending my dream school:’ 2021 grads hit harder by pandemic than those before them

Four days a week, Yamaan Nandolia rides two trains and a bus to college.

It can take up to two hours to get from his West Rogers Park home to the University of Illinois Chicago campus on the Near West Side.

This wasn’t Nandolia’s original plan for college. His senior year at Nicholas Senn High School, Nandolia was admitted to his top choice: the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

But after the huge wave of COVID-19 cases hit last winter, his parents sat him down.

“My parents got really worried,” Nandolia, 17, recalled. They told him, “‘We know it’s your decision to make, but you should be really careful. We’re really scared for you.'” His parents feared Nandolia living in the dorms, getting sick and not being able to get the resources needed.

“Due to the pandemic, I canceled my plan of attending my dream school,” Nandolia said.

High school graduates in the class of 2021 like Nandolia have endured a slew of challenges that have altered their post-graduation plans — even more so than the class before them, who were seniors when the pandemic upended their final year of school. Nationally, just 62% of 2021 graduates followed through with their original post-high school plans, compared to 74% of 2020 graduates, according to a survey conducted by the EdWeek Research Center.

Clare Spaulding has more on the unique challenges facing new graduates amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

More news you need

Local casino magnate Neil Bluhm has lined up a team of blue-ribbon lobbyists to try and convince the City Council not to lift the ban on sports betting in Chicago. Fran Spielman has more on the upcoming fight over the legality of gambling on sports in the city.

What will the infrastructure bill heading to President Joe Biden’s desk mean for Illinois once it passes? Our Lynn Sweet breaks down the bill’s expected statewide impact from federal highway projects to expanded broadband internet access.

Federal prosecutors sought approval today to seize an aircraft that flew last week into the Gary/Chicago International Airport amid a federal drug investigation. The aircraft in question traveled Nov. 2 from Toluca, Mexico, to Houston, Texas, according to an affidavit filed by prosecutors.

Some Illinois workers are embracing a practice that’s growing in popularity in countries such as Iceland and Japan: the four-day workweek. Employers could use more flexible schedules as a way to prevent employee burnout, David Roeder writes.

A bright one

Bighead carp bigger than Illinois-record caught from the Humboldt Park lagoon

Jarrett Knize caught a bighead carp that’s bigger than the Illinois-record Saturday in Humboldt Park.

He was fishing a 13 Fishing Magic Man — a lipless crankbait — about 4 p.m. Saturday when he latched into the big fish.

“I was fishing for bass,” Knize said. “It started running and it was running clearly faster than a big turtle. So I thought it might be a 50-pound catfish.”

Good thing Knize was using 25-pound Seaguar Abrazx line.

Provided by Henry’s Sports and Bait
Jarrett Knize with his bighead carp, bigger than the Illinois record, at Henry’s Sports and Bait.

After landing it, he took the bighead to Park Bait at Montrose Harbor, where it was too heavy to be weighed on their certified scale. So Cory Gecht weighed it on their bigger uncertified scale, where it came to 74 pounds.

With that, the story moved south to Bridgeport. Tom Palmisano of Henry’s Sports and Bait opened up their shop after hours and Knize weighed it on Henry’s biggest certified scale at 72 pounds, 8 ounces.

Jack Bailey holds the Illinois hook-and-line record for bighead carp for one of 69 pounds caught May 4, 2010 from the Kaskaskia River below the Carlyle Dam.

If Knize’s fish is accepted as the record, it will be official when Michael McClelland, chief of fisheries for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, signs off on the paperwork after it is completed and submitted.

Dale Bowman has more on the potentially record-breaking catch here.

From the press box

What to watch for when the Bears face the Steelers tonight on “Monday Night Football.” (7:15 p.m., ESPN)
Patrick Finley on how the Bears are weighing the risks and rewards of letting Justin Fields run wild.

Michael O’Brien’s updated Super 25 high school football rankings entering the state playoff quarterfinals.
Derek King earned his first NHL coaching victory when the Blackhawks defeated the Predators in overtime last night.
Illinois strayed away from local recruits in recent years but the Fighting Illini began renewing that connection by landing a commitment last Friday from St. Rita’s Morez Johnson.

Your daily question ?

How do you feel about the seasonal pumpkin-flavored treats that arrive every fall?

Send us an email at [email protected] and we might feature your answer in the next Afternoon Edition.

On Friday, we asked you: In honor of ABBA’s new record, what’s something else from the 70s you think should make a comeback? Here’s what some of you said…

“Civility and manners.” — Karl Kelly

“Disco music!” — Christine Bock

“Labor unions.” — Tyler Ibn Sina Miller

“The middle class.” — Kevan Davis

“That overall chill vibe. And great FM rock stations.” — Bryan Fitzpatrick

“Correct names for things: Sears Tower, Comiskey Park, etc.” — Melinda Vaughn

“My youth!” — Kris Perkins

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

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The Chicago Blackhawks are in a terribly bad spot right now. They have the sexual assault results out there now which caused many people to be fired not only with the Blackhawks but across the league. To a much less important degree, they are a bad hockey team as well. As a result of the […] Chicago Blackhawks: 3 perfect replacements for Stan Bowman – Da Windy City – Da Windy City – A Chicago Sports Site – Bears, Bulls, Cubs, White Sox, Blackhawks, Fighting Illini & MoreRead More