At least eight people were wounded in shootings across Chicago Thursday, including a 15-year-old boy in Lawndale on the West Side.
About 9:25 p.m., he was in the 4100 block of West Taylor Street when he heard shots and felt pain, Chicago police said. He was struck in the upper back and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he is in good condition.
Around 11:50 p.m., a man was shot and critically wounded in Englewood on the South Side.
The man, 25, was standing in an alley in the 5900 block of South Justine Street when someone approached and opened fire, police said. He was shot once in his back and was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition.
Hours earlier, an 18-year-old woman was wounded in a shooting in Lawndale.
About 6:20 p.m., she was riding in a vehicle when a silver-colored sedan drove up alongside her in the 1100 block of South Cicero Avenue, and someone inside fired shots, police said. She was struck in the thigh and brought to West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park, where she is in good condition, police said.
At least five others were wounded in shootings across Chicago Thursday.
Daily Cubs Minors Recap: Vizcaíno, Nahas, Carraway combine for No-Hitter; Velazquez homers twice and amasses 11 total bases; Triantos records first career hits
A heads-up: I will be moving into my new condo on Monday, so I’ll likely be pretty busy the next several days, and I may not be able to do my regular recap postings.
The I-Cubs dropped a surprising pitcher’s duel. Both starters entered the game with inflated ERAs but each turned in strong performances last night. Iowa was unable to capitalize on speedy leadoff man Zach Davis reaching base three times. The team went 1-for-7 with RiSP.
Top Performers
Mike Hauschild: 6 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 3 K (L, 0-6, 6.14)
Ryan Kellogg: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K (3.72)
Zach Davis: 1-2, 2B, 2 BB (.300)
Levi Jordan: 1-3, 2B, R (.200)
Injuries, Updates, and Trends
On an interesting note, Jared Young started at 3B for the I-Cubs last night. It was his first start outside of 1B/COF/DH since he played 2 games at 2B in 2018. He was primarily a middle infielder in college and started 31 of his first 35 pro games there as well. It would help him earn a potential bench role if he can regain some defensive versatility.
It wasn’t a great night for the Smokies, but it certainly was for Nelson Velazquez. Two home runs, a double, and a single gave him 11 total bases in a perfect 4-for-4 outing. The young outfielder has had a bit of a streaky season at the plate, but he’s been on a tear since joining Tennessee 9 games ago (.375/.444/.938 with 4 doubles, a triple and 4 homers). Overall, he is slashing .273/.334/.509 with 35 XBH (16 HR).
This first one registered a 111 exit velo. Yeah, he’s got some bat speed and strength.
Nelson Velazquez Just ripped a ball that got out in a hurry. He is now a triple shy of the cycle for AA Tennessee pic.twitter.com/s5yerdUNry
Congratulations go out to Alexander Vizcaíno, Joe Nahas, and Burl Carraway on their combined no-hit effort. I didn’t get a chance to watch the game as I was babysitting my neice and nephew last night, but from what I understand it was an impressive performance from all three last night, Nahas in particular, who carried the load for six innings.
With the @SBCubs no-hitter tonight, they join the @Cubs, @IowaCubs (2x) and @Pelicanbaseball as full-season teams with no-hitters this year in the Cubs system. That’s really impressive.
Bryce Windham and Yonathan Perlaza made sure their efforts did not go to waste. Windham singled home the winning run in the 7th, with Perlaza driving home two more on a double later in the inning. Windham has been red hot since returning from injury earlier this week and Perlaza is in the midst of a 19-game on-base streak.
Top Performers
Alexander Vizcaíno: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, HBP, 3 K (4.91)
Joe Nahas: 6 IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, 6 K (W, 2-1, 3.63)
Burl Carraway: IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, K (S, 2, 7.54)
Tyler Durna: 2-4, 2B, R (.233)
Yonathan Perlaza: 1-3, 2B, 2 RBI (.255)
Harrison Wenson: 1-2, HBP (.187)
Injuries, Updates, and Trends
As always a quick shout out needs to go to the catcher in a No-Hitter. Harrison Wenson (.175/.284/.321) was a veteran (26 years old) signing the Cubs made after the season began as they tried to cope with injuries at the position. He can’t hit at all, but Todd Johnson (writer for Cubs Central/Cubs Insider who attends South Bend games regularly) has often praised Wenson’s ability to work with pitchers, both in games and during bullpen sessions. They apparently just absolutely love the guy. A future coach in the making?
We often talk about the undrafted free agent signings the Cubs made last year, and how a handful are off to great starts, but there is always the asterisk attached to those guys in that they really wouldn’t have been undrafted free agents in a normal year. Ben Leeper, for instance, if I read between the lines in interviews of Cubs front office personnel, was likely to have been the Cubs 6th round pick (had their been a 6th round in 2020).
That same asterisk does not apply to Joe Nahas (4-2, 3.29, in 18 G, 6 GS, between MB/SB). He was a true undrafted free agent signed in 2019 as a late season helium guy out of Georgia Southern. The Cubs liked him so much in fact, that they used money from their bonus pool to sing him above the 125K maximum, a very rare situation. He’s got a powerful arm, a good breaking ball, and a developing changeup. His command is still a work in progress, but he’s made very good strides harnessing his control this year.
I had considered him a pure reliever in 2019, but the Cubs have stretched him out, no doubt to get him more innings for work on his secondaries and control (63 IP, 57 H, 23 ER, 21 BB, 65 K). But also, it gives pitchers more opportunity to work in and out of jams, a valuable skill for relievers. The 21-year old is definitely an arm to keep an eye on over the next couple of years. I wouldn’t be shocked to see him open 2022 in AA, before finishing the year in AAA. A MLB opportunity could come as soon as 2023.
I still haven’t had much time to dig in on Alexander Vizcaíno, but from the little I’ve seen, the reports of a plus changeup are legit. I’ve even seen some reports it is a plus-plus offering. I’ll plan to spend a little more time on him in the coming weeks after my move.
Second round pick James Triantos recorded his first two career hits, scored his first run, and stole his first base.
I don’t really have any information on 2B Juan Mora (.438/.600/.656) and C Miguel Fabrizio (.371/.443/.471). They are 21 and 20 years old respectively. They both are coming off solid overage DSL seasons in 2019, but I’ve yet to hear a scouting report or any buzz about either, despite the excellent ACL seasons they are having. They didn’t get a chance in Myrtle Beach, even when injuries opened up opportunities at both positions, and neither has been a full-time start in Mesa, so that likely indicates what the organization feels is their long term outlook. But props to both of them for making the most of their opportunities this season.
This season No. 9 Wheaton North has the ultimate weapon: a third-year starting quarterback.
Holy Cross recruit Mark Forcucci was one of the keys to the Falcons’ 5-1 finish in the spring. He threw for 919 yards with 12 touchdowns and just one interception during the abbreviated season.
“When you have that trigger guy as a returner you feel like you have a chance to be pretty good,” Wheaton North coach Joe Wardynski said. “[Running back] Brayton Maske is also a guy that was up and played a lot as a sophomore and we have veterans back on the offensive line. The defense was very solid last year so we’re optimistic.”
The Panthers were unranked to start the spring. They opened with dominant wins against Glenbard North and Lake Park and then knocked off district rival Wheaton Warrenville South, which turned plenty of heads.
Wheaton North then lost 14-12 on the road at St. Charles North, but finished the season with a 16-7 win against conference heavyweight Batavia.
“We knew going into the spring that we had a very talented group of guys,” Forcucci said. “But I think it was just kind of with COVID we got a longer time than usual to build camaraderie with each other and build chemistry. That really helped a lot. We’re just looking to carry all that momentum over into this season.”
Wide receiver Seth Kortenhoeven and tight end Casey Morrison are both returning starters and three veterans are back on the offensive line: senior Greg Fotinopoulos, senior Adrian Hible and junior Nathaniel Stevens.
Wheaton North’s Mark Forcucci (5) at practice.Kevin Tanaka/For the Sun-Times
The Falcons will enter the season as the favorites in the DuKane Conference for the first time in recent memory.
“We haven’t talked about that too much,” Wardynski said. “The kids are confident and they feel good about where we are at. But we had some tight games last year that could have gone either way. We’re certainly not in a position to look past anybody. But it’s better to have high expectations than to feel like you’re going to have to scramble to put things together to have a good year.
Four starters return on defense for Wheaton North, which held four of its six opponents to seven points or fewer last year.
The win against Batavia to close out the season was at NIU. It was as close as any team in the state had to something resembling a playoff atmosphere.
“It definitely felt as close to a playoff game as you could get then,” Forcucci said. “That was beneficial to us, getting that little bit of experience at least.”
Knocking off Batavia and Wheaton Warrenville South has earned the Falcons some respect. The program has a rich history, winning state titles in 1980, 1982 and 1987.
“People have definitely been thinking about us differently now,” Maske said. “I feel like I get a little bit more respect now, being a Wheaton North football player, than I did before.”
A man was critically wounded in a drive-by shooting Friday in Humboldt Park on the Northwestern Side.
The victim, 29, was standing on the sidewalk around 6:10 a.m. in the 900 block of North Hamlin Avenue when an all black sedan approached and someone inside opened fire, Chicago Police said.
He was shot in the chest and taken to Stroger Hospital where he was listed in critical condition, police said.
We may have had a proliferation of hot pot restaurants in Chicago in recent years, but they are nothing like those springing up in China. There, at new-style purveyors of huo guo, you begin by sipping cocktails in a lounge while the staff treats you to manicures and neck massages. When you move to a table, each ingredient comes out looking more TikToktastic than the last. Hot pot is an evening’s entertainment and meal in one.
At Qiao Lin Hotpot, things are less spa-like, but there’s plenty to keep you entertained. If your previous hot pot experiences have been underwhelming, this outpost of a Chongqing restaurant group, sumptuously decorated like a courtyard manor, is where you will do it right. Premium ingredients, like Snake River Farms wagyu ($17.95), and striking presentations make it stand out, but the menu offers dozens of items and myriad pathways through. Here’s how to do it.
First, the broth. There are four, but get the Chongqing spicy, which is oily, brick red, and electric with Sichuan peppercorn, and the far gentler herbal chicken, flavored with açai and jujube. Next choose add-ins to cook in the broth. Do not miss the spicy beef skewers ($6.95) and the thin white slips of beef aorta ($6.95). Both soak up the glory of the spicy broth. (The aorta has that lovely springiness that Chinese people call “Q.”) Also great: the fresh beef meatballs ($6.95), which come on a tiny wooden staircase, and the baby bok choy ($3.25). We weren’t informed about the elaborate self-serve sauce bar, but it has instructions for saucing seafood and meats. Following the lead of a neighboring table, we asked for bowls and spoons and added knife-cut noodles ($3.25) and the leftover add-ins to the chicken broth. Even this soup was Instagram-ready; not coincidentally, the restaurant’s handle is affixed to each table.
The Chicago Cubs have made a lot of embarrassing decisions over the last year or so. Those bad calls have led to the dismantling of a team that was once thought of as a dynasty in the making. One of the bad decisions that they made was resigning Jake Arrieta after he had been gone for a few years pitching for another team. He has, to put it kindly, been an embarrassment to their organization in more ways than once. Well, as of Thursday, he is officially released.
It all started when they let him go a few years ago. They weren’t very loyal to him as they signed Yu Darvish and let Arrieta walk. That turned out to be a good decision in the end but it took about a year for people to realize it. However, they decided to trade Darvish to the San Diego Padres after the one elite year he had with the Cubs just to go out and bring Arrieta back.
Make no mistake about one thing. Jake Arrieta was so great for the Chicago Cubs in 2015 and 2016. For about ten months, you can argue he was right there for the title of the best pitcher in baseball. He won a Cy Young and a World Series title with the Cubs in those years. Unfortunately, things have slowly fallen for him since.
In 2021, he went 5-11 with a 6.88 ERA. He started off okay but really started to fall off a cliff in about mid-May. His numbers really are embarrassing but only because the Cubs actually thought they would be able to compete this year by bringing him back. It was destined to fail from the very beginning. It is unclear if his career will be over or not but you never truly know.
Jake Arrieta’s second stint with the Chicago Cubs was not very good in any way.
Arrieta has really started to fall from grace with the fans too. He made a comment to a reporter who made the choice to wear a mask during the press conference following his horrible game on Wednesday night.
“I’d love you to take your mask off,” Jake Arrieta told a reporter on a video conference after a 10-0 loss while giving an answer about hoping to mentor young pitchers. https://t.co/8m4arcKBdK
They lost 10-0 but he was more concerned about making that weird comment to someone who was just trying to be safe. We also all know his deal with keeping the Cubs from getting to the COVID-19 vaccination threshold. Honestly, they are better off without this guy both on and off the field. Hopefully, if he does end up somewhere else, he embarrasses them less than he embarrassed the Cubs in 2021.
Your business runs on its reputation. One of the factors today’s consumers consider when deciding where to spend their money is how sustainable a company is. They recognize the importance of doing their part to preserve the planet.
Therefore, your organization can reap real bottom-line rewards along with the warm fuzzies that come with doing the right thing by going greener. Here are seven ways small business owners can demonstrate eco-friendly values.
1. Switch to Solar
If you’re looking for a way to save money come tax time, consider converting your business’ office building to solar power now. You can deduct the cost of renovations and reap a valuable credit if you act fast. Small business owners can claim a 22% credit through the year 2022. After that, the percentage drops to 10% unless Congress extends the incentive.
You can also save money on other bills by making this upgrade. For example, adding a solar roof to your building means generating independent electricity, freeing you from high monthly utility fees.
2. Go Paperless
Paper isn’t the most effective way to keep business records. You could lose valuable data due to theft or fire — or even someone accidentally throwing the wrong document into the shredder. It also costs the planet more than 15 billion trees per year to produce all those reams.
Going paperless offers substantial advantages besides simply saving money and trees. Come tax time, the right software lets you seamlessly integrate your profit and loss statement into your Schedule C. You can protect vital client data using today’s toughest technology instead of a file cabinet.
3. Recycle
Many offices overlook the simple act of adding recycling bins. It doesn’t take an intern long to run these items to the sorting center.
You can invest in stylish bins for customer-facing areas. When it comes to the back office, save money and the planet by reusing old containers and boxes for sorting cans and cardboard.
4. Allow Telecommuting
What’s the fastest way to keep your staff happy? If you started telecommuting during the pandemic, please allow your employees to continue to do so long after things return to normal. You’ll have far fewer problems with employee retention. Fully 40% of American adults who responded to a recent survey indicated that they would rather quit their jobs than return to the office full-time, anyway.
Driving to and from the office produces considerable carbon emissions. The pandemic showed people how much the planet could benefit from telecommuting. The benefits of allowing this work style far outweigh the advantages of keeping your staff within your sight.
5. Source Supplies With Care
If you manufacture goods as part of your business, look into sustainable materials. For example, could you switch to hemp or bamboo instead of wood pulp for any of your processes?
Even your choice of company car can demonstrate your organization’s commitment to eco-friendly values. Opting for one of today’s fuel-efficient electric models can cut considerable carbon emissions.
Seek little ways to make better choices. Can you buy bamboo paper towels instead of the traditional bleached models for the breakroom? Can you offer customer loyalty gifts that reduce plastic waste and encourage sustainability, like reusable water bottles instead of the throwaway kind?
6. Make Environmentally Conscious Upgrades
Is it time to replace the furniture in your break room or waiting area? If so, please look for varieties that limit volatile organic compounds, affecting overall air quality. These substances emit dangerous gasses like formaldehyde.
Are you renovating your corporate bathrooms? Look for the lowest-flow toilet models you can find. Water is also a precious resource to protect.
7. Form Strategic Partnerships
Many organizations partner with local charities for specific events or to promote general social welfare. You can demonstrate your businesses’ eco-friendly values by forming strategic partnerships with those dedicated to environmental causes.
For example, you might recruit staff members to participate in a beach cleanup or tree-planting activity in your community. You could also dedicate a portion of your profits toward the environmental cause of your choice.
Demonstrate Your Business’ Eco-Friendly Values With These Tips
Demonstrating your business’ eco-friendly values is a wise strategic move to attract today’s conscientious consumers. Use the tips above to build your brand as a sustainability leader.
Never mind it being Friday. Today, Aug. 13, is International Left-handers’ Day.
That’s, er, correct — a day to celebrate being left-handed and to “raise awareness of the everyday issues that lefties face as we live in a world designed for right-handers,” as the official web site explains.
If you say you are left-handed, you are. But www.lefthandersday.com features a test, “How left-handed are you?”
I tried the test in case you don’t want to. How’d I do?
I moved to Chicago from the south suburbs in 1986. I have diverse interests, but I love writing about what I’m interested in. Whether it’s a personal interest or part of my career, the correct words to get the idea across are important to me. I love words and languages — French and Scottish words enrich my American English. My career has included years as a journalist and years working in museums, and the two phases were united by telling stories. I’m serious about words and stories. So here I am, ready to tell stories about words and their languages.
CHICAGO – OCTOBER 17: Devin Hester #23 of the Chicago Bears smiles after returning a punt 89 years for a touchdown in the 4th quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at Soldier Field on October 17, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. The Seahawks defeated the Bears 23-20. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
We just watched the Hall of Fame celebration take place for the National Football League last weekend and it was very cool to see. Guys like Peyton Manning, Calvin Johnson, and Charles Woodson headlined the class this year but there is something for Chicago Bears fans to look forward to next year. Devin Hester is going to be on the ballot for the first time and it has become a popular debate around the league.
It really shouldn’t be much of a debate, however. Hester is the single greatest kick/punt returner in the history of the sport. That might make him the best player on special teams in the history of the sport. There are some kickers that may have a case for that title but that is beside the point.
In team sports, if you are the best ever at your position, you deserve to be in the Hall of Fame. When we analyze football teams to determine if they are good or bad, we look at offense, defense, and special teams. It is very important to be good in that area and Hester made the Bears elite.
Hester’s ability to return kicks for yards and even touchdowns were the strength of his game. He used incredible speed and agility to do that throughout his regular-season career. In his NFL tenure, he had 14 punt returns, five kickoff returns, and one returned missed field goal for a total of 20 special teams touchdowns. Those numbers are insane when you truly think about them.
Devin Hester was one of the most valuable Chicago Bears players for a long time.
Hester wasn’t only a valuable return man on scoring plays either. He often put the Bears in really good field position when he wasn’t bringing it to the endzone. He was incredibly valuable to have on that side of the ball for so many years. He spent 8 years with the Bears and then had two with the Atlanta Falcons followed by a split season with the Seattle Seahawks and Baltimore Ravens. All but one of his return touchdowns came with Chicago.
Hester did play a little bit of wide receiver throughout his career as well. Some coaches thought his return magic could translate to being a wide receiver but it just never happened. He was actually drafted as a defensive back too which is the crazy part. He wasn’t great at anything other than returning kicks or punts but he was the best ever at that.
The highlight of Hester’s career actually came in the playoffs. Not only was it the playoffs, but the Super Bowl. All week leading up to Super Bowl XLI, the Indianapolis Colts claimed that they wouldn’t kick to Devin Hester. They ended up doing it anyway and he made them pay by returning the opening kick-off.
Unfortunately, the Bears ended up losing that game anyway but it was one of the most exciting moments in franchise history. Hester was there to provide a lot of those moments to Bears fans. He deserves to be in the Hall of Fame for being the best to ever do it at that position.
Ludovick Choquette was Western Illinois’ leading rusher in the spring season. (Twitter photo)
An improved rushing game would vastly help both sides of the ball for Western Illinois.
“In this conference (the Missouri Valley), and really in any conference that travels around the country, you’ve got to marry a great run game and a defense,” WIU head coach Jared Elliott said earlier this week during fall camp as the Leathernecks prepare for a Sept. 2 opener at Ball State.
It’s been no secret that Western has struggled to move the ball on the ground in recent years. During the spring season, the Leathernecks averaged just 2.5 yards a carry and only 56.3 yard per game.
Moreover, Western has not had a back rush for 1,000 yards since Nikko Watson in 2015. Clint Ratkovich led WIU in rushing with just 258 yards and one touchdown in 2019 — the lowest full-season total since the Leathernecks went Division I in football.
“When your time of possession was the way it was for us in the spring (with opponents having the ball roughly 13 minutes longer a game) and you’re putting your defense out on the field as much as we did and you’re not efficient on the early downs and you’re not able to take the chunk plays of three or four yards and stay on schedule and get yourself some third-and-manageables, it makes it very difficult,” Elliott said. “That’s where we are focusing (on running the ball). That’s been a heavy emphasis the first five days (of camp) and (will we) maintain it.”
Elliott and his staff realize that the fix won’t happen without a plan.
“We’ve got commit to it. It’s a mentality for us on the offensive side of the ball,” Elliott said. “It’s got to become a mindset for us, not only with our players but with our coaching staff . . . we’ve got to run the ball and we’ve got to stop the run (on defense).”
Building blockers
Following a shortened spring season in which the Leathernecks posted a 1-5 record, the WIU staff hit the recruiting trail.
Western brought in signees to bolster its offensive line.
“Walking away from the spring, that was our biggest area of emphasis in terms of recruiting. We needed to build depth,” Elliott said. “We went out and signed eight guys from spring to June, and that’s not easy to do. And our guys (coaches) did it.
“We got high school guys, we got prep school guys, we got junior college guys, we got (transfer) portal guys. I don’t care where they come from as long as they fit who we are.”
Like any camp, the coaching staff wants to see competition among its roster and its position groups.
“It’s up to us to identify who those best five (offensive linemen) are in camp,” Elliott said.
Senior quarterback Connor Sampson said, “I think one thing you’ll see focused in the fall is being a run-first offense.”
And that’s coming from a quarterback who has thrown for nearly 4,000 yards in his career. Sampson, picked as the all-conference second team quarterback in the spring, knows a balanced attack enhances his team’s chances of winning.
“That will take our offense to a whole new level once we get that run game going. You’re going to start seeing safeties bite on the run and that’s going to allow a lot of opportunities downfield,” Sampson said.
Backfield in motion
Western’s run game took a huge hit in the first game of the spring when sophomore DeShon Gavin suffered a season-ending injury. The Joliet native and Providence Catholic graduate had been expected to be a dual threat running the ball and catching it out of the backfield.
Freshman Ludovick Choquette took over that role, leading WIU in rushing and catching 13 passes in five games. Choquette, a Quebec native, twice produced 90 or more yards of total offense in the abbreviated spring.
Another freshman, Iosefa Pua’auli, was the Leathernecks’ second leading rusher. The Honolulu native is listed at slotback on this fall’s roster.
Three of the next four top spring rushers were receivers.
“They compliment each other,” receiver Tony Tate said of the running and passing games. “You can’t really have a great passing game without a consistent running game.”
Generating some excitement early in camp is freshman Jaylen Reed, listed at 5-foot-8 and 165 pounds. Reed was a four-year starter at East St. Louis and helped his high school to a 6A state championship his junior year.
Whoever emerges as WIU’s main ball carrier, the Leathernecks want to avoid three-and-out situations that wear down their defense.
“We got behind the sticks early. We had a lot of mental miscues, but now I believe we’ve got that all situated,” said senior safety Michael Lawson.
Blog co-authors Barry Bottino and Dan Verdun bring years of experience covering collegiate athletics. Barry has covered college athletes for more than two decades in his “On Campus” column, which is published weekly by Shaw Media. Dan has written four books about the state’s football programs–“NIU Huskies Football” (released in 2013), “EIU Panthers Football (2014), “ISU Redbirds” (2016) and “SIU Salukis Football” (2017).
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22780018/ob_CST_081321_24.jpg)
Leave a comment