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An artist’s rendering of a proposed casino that would be located near Chicago Avenue and Halsted Street. | Provided by Bally’s Corporation

No wild cards were among the competing developers’ chosen sites, proposing projects at or near McCormick Place, the vacant South Loop site known as “the 78” and the Chicago Tribune’s Near North Side publishing plant.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s Chicago casino game will be five-card draw.

Lightfoot’s office on Friday announced the city received five proposals from a total of four development groups looking to build and operate the big-city mega-casino that city officials have been trying to land for decades.

After pushing back the original summer bidding deadline — a move that suggested lukewarm industry interest in a highly taxed downtown gambling temple — the city identified the contenders as Rhode Island-based gambling company Bally’s Corporation, Florida-based gaming giant Hard Rock International, and two separate groups with proposals spearheaded by Chicago casino magnate Neil Bluhm’s Rush Street Gaming.

Bally’s submitted two separate proposals.

No wild cards were among the competing developers’ chosen sites, proposing projects at or near McCormick Place, the vacant South Loop site known as “The 78” and the Chicago Tribune’s Near North Side publishing plant.

Lightfoot said in a statement that she was “thrilled” with the hand she was dealt.

“The submission of bid responses represents a major step toward the thoughtful development of a casino-resort that uplifts our businesses, employs and empowers our residents and encourages tourism. We look forward to the next phase of discussions to bring this world-class entertainment experience to our city,” she said.

Bluhm’s company signaled it was all in on a Chicago proposal last month when it pulled out of the running for another new casino slated to break ground in Waukegan. But Friday’s turning of the cards revealed Bluhm’s Rush Street Gaming is behind two development groups with names that tip their hand on where they’d like to break ground: Rivers Chicago at McCormick LLC, and Rivers 78 Gaming LLC.

Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times file
Neil Bluhm, chairman of Rivers Casino, pictured in 2019.

McCormick Place has long been considered a viable casino site, while analysts have floated “The 78” as fertile gaming ground in the 62 vacant South Loop acres near Roosevelt Road and Clark Street.

A Rush Street spokesman did not have any immediate comment.

Lightfoot has left the politically thorny question of where to put the casino up to the potential developers .

Bluhm has long been considered a shoo-in to apply for the city casino license, given his success running the state’s most lucrative gambling mecca, Rivers Casino in Des Plaines — in addition to his close ties to the mayor. Lightfoot has received more than $200,000 in campaign contributions from Bluhm’s daughter Leslie and her sister Meredith Bluhm-Wolf.

Hard Rock’s bid as HR Chicago LLC comes about nine months after the corporation received the Illinois Gaming Board’s OK to break ground on another casino in Rockford – and about five months after it opened a casino in Gary, Indiana, not even an hour’s drive from Lightfoot’s City Hall office.

The Rockford Hard Rock, endorsed by legendary Cheap Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen, won approval despite the fact state regulators have considered disciplinary action against another company owned by one of the project’s lead investors.

The city did not disclose the full list of potential investors in each project. Hard Rock representatives did not return messages seeking comment.

Bally’s, which last month took control of the former Jumer’s Casino in Rock Island, submitted two proposals for two different potential sites: one at the Near North site of the Chicago Tribune publishing center near Chicago Avenue and Halsted; and another at the McCormick Place truck marshaling yard south of the sprawling convention center.

Provided by Bally’s Corporation
An artist’s rendering of a proposed Chicago casino that would be located south of McCormick Place.

Both proposals call for $1.6 billion investments that include a luxury hotel, indoor and outdoor entertainment center, green space and fine dining.

In a press release, the group said minority investors have a total stake of 25%, with investors including “philanthropists, business owners, sports stars, celebrities, and everyday Chicagoans.”

“This property will be built, owned, and operated by Chicagoans, with a focus on minority and women investors, contractors, suppliers, consultants, and employees,” Bally’s chairman Soo Kim said. “It will generate tax revenue, create good-paying jobs, and attract international, national, and local visitors for generations to come.”

The courting of casino developers marks a victory for Lightfoot in what has been a tumultuous first term on the fifth floor of City Hall.

In 2019, she did what her two mayoral predecessors could not when state lawmakers created the Chicago casino license as part of a massive gambling expansion.

But after a state-hired gambling consultant deemed the 72%-effective tax rate on the Chicago casino “too onerous” for any potential to turn a profit, Lightfoot’s team had to go back to Springfield last spring to secure legislative support to lower the tax rate to about 40%.

That was still too rich for the blood of some Las Vegas industry heavyweights such as MGM Resorts International, Wynn Resorts and Caesars Entertainment, where executives announced they’d take a pass on the city’s formal request for proposals that was issued in April.

The city’s cut of revenue from the 4,000-position casino will be earmarked for its desperately underfunded police and firefighter pensions.

With five bids in hand, Lightfoot’s office said it will create “a review committee made up of a cross-section of City departments” to recommend a bidder. Lightfoot will have the final call on who’s put up for City Council approval.

The Illinois Gaming Board has the final say on issuing a license. The mayor has said she expects the finished casino-resort to open by 2025, though an operator can set up shop at a temporary site once the developer gets state approval.

There are already 10 casinos operating in Illinois and five more in the pipeline, not to mention four more operating in northwest Indiana, including the Horseshoe Hammond that’s a half-hour drive from City Hall. That’s all on top of more than 40,000 slot machines operating in bars, restaurants and other establishments across Illinois.

City officials have contended there is room to “grow the pie,” or increase the size of the gaming market, with what they call “a once-in-a-generation opportunity for a casino operator in the heart of a major American city.”

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An artist’s rendering of a proposed casino that would be located near Chicago Avenue and Halsted Street. | Provided by Bally’s Corporation

No wild cards were among the competing developers’ chosen sites, proposing projects at or near McCormick Place, the vacant South Loop site known as “the 78” and the Chicago Tribune’s Near North Side publishing plant.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s Chicago casino game will be five-card draw.

Lightfoot’s office on Friday announced the city received five proposals from a total of four development groups looking to build and operate the big-city mega-casino that city officials have been trying to land for decades.

After pushing back the original summer bidding deadline — a move that suggested lukewarm industry interest in a highly taxed downtown gambling temple — the city identified the contenders as Rhode Island-based gambling company Bally’s Corporation, Florida-based gaming giant Hard Rock International, and two separate groups with proposals spearheaded by Chicago casino magnate Neil Bluhm’s Rush Street Gaming.

Bally’s submitted two separate proposals.

No wild cards were among the competing developers’ chosen sites, proposing projects at or near McCormick Place, the vacant South Loop site known as “the 78” and the Chicago Tribune’s Near North Side publishing plant.

Lightfoot said in a statement that she was “thrilled” with the hand she was dealt.

“The submission of bid responses represents a major step toward the thoughtful development of a casino-resort that uplifts our businesses, employs and empowers our residents and encourages tourism. We look forward to the next phase of discussions to bring this world-class entertainment experience to our city,” she said.

Bluhm’s company signaled it was all in on a Chicago proposal last month when it pulled out of the running for another new casino slated to break ground in Waukegan. But Friday’s turning of the cards revealed Bluhm’s Rush Street Gaming is behind two development groups with names that tip their hand on where they’d like to break ground: Rivers Chicago at McCormick LLC, and Rivers 78 Gaming LLC.

McCormick Place has long been considered a viable casino site, while analysts have floated “The 78” as fertile gaming ground in the 62 vacant South Loop acres near Roosevelt Road and Clark Street.

A Rush Street spokesman did not have any immediate comment.

Lightfoot has left the politically thorny question of where to put the casino up to the potential developers .

Bluhm has long been considered a shoo-in to apply for the city casino license, given his success running the state’s most lucrative gambling mecca, Rivers Casino in Des Plaines — in addition to his close ties to the mayor. Lightfoot has received more than $200,000 in campaign contributions from Bluhm’s daughter Leslie and her sister Meredith Bluhm-Wolf.

Hard Rock’s bid as HR Chicago LLC comes about nine months after the corporation received the Illinois Gaming Board’s OK to break ground on another casino in Rockford – and about five months after it opened a casino in Gary, Indiana, not even an hour’s drive from Lightfoot’s City Hall office.

The Rockford Hard Rock, endorsed by legendary Cheap Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen, won approval despite the fact state regulators have considered disciplinary action against another company owned by one of the project’s lead investors.

The city did not disclose the full list of potential investors in each project. Hard Rock representatives did not return messages seeking comment.

Bally’s, which last month took control of the former Jumer’s Casino in Rock Island, submitted two proposals for two different potential sites: one at the Near North site of the Chicago Tribune publishing center near Chicago Avenue and Halsted; and another at the McCormick Place truck marshaling yard south of the sprawling convention center.

Provided by Bally’s Corporation
An artist’s rendering of a proposed Chicago casino that would be located south of McCormick Place.

Both proposals call for $1.6 billion investments that include a luxury hotel, indoor and outdoor entertainment center, green space and fine dining.

In a press release, the group said minority investors have a total stake of 25%, with investors including “philanthropists, business owners, sports stars, celebrities, and everyday Chicagoans.”

“This property will be built, owned, and operated by Chicagoans, with a focus on minority and women investors, contractors, suppliers, consultants, and employees,” Bally’s chairman Soo Kim said. “It will generate tax revenue, create good-paying jobs, and attract international, national, and local visitors for generations to come.”

The courting of casino developers marks a victory for Lightfoot in what has been a tumultuous first term on the fifth floor of City Hall.

In 2019, she did what her two mayoral predecessors could not when state lawmakers created the Chicago casino license as part of a massive gambling expansion.

But after a state-hired gambling consultant deemed the 72%-effective tax rate on the Chicago casino “too onerous” for any potential to turn a profit, Lightfoot’s team had to go back to Springfield last spring to secure legislative support to lower the tax rate to about 40%.

That was still too rich for the blood of some Las Vegas industry heavyweights such as MGM Resorts International, Wynn Resorts and Caesars Entertainment, where executives announced they’d take a pass on the city’s formal request for proposals that was issued in April.

The city’s cut of revenue from the 4,000-position casino will be earmarked for its desperately underfunded police and firefighter pensions.

With five bids in hand, Lightfoot’s office said it will create “a review committee made up of a cross-section of City departments” to recommend a bidder. Lightfoot will have the final call on who’s put up for City Council approval.

The Illinois Gaming Board has the final say on issuing a license. The mayor has said she expects the finished casino-resort to open by 2025, though an operator can set up shop at a temporary site once the developer gets state approval.

There are already 10 casinos operating in Illinois and five more in the pipeline, not to mention four more operating in northwest Indiana, including the Horseshoe Hammond that’s a half-hour drive from City Hall. That’s all on top of more than 40,000 slot machines operating in bars, restaurants and other establishments across Illinois.

City officials have contended there is room to “grow the pie,” or increase the size of the gaming market, with what they call “a once-in-a-generation opportunity for a casino operator in the heart of a major American city.”

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Chicago police work the scene where a 4-year-old girl and a 19-year-old man were wounded in a shooting in the 4000 block of West Washington Boulevard in the West Garfield Park neighborhood on Aug. 6. | Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times file

Let’s hear from criminal justice experts, knowledgeable law enforcement leaders, involved community activists and others.

It’s time for a summit. Chicago needs more and better strategies to stop violent crime. It needs to hear the voices of those who can help.

Bring together the criminal justice experts, the knowledgeable law enforcement leaders, the involved community activists and others. Listen to them as they draw on their research and experiences to advise us on how the city can do more to stop shootings and other violent crimes. This is the kind of vision and initiative we expect of our elected leaders.

The scourge of bullets is tearing at the fabric of a metropolis proud of its skyscrapers, beaches and neighborhoods. The toll of homicides is spreading heartbreak through communities. The echoing voices of victims from every corner of our city plead with us to do more.

As Tom Schuba, David Struett, Andy Grimm, Frank Main and Andy Boyle reported in the Sunday Sun-Times, murders, shootings, rapes and car thefts are all up sharply in the downtown area. Meanwhile, the “safety gap” between downtown and some areas of the South and West sides continues to grow.

The number of shootings and total shootings per 1,000 residents has shot up nearly 220% since 2019 in the Central police district, which includes much of the downtown business district. That, by far, is the largest increase in any police district in the city.

Meanwhile, the per capita rate of shootings in West Garfield Park, the city’s most dangerous community area, is nearly 20 times higher than in downtown, according to the Sun-Times analysis of city data.

The emotional and financial costs of this carnage are immeasurable. People in the neighborhoods are suffering. Residents and businesses in the downtown area and the Gold Coast are getting fed up with crime.

Yesterday’s strategies won’t work today

Yes, crime is increasing in other cities. Homicides were up 30% from 2019 to 2020 in 34 cities studied by criminologist Richard Rosenfeld, a University of Missouri-St. Louis professor. Gun violence and homicides increased even as residential burglary dropped by 24%, larceny declined 16% and drug offenses were 30% lower.

But Chicago can’t hide behind those numbers. Its residents look to their leaders to create an environment in which they and their loved ones feel safe.

And, yes, it is a challenge. The strategies of yesterday don’t work against the growing threats of today and tomorrow.

For just one example, “ghost guns” — homemade, untraceable weapons without serial numbers — are proliferating. They can be purchased online almost fully assembled or made with 3D printers.

“I had a board member tell me that he was on a community meeting call about gun violence and youths were telling stories about how they could go online, build ghost guns with a 3D printer — including a serial number — use the guns and then sell them on the street,” said Kathleen Sances, president and CEO of G-PAC, a gun-safety group.

Last month, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart and state Sen. Jacqueline Collins, D-Chicago, proposed legislation to ban “ghost guns.” On Friday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a package of laws to address the gun violence epidemic, including outlawing ghost guns.

A summit would help elected leaders understand how violent crime is metastasizing and help them learn new, effective ideas to combat it.

No summit will work, though, if it is held in a vacuum. As we have written before, Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, Police Supt. David Brown and other leaders in the criminal justice system need to stop feuding and rally behind a plan to reduce homicides and other violence crimes.

No single strategy by itself will send serious crime plummeting. But each well thought out step can move the needle in the right direction. With the right ideas, the right execution and the right cooperation among elected leaders and other stakeholders, Chicago can be the safe city of which its residents dream.

Send letters to [email protected].

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The cast of the Berkeley Repertory Theatre is shown in a scene from “Paradise Square.” The show begins its pre-Broadway run in Chicago on Nov. 2. | Kevin Berne

From theater and music to museums and family events, we’ve got just the ticket with our entertainment guide to some of the fun kicking off in the week ahead.

Theater

In the tenement houses of New York City’s Five Points slum in 1863, Irish immigrants and free-born Black Americans lived alongside one another, intermarried, raised families and shared their cultures. This is the setting for “Paradise Square,” the new musical that delves into conflicting notions of what it meant to be an American in this tumultuous era. In its pre-Broadway run, the show is directed by Moises Kaufman, with choreography by Bill T. Jones and a book by Christina Anderson, Marcus Gardley, Craig Lucas and Larry Kirwan, and a score by Jason Howland, Nathan Tysen and Masi Asare. From Nov. 2-Dec. 5 at the James M. Nederlander Theatre, 24 W. Randolph. Tickets: $39+. Visit broadwayinchicago.com.

“The Magic Flute” is Mozart’s final opera, in which a prince and princess triumph over obstacles in their search for wisdom, enlightenment and love. This inventive production, created by Suzanne Andrade and Barrie Kosky and directed by Tobias Ribitzki, features eye-popping projections by animator Paul Barritt and innovative stage design and costumes by Esther Bialis. Taking its inspiration from silent films, the production foregoes the traditional spoken dialogue in between the operatic scenes. Instead, texts are projected onto the stage with musical accompaniment. From Nov. 3-37. Lyric Opera, 20 N. Wacker, $49+. Visit lyricopera.org.

Chris Tong
“Pump Boys & Dinettes” at Porchlight Music Theatre.
One of Chicago’s longest running musicals, “Pump Boys & Dinettes,” returns for a run at Porchlight Music Theatre. Set in a North Carolina dinette, it’s filled with toe-tapping music and wise downhome advice; directed by Robert Reddrick. From Oct. 30-Dec. 12 at Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn. Tickets: $45-$74. Visit porchlightmusictheatre.org.

Music Theater Works presents “Ragtime,” Terrence McNally, Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens’ musical based on E.L. Doctorow’s novel about the search for the American Dream. Set in the early years of the 20th century, it tells the stories of an upper-class wife, a determined Jewish immigrant and a young Harlem musician who desire a brighter future but must unite to achieves their dreams. Stacey Flaster directs. From Oct. 28-Nov. 7 at North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. Tickets: $20-$108 Visit musictheaterworks.com.

Joan Marcus
Kennedy Caughell stars as the title character in “Beautiful — The Carole King Musical.”The Tony- and Grammy Award-winning Broadway hit “Beautiful — The Carole King Musical” returns for a short downtown run. The musical chronicles the career of the pop singer-songwriter who fought her way into the record business and created a songbook filled with now classic tunes including “I Feel the Earth Move,” “One Fine Day,” “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” and “You’ve Got a Friend.” From Nov. 2-Nov. 7 at CIBC Theatre, 18 W. Monroe. Tickets: $31+. Visit broadwayinchicago.com.
Doren Sorell
Ronnie Marmo stars as Lenny Bruce in “I’m Not a Comedian…I’m Lenny Bruce.”Ronnie Marmo returns with his one-man show “I’m Not a Comedian … I’m Lenny Bruce.” Directed by Joe Mantegna, it’s the story of the life and early passing of the legendary comedian who, according to Marmo, “exposed many of the ‘untouchable’ subjects that are in the news again now.” Includes added content from Bruce’s repertoire not featured in the production’s previous Chicago run. The open run begins Nov. 3 at Venus Cabaret Theater, 3745 N. Southport. Tickets: $69-$79. Visit lennybruceonstage.com.
Michael Brosilow
Second City etc is presenting “The Best Decision You’ve Ever Made.”
The Second City e.t.c. returns with “The Best Decision You’ve Ever Made.” Directed by Frank Caeti, the show is performed and written by returning ensemble members Atra Asdou, EJ Cameron, Mark Campbell, Laurel Krabacher and Chuck Norment plus new cast member Alex Bellisle. Performances begin Oct. 28 in an open run. Tickets: $29+. Visit secondcity.com.
Trap Door Theatre presents Laura Ruohonen’s “Queen C” in which a queen pushes back against being defined by the obligations she was born to fulfill. Michael Mejia directs. From Oct. 28-Dec. 4 at Trap Door Theatre, 1655 W. Cortland. Tickets: $20, $25. Visit trapdoor.com.
The New Coordinates stream a radio play adaptation of Omer Abbas Salem’s drama “Love in the Time of Jonestown,” which explores the splendid ache of acceptance and the profound bliss of betrayal. Directed by Sophiyaa Nayar. Streams Oct. 28-Nov. 21. Tickets: $15. Visit thenewcoordinates.org.
Congo Square Theatre’s digital sketch comedy series, “Hit ‘Em on the Blackside,” returns Oct. 29-Dec. 10 for 12 new episodes. The cast brings back memorable characters from Season 1 and introduces new characters and storylines with nods to social themes including justice and equality, cancel culture and what it means to be a hero. Suggested donation: $10. Visit congosquaretheatre.org.
Theatre in the Dark presents a virtual audio version of H.G. Wells’ Martian invasion tale “War of the Worlds” for three performances Halloween weekend. Using a streamlined script that runs around 70 minutes, it will be recorded and available for seven days following the live performances. Streams Oct. 29-31. Tickets: pay-what-you-can. Visit theatreinthedark.com.
Stacey Rose’s “America v.2.1: The Sad Demise & Eventual Extinction of the American Negro” is presented in a filmed virtual production by Definition Theatre. The play follows a company of actors tasked with re-telling the history of the American Negro who find themselves fighting for their survival. Directed by Tyrone Phillips. Streams from Nov. 2-21. Tickets: $15-$100. Visit definitiontheatre.org.

Visceral Dance Chicago performs two world premieres — “Madre” by Los Angeles choreographer Mike Tyus and “From Then On” by Spanish choreographer Monica Cervantes — plus three works by artistic director Nick Pupillo: “Avow,” “Ash in the Rainbow” and “Synapse.” At 7:30 p.m. Oct. 28, 30 at Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport. Tickets: $21-$58. Visit athenaeumtheatre.org.

Music

Photography by Harvey Tillis
Dave SpecterDelmark Records artist Dave Specter celebrates the release of his new album, “Six String Soul: 30 Years on Delmark.” His musical journey on Delmark began in 1991 with the release of his debut album, “Bluebird Blues.” Over a dozen albums and three decades later, “Six String Soul” showcases the guitarist, singer/songwriter and producer surrounded by a stellar lineup of special guests from late greats Otis Clay and Jack McDuff to living legends like Jimmy Johnson, Billy Branch and Jorma Kaukonen. Specter’s career has been intertwined with the deepest roots of Chicago blues and Delmark’s rich musical history. Guests Jimmy Johnson and Tad Robinson join Specter at 8 p.m. Nov. 2 at Space, 1245 Chicago, Evanston. Tickets: $15, $20. Visit evanstonspace.com.
B+ Photo
The Fugees have reunited for a world tour.
Ms. Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean and Pras Michel of the legendary hip-hop group Fugees have reunited for their first world tour in 25 years and first shows in 15 years to celebrate the anniversary of 1996’s “The Score,” considered one of the greatest albums of all time (it’s No. 134 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums). “As I celebrate 25 years with the Fugees, my first memory was that we vowed, from the gate, we would not just do music we would be a movement,” Jean says. “We would be a voice for the un-heard, and in these challenging times, I am grateful once again, that God has brought us together.” At 8 p.m. Nov. 2 at United Center, 1901 W. Madison. Tickets: $59+. Visit ticketmaster.com.
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s contemporary music series, MusicNow, curated by Mead Composer-in-Residence Jessie Montgomery, returns at 7 p.m. Nov. 1. The first concert, “Homecoming,” celebrates composers with ties to Chicago including Ted Hearne, Elijah Daniel Smith, Nathalie Joachim and Montgomery. Performed by CSO musicians. Tickets: $20. Visit cso.org.

Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center — Wu Han (piano), Arnaud Sussmann (violin), Matthew Lipman (viola) and David Finckel (cello) — perform works by Dvorak, Suk and Brahms. The concert celebrates friendship and family via the music of three composers who mentored and inspired each other. At 7:30 p.m. Oct. 29 at Harris Theater, 205 E. Randolph. Tickets: $30-$70. Visit harristheaterchicgo.org.

Courtesy of AACM
The Great Black Music Ensemble performs for the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians 50th anniversary concert.
The Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians’ 55th Anniversary Concert features world premieres of commissioned works by three internationally renowned artists: The Honorable Elizabeth A. Baker, Grammy-nominated pianist and composer Adegoke Steve Colson, and alto saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa. AACM’s Great Black Music Ensemble performs the works. At 7 p.m. Oct. 30 at Logan Center for the Arts, 915 E. 60th. Admission is free but reservations are required. Visit tickets.uchicago.edu.

Museums

Aileen Bishop
“A Century of Radio” at the Museum of Broadcast Communications
“A Century of Radio,” a new exhibit at the Museum of Broadcast Communications, examines the intertwined stories of the business, the science and the culture of an industry that transformed the American experience. Artifacts on display include Larry Lujack’s famed Smith-Corona typewriter used to write “Animal Stories” for WLS Radio; Edgar Bergen’s original ventriloquist partners Charlie McCarthy, Mortimer Snerd and Effie Klinker; a 1912 Spark-gap transmitter, the first ever transmitter which generated a frequency of electromagnetic waves; WGN Radio’s original Studio A, which featured personalities Bob Collins, Roy Leonard, Spike O’Dell and Steve and Johnnie, and a rare collection of vintage radio premiums. The exhibit runs now through summer 2022 at the Museum of Broadcast Communications, 360 N. State. Admission is free. Visit museum.tv.

Movies

PrideArts Fall Film Festival features 32 international queer-themed shorts in four weekly programs. The festival’s first week of films (Nov. 1-8) features 11 films from Pakistan curated by the Aks International Minorities Festival, a global human rights initiative designed to facilitate socio-political and cultural dialogues. Among the films is “Four Fifty-Five ML,” about a middle-aged trans-woman who helps a critically ill boy, and “Dead Dad,” about a young man who confronts his dying father. The festival streams from Nov. 1-29. Tickets: $12 per program; $30 festival pass. Visit pridearts.org.

Family fun

For some retro fun check out The Chicago Pinball Expo, the event that salutes pinball designers and artists. Taking place since 1985 in Chicago, the home of pinball, the four-day event is filled with speakers, a game area, competitions and vendors. There also are virtual options. From Oct. 28-30 at Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel, 1551 N. Thoreau Dr., Schaumburg. Tickets: $30+. Visit pinballexpo.com.
Fun and games are on the menu at Laurie Berkner’s Halloween Party as the children’s musician invites families to a virtual event where they can sing along to original Halloween tunes and old favorites. There’s also a live chat with audience members throughout the show and a fun-filled pre-show virtual lobby with music, videos and a Halloween game. Streams at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Oct. 31. Tickets: $20 per family. Visit laurieberkner.com.

Jayme Thornton

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Marist’s Alonso Manning (30) runs the ball for a touchdown against Brother Rice. | Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times

All the scores from the first round.

Class 8A

#32 Downers Grove South (5-4) at #1 Loyola (9-0), Sat. noon

#17 Naperville Central (6-3) at #16 Naperville North (6-3), Fri. 7

#25 Minooka (5-4) at #8 York (8-1), Fri. 7

#24 Oswego East (6-3) at #9 Lincoln-Way East (7-2), Sat. 1:30

#29 Lyons (5-4) at #4 Lockport (8-1), Sat. 6:30

#20 Oswego (6-3) at #13 Glenbard West (7-2), Sat. 1

#28 Barrington (5-4) at #5 Warren (8-1), Fri. 7

#21 Glenbard North (6-3) at #12 Bolingbrook (7-2), Sat. 6

#31 Edwardsville (5-4) at #2 South Elgin (9-0), Fri. 6

#18 Marist (6-3) at #15 Glenbard East (7-2), Fri. 7

#26 Sandburg (5-4) at #7 Hinsdale Central (8-1), Sat. 2

#23 O’Fallon (6-3) at #10 Glenbrook South (7-2), Fri. 7

#30 Bartlett (5-4) at #3 Neuqua Valley (8-1), Fri. 7

#19 Palatine (6-3) at #14 Taft (7-2), Sat. 1

#27 New Trier (5-4) at #6 Maine South (8-1), Fri. 7

#22 Evanston (6-3) at #11 Plainfield North (7-2), Sat. 6:30

Class 7A

#32 Lake Zurich (5-4) at #1 Batavia (9-0), Fri. 7

#17 Mount Carmel (6-3) at #16 Thornwood (7-2), Fri. 6

#25 Yorkville (5-4) at #8 Plainfield Central (8-1), Fri. 7

#24 Wheaton Warrenville South (5-4) at #9 Brother Rice (7-2), Sat. 6

#29 Larkin (5-4) at #4 Wheaton North (8-1), Fri. 7

#20 TF South (6-3) at #13 Hoffman Estates (7-2), Fri. 7

#28 Hampshire (5-4) at #5 Moline (8-1), Fri. 7:30

#21 Willowbrook (6-3) vs. #12 Young (7-2) at Rockne, Fri. 7

#31 Plainfield East (5-4) at #2 Hononegah (9-0), Sat. 2

#18 Libertyville (6-3) at #15 Pekin (7-2), Fri. 7

#26 Geneva (5-4) at #7 Collinsville (8-1), Sat. 3

#23 Rolling Meadows (5-4) at #10 St. Rita (7-2), Fri. 7

#30 Eisenhower (5-4) at #3 Normal (9-0), Fri. 6:30

#19 Jacobs (6-3) at #14 Hersey (7-2), Fri. 7

#27 Lincoln-Way West (5-4) at #6 Buffalo Grove (8-1), Sat. 7

#22 Shepard (5-4) at #11 Prospect (7-2), Fri. 7:30

Class 6A

#16 Rockford East (5-4) at #1 Cary-Grove (9-0), Fri. 7

#9 Grayslake Central (7-2) at #8 Belvidere North (7-2), Fri. 7

#13 Mather (6-3) at #4 Deerfield (8-1), Fri. 7

#12 Crystal Lake Central (6-3) vs. #5 Amundsen (8-1) at Winnemac, Sat. 1

#15 Lakes (5-4) at #2 Wauconda (9-0), Fri. 7

#10 Vernon Hills (7-2) at #7 Prairie Ridge (7-2), Fri. 7

#14 Crystal Lake South (5-4) at #3 Harlem (8-1), Sat. 7

#11 Antioch (6-3) at #6 Lake Forest (7-2), Fri. 7

#16 Kennedy (5-3) at #1 Lemont (9-0), Fri. 7

#9 Springfield (6-3) at #8 Rock Island (6-3), Fri. 7:30

#13 Riverside-Brookfield (5-4) at #4 East St. Louis (7-2), Sat. 3

#12 Simeon (5-4) at #5 Richards (7-2), Fri. 6:30

#15 Bremen (5-4) at #2 St. Ignatius (8-1), Fri. 7

#10 Glenwood (6-3) at #7 Crete-Monee (6-3), Sat. 1

#14 Champaign Centennial (5-4) vs. #3 Kenwood (8-1) at Lane, Sat. 2

#11 Normal West (6-3) at #6 Washington, IL (7-2), Fri. 7

Class 5A

#16 Bulls Prep (5-4) at #1 Glenbard South (8-1), Fri. 6:30

#9 Sycamore (6-3) at #8 Evergreen Park (6-3), Sat. 5

#13 St. Patrick (5-4) at #4 Sterling (7-2), Sat. 2

#12 Payton (6-3) at #5 Rochelle (7-2), Fri. 7

#15 Kaneland (5-4) vs. #2 Fenwick (7-2) at Triton, Fri. 7

#10 Rockford Boylan (6-3) at #7 Brooks (6-3), Fri. 6

#14 Nazareth (5-4) vs. #3 Goode (7-2) at Gately, Fri. 4

#11 Marmion (6-3) vs. #6 Comer (7-2) at Gately, Sat. noon

#16 Carbondale (5-4) at #1 Kankakee (9-0), Sat. 3

#9 Morgan Park (6-3) at #8 Peoria (7-2), Sat. 1

#13 Dunlap (5-4) at #4 Mascoutah (8-1), Sat. 2

#12 Metamora (5-4) at #5 Marion (8-1), Sat. 1:30

#15 LaSalle-Peru (5-4) at #2 Morris (9-0), Fri. 7

#10 Highland (5-4) at #7 Morton, IL (7-2), Fri. 7

#14 Jacksonville (5-4) at #3 Mahomet-Seymour (9-0), Sat. 7

#11 Hillcrest (5-4) at #6 Triad (7-2), Sat. 3:30

Class 4A

#16 Marengo (5-4) at #1 Joliet Catholic (9-0), Fri. 7

#9 Coal City (6-3) at #8 Wheaton Academy (7-2), Fri. 7:30

#13 Bogan (6-3) at #4 Genoa-Kingston (8-1), Fri. 7

#12 Peoria Notre Dame (6-3) at #5 St. Francis (7-2), Sat. 2

#15 Sullivan (6-3) at #2 Richmond-Burton (9-0), Fri. 7

#10 Hyde Park (6-3) at #7 Stillman Valley (7-2), Sat. 1

#14 Plano (6-3) at #3 Kewanee (8-1), Sat. 1

#11 Dixon (6-3) vs. #6 Phillips (7-2) at Gately, Sat. 4

#16 Cahokia (5-4) at #1 Rochester (8-1), Sat. 3

#9 Paris (6-3) at #8 Mt. Zion (6-3), Sat. 7

#13 Richland County (5-4) at #4 Freeburg (7-2), Fri. 7

#12 Harrisburg (5-4) at #5 Carterville (7-2), Sat. 1

#15 Salem (5-4) at #2 Breese Central (8-1), Sat. 6

#10 Macomb (6-3) at #7 Murphysboro (6-3), Sat. 3

#14 Columbia (5-4) at #3 Sacred Heart-Griffin (8-1), Fri. 7

#11 Civic Memorial (6-3) at #6 Quincy Notre Dame (6-3), Fri. 7

Class 3A

#16 Catalyst Maria (5-4) at #1 Byron (9-0), Fri. 7:30

#9 Carver (6-3) vs. #8 Lisle (6-3) at Benedictine, Sat. noon

#13 Peotone (5-4) at #4 Reed-Custer (8-1), Fri. 7

#12 Elmwood-Brimfield (6-3) vs. #5 Clark (8-1) at Rockne, Sat. 1

#15 North Boone (5-4) at #2 Princeton (8-1), Fri. 7

#10 King (6-3) at #7 Prairie Central (7-2), Sat. 2

#14 Mendota (5-4) at #3 Pecatonica (8-1), Sat. 1

#11 Monmouth-Roseville (6-3) at #6 IC Catholic (8-1), Fri. 7:30

#16 Newton (5-4) at #1 Tolono Unity (9-0), Sat. 2

#9 Eureka (6-3) at #8 Paxton-Buckley-Loda (6-3), Sat. 1

#13 Beardstown (5-4) at #4 Williamsville (8-1), Sat. 2

#12 Hoopeston (5-4) at #5 Fairfield (8-1), Sat. 2

#15 St. Joseph-Ogden (5-4) at #2 Mt. Carmel, IL (9-0), Sat. 2:30

#10 DuQuoin (5-4) at #7 Carlinville (7-2), Sat. 2

#14 Piasa Southwestern (5-4) at #3 Benton (9-0), Sat. 2

#11 Greenville (5-4) at #6 Monticello (7-2), Sat. 2

Class 2A

#16 Julian (5-4) at #1 Wilmington (9-0), Sat. 6

#9 Newman CC (6-3) at #8 Mercer County (6-3), Sat. 1

#13 Bishop McNamara (5-4) at #4 Knoxville (8-1), Sat. 1

#12 Clifton Central (6-3) at #5 Erie-Prophetstown (7-2), Sat. 2

#15 Rockridge (5-4) at #2 Tri-Valley (9-0), Sat. 1

#10 North Lawndale (6-3) at #7 Deer Creek-Mackinaw (6-3), Sat. 1

#14 El Paso-Gridley (5-4) at #3 Farmington (9-0), Sat. 1

#11 Momence (6-3) at #6 Tremont (7-2), Sat. 2

#16 Flora (5-4) at #1 St. Teresa (9-0), Sat. 2

#9 Chester (7-2) at #8 Vandalia (7-2), Sat. 2

#13 Carmi-White County (6-3) at #4 Breese Mater Dei (9-0), Fri. 7:15

#12 Lawrenceville (6-3) at #5 Johnston City (8-1), Sat. 1

#15 Arthur-Lovington (5-4) at #2 Pana (9-0), Sat. 1

#10 Westville (7-2) at #7 Maroa-Forsyth (7-2), Sat. 1

#14 North Mac (5-4) at #3 Bismarck-Henning (9-0), Sat. 1

#11 Unity-Payson (6-3) at #6 Nashville (8-1), Sat. 2

Class 1A

#16 Annawan-Wethersfield (5-4) at #1 Abingdon (8-1), Fri. 7

#9 Monmouth United (6-3) at #8 Iroquois West (7-2), Sat. 1

#13 Ridgeview (5-4) at #4 Rushville (7-2), Sat. 1:30

#12 Hope Academy (6-3) at #5 Peru St. Bede (7-2), Fri. 7

#15 Princeville (5-4) at #2 Ottawa Marquette (8-1), Fri. 7

#10 Raby (6-3) at #7 Fulton (7-2), Sat. 2

#14 Galena (5-4) at #3 Forreston (7-2), Fri. 7

#11 Aurora Christian (6-3) at #6 Lena Winslow (7-2), Sat. 2

#16 Villa Grove (5-4) at #1 Camp Pt. Central (8-1), Sat. 2

#9 Central A&M (6-3) at #8 Nokomis (7-2), Sat. 5

#13 Brown County (5-4) at #4 Cumberland (8-1), Sat. 2

#12 West Central (6-3) at #5 Arcola (7-2), Sat. 2

#15 Shelbyville (5-4) at #2 Carrollton (8-1), Sat. 1

#10 Salt Fork (6-3) at #7 Greenfield-NW (7-2), Sat. 1

#14 Macon Meridian (5-4) at #3 Athens (8-1), Sat. 1

#11 Casey-Westfield (6-3) at #6 Sesser-Vallier (7-2), Sat. 2

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Dirksen Federal Courthouse | Rich Hein/Sun-Times file photo

U.S. District Judge John Lee spent nearly an hour explaining his decision and said, “This court cannot ignore the binding precedent of the Supreme Court or the 7th Circuit because plaintiffs find it to be antiquated.”

A federal judge denied Friday a request for a temporary restraining order sought by Chicago firefighters and other city employees against vaccine mandates from City Hall and Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

U.S. District Judge John Lee spent nearly an hour explaining the basis of his decision, in which he found the city employees had not shown a likelihood of success on any of the claims they brought in a lawsuit earlier this month.

But at the end of the afternoon hearing, the judge also told the lawyers to submit a proposed schedule by the end of next week outlining how they would gather evidence to help him consider a more significant preliminary injunction.

Lee’s decision came the same day a bid to scuttle the city’s vaccine mandate failed a vote by Chicago’s City Council, an event Lee noted in his ruling. Meanwhile, a Cook County judge has said he will deliver a ruling next week on whether the city must halt its mandate for police officers in a case involving the Fraternal Order of Police.

The federal judge’s decision is not a surprise given questions he raised during a separate hearing earlier this week. Lawyer Jonathan Lubin argued at the time that he believed people have a right not to disclose their vaccination status. Lee furrowed his brow and said, “I’m puzzled. I look puzzled because I am puzzled.”

Then the judge asked, “Don’t we have to disclose medical information for all sorts of different activities?”

When Lubin argued the judge should consider the political nature of the vaccine, Lee told him, “I don’t care about the political.”

When it came to his ruling Friday, Lee addressed several points. Among them was the notion that a 1905 U.S. Supreme Court decision on vaccine mandates, bolstered by a recent decision from the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, should be regarded as “part of a bygone era in American jurisprudence.”

Lubin argued in a brief that the Supreme Court has since found “the right of privacy and the right of bodily autonomy trump a concern about the possible loss of life.” He said it did so in Roe v. Wade.

But Lee pointed to multiple recent examples of the 1905 case being upheld as good law. He said “this court cannot ignore the binding precedent of the Supreme Court or the 7th Circuit because plaintiffs find it to be antiquated.”

Ultimately, the judge said he would not “second guess the informed and rational scientific and public-policy judgments upon which the city and state have based their vaccine and COVID testing policies.”

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Bears’ coaching? Yeah, that’s a problem. | Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Perhaps predictably, beleaguered coach Matt Nagy’s unpopularity came shining through in the results.

So, which is the Bears’ biggest problem: their players, their coaches or the people upstairs?

In this week’s “Polling Place” — your home for Sun-Times sports polls on Twitter — that was question No. 1. Perhaps predictably, beleaguered coach Matt Nagy’s unpopularity came shining through in the results. But there was plenty of non-support for general manager Ryan Pace and his own bosses, too.

“It’s the same question as, ‘Do I want stomach flu or pneumonia?’ ” @stangs09 commented.

We beg to differ. Pneumonia or a bad enough stomach bug might be able to beat the Packers.

We also asked about the World Series: Are you rooting for the still-scandal-stained Astros or are you all-in for the Braves, whose fans keep chopping away like it’s A-OK?

“Two meteors isn’t a choice?” @SkywayWilly asked.

One wouldn’t get the job done?

Lastly, a college football question: Who’s going to win the Big Ten? For a refreshing change, it’s not as simple as Ohio State and call it a day.

On to the polls:

Poll No. 1: In what area are the Bears most deficient?

Upshot: “Real talk: The front office has made some amazing signings, trades and draft picks,” @KurtisArndt offered. “Allen Robinson. Khalil Mack. David Montgomery. Roquan Smith. Coaching has not followed through with the talent.” Yeah, well, who hired the coach? Not that Pace and Co. haven’t had their share of player whiffs. There’s enough talent on the roster, though, that “C” was basically ignored by respondents.

Poll No. 2: Which team are you rooting for in the World Series?

Upshot: The Braves have the underdog thing going for them, no doubt about that. Mostly, though, this vote reflects the disgust baseball fans still feel for the Astros in the wake of a cheating scandal. Manager Dusty Baker wasn’t a part of that, in case anyone cares, and some of us wouldn’t mind seeing him finally get that first World Series title as a skipper.

Poll No. 3: Who’s going to win the Big Ten (overall, conference records in parentheses)?

Upshot: It’s pretty sweet to get to this point of the season and have the Wolverines, Spartans and Buckeyes in control of their own destinies in the East division, in the conference and, yes, in the playoff picture. Is it still Ohio State’s world? Man, oh, man, what a thing it would be to see 11-0 Michigan against 11-0 Ohio State on the last Saturday of November.

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Matt Nagy coaches the Bears against the Raiders. | Photo by Jeff Bottari/Getty Images

Nagy has run team meetings on Zoom this week and watched practice film, but has been forced to quarantine until he can test negative for the coronavirus on consecutive days.

In the days after he tested positive for the coronavirus Monday, Matt Nagy began preparing acting head coach Chris Tabor for the possibility he’d be in charge Sunday at Soldier Field. They ran through different hypothetical situations, from how to deal with assistant coaches and players to how to navigate moments and mindsets during the 49ers game.

“Just different scenarios and different things, so I can help him out as much as possible,” Nagy said Friday. “Some things he might not think of on game day.”

Nagy also began preparing himself for one peculiar scenario: that one of the most important games of his Bears career might take place with him nowhere near Soldier Field.

The difference between a Bears win and a loss Sunday is the chasm between a .500 record and a three-game losing streak; between the Bears being part of the playoff conversation during the Week 10 bye or, if they also lose against the Steelers in prime time next week, being stuck in yet another months-long freefall.

The Bears have yet to lose to a team in which they were favored. If that changes Sunday, it could affect the tenor of the season — and Nagy’s job security by the end of it.

Nagy has run team meetings on Zoom this week and watched practice film, but has been forced to quarantine until he can test negative for the coronavirus on consecutive days.

That’s enough to sour Nagy’s sunny-side-up disposition.

“I don’t think frustration’s a good word,” Nagy said. “I think you’re eager and you want to be able to be there with your guys. And that’s probably the biggest challenge as you go through this, is, just making sure that everybody is doing everything as best as they can. And that’s where just talking through things, it’s easy to [use] technology now to do that …

“But there’s just — you don’t have that feel, right? Because you’re not there.”

Tabor, the special teams coordinator, said he’s ready to lead the team Sunday, if needed.

“You’ve always been preparing yourself your whole life to do that,” said Tabor, who last served as a head coach in 2001, when he ran NAIA Culver-Stockton for one year. “I’ve watched a lot of football games and have thought about those types of things. So if it ever did come up, put yourself in a good position to help the team.”

The irony is that, after Nagy delegated play-calling to offensive coordinator Bill Lazor following the Week 3 blowout loss to the Browns, he learned hard into a personality-driven coaching style. In the dreary days after the loss, Nagy gathered his offensive players and actually asked them for advice on how to retool the playbook.

The night before the Buccaneers game, Nagy held an emotional team meeting in which, according to running back Khalil Herbert, he showed “how much he cares and what he means to this team and how he wants to bring us together.”

The Bears then lost 38-3.

Nagy has said all month that not calling plays allows him to be more connected — to everyone from quarterback to his defense — on game day. Rather than bringing the team together this week, though, Nagy is apart from it.

Nagy is left in a lose-lose situation. If the Bears win Sunday without him, fans pushing for Nagy’s ouster will claim he’s unnecessary. If they lose, the same people will paint the Bears as a sinking ship without a leader.

At various points this week, Nagy described the possibility of his absence Sunday as “strange,” “unique” and “weird.” And then he admitted he didn’t know what it would feel like to be the first Bears head coach to miss a game since Mike Ditka had a mild heart attack in 1988.

“I wish I could tell you,” he said, “but I have no idea what it will be like.”

Sunday, he might just find out.

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State Rep. Robyn Gabel, D-Evanston, reads her proposed changes to the Health Care Right of Conscience Act on the House floor Wednesday night before the vote to pass the amendment. | Blue Room Stream file

It all happened because some folks who won’t get vaccinated say they have some mysterious conscientious objection to being tested for a disease.

The current topsy-turvy political landscape was on full display in the Illinois House and the Senate last week as the chamber debated and passed a bill to slightly narrow the scope of the Illinois Health Care Right of Conscience Act.

A bedrock Republican Party principle over the years has been to help shield employers from frivolous lawsuits. But every single Republican voted against a bill in the two chambers that would effectively prevent anyone who is fired or punished after refusing to take regular COVID-19 tests from suing their employer and recovering triple damages, including pain and suffering.

Public school teachers, for example, must now either be vaccinated or submit to regular virus testing, yet several unvaccinated teachers are suing because they do not want to take any tests. A court loss by those districts could be very costly, but some judges are siding with plaintiffs and concluding that a law designed to protect doctors who refuse to perform abortions also applies to people who don’t want to be vaccinated or get tested.

Democrats are usually all-in on the right of employees to sue, but definitely not in this instance. Like I said, topsy-turvy.

Also, for a year and a half now, Republicans have been demanding that the super-majority legislative Democrats vote on bills related to the pandemic rather than sit idly by while Gov. J.B. Pritzker issues executive orders.

But, when the Democrats finally took up the Health Care Right of Conscience Act legislation last week, folks like Rep. Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur) argued that the General Assembly ought to drop this issue and instead allow the courts to decide whether the HCRCA applies to the current controversy over vaccines and testing.

That makes no sense considering the endless GOP demands that the General Assembly “do something.” But, in reality, that demand for legislative action has mainly been a rhetorical device to allow the Republicans to avoid commenting directly on a range of pandemic topics. Last week’s vote, however, smoked them out.

A monolithic niche

Pretty much all polling shows that the majority of Republican voters oppose things like COVID-19 vaccine and mask mandates. So, it’s no surprise that Republican legislators would also be opposed to this change, particularly in a redistricting year when legislators will have new turf to defend and primary opponents can always pop up out of the blue.

What is a tiny bit surprising, though, is that the Republican Party has become so completely monolithic.

The party has for decades in this state included several legislators who were willing to break ranks on things like taxation, labor unions and abortion. But those members have left office, lost primaries to more conservative Republicans, lost general elections to more liberal Democrats or, in the case of folks like Sen. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) who voted for the 2017 tax hike, lurched to the far right. It’s also easier to be unified in the super-minority party, mainly because there is so little pressure or enticement to participate in actual governance. The age of Donald Trump has forced the entire party into a niche, whether party members like it or not.

Unlike the Republicans, House Democrats were not totally unified on the HCRCA legislation last week. It probably didn’t help that tens of thousands of electronic witness slips were filed in opposition to the bill.

Seven House Democrats wound up voting against the measure: Carol Ammons of Urbana, Kelly Burke of Evergreen Park, Anthony Deluca of Chicago Heights, Stephanie Kifowit of Oswego and John D’Amico, Mary Flowers and Fran Hurley of Chicago. Two voted “Present”: Angie Guerrero-Cuellar of Chicago and Rita Mayfield of Waukegan.

In the Senate, six Democrats sided with the opposition: Rachelle Aud Crowe of Glen Carbon, Suzy Glowiak Hilton of Western Springs, Mike Hastings of Frankfort, Patrick Joyce of Essex, Meg Loughran Cappel of Shorewood and Doris Turner of Springfield. Four Democrats didn’t vote: Tom Cullerton of Villa Park, Napoleon Harris of Harvey, and Rob Martwick and Tony Munoz of Chicago.

That Democratic opposition was enough to bring the final tallies below the threshold needed for an immediate effective date on the legislation, so it won’t take effect until June 1 of next year. But it’s likely the two chambers will vote on it again in January, when it can take effect immediately. In the meantime, the governor’s and attorney general’s offices believe the action was probably enough to stave off the lawsuits.

All because some folks who won’t get vaccinated say they have some mysterious conscientious objection to being tested for a disease and would sue any employer who claims otherwise.

Ridiculous.

Rich Miller also publishes Capitol Fax, a daily political newsletter, and CapitolFax.com.

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