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Chicago police officer charged with battery, official misconduct in on-duty Red Line shootingMatthew Hendricksonon August 5, 2021 at 3:45 pm

A Chicago police officer is facing felony charges in connection with an on-duty shooting last year at the CTA Red Line’s Grand station.

Officer Melvina Bogard, 32, faces counts of aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct for the Feb. 28, 2020 shooting, the Cook County state’s attorney’s office announced Thursday.

No charges were announced against Officer Bernard Butler, who was with Bogard at the time of the shooting and was recorded by a bystander yelling “shoot him” before Bogard opened fire.

Shortly after 4 p.m. that day, Bogard and Butler tried to arrest 34-year-old Ariel Roman after he was seen walking between cars on a northbound Red Line train.

The officers followed Roman when he got off the train at the station and tried taking Roman into custody at the bottom of a set of stairs leading up to the station’s main concourse.

Roman struggled with Butler and was eventually able to stand up. Video footage showed two deployed stun guns laying on the station’s floor.

As Roman ran up the stairs, Butler repeated yelled for Bogard to fire, the video shows Bogard shot once at Roman when he was feet away from her and then again when he neared the top of the stairs.

Roman was shot in the hip and buttocks, according to his attorneys, who filed a lawsuit against the city and both officers.

Roman was taken into custody after the shooting and briefly faced resisting arrest and narcotics charges, which were later dropped by the state’s attorney’s office.

The Civilian Office of Police Accountability submitted the findings from its investigation to Supt. David Brown in October. The Chicago Police Department later moved to fire both officers.

Federal authorities also have opened a criminal investigation into the high-profile police shooting.

Bogard turned herself in on the charges Thursday morning and is expected to appear in court later Thursday, the state’s attorney’s office said.

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Chicago police officer charged with battery, official misconduct in on-duty Red Line shootingMatthew Hendricksonon August 5, 2021 at 3:45 pm Read More »

Five Architecturally Significant Homes in Oak Park and River ForestWhet Moseron August 5, 2021 at 3:00 pm

Next month Frank Lloyd Wright and Prairie School architecture will be celebrated at the annual Wright Plus housewalk in Oak Park and River Forest. But what makes these two neighboring western suburbs truly special is not just the 31 Wright-designed structures, but the wide variety of historic architecture that can be found here. Many of the houses come with impressive architectural pedigrees, whether it is Oak Park’s most “intact” Victorian designed by local architect Henry G. Fiddelke (who also worked on Ernest Hemingway’s childhood home) or a disputed River Forest residence done by either Wright himself or one of his young draftsmen, Harry Robinson.

If you’re an architecture geek like me, walking around OPRF can be like visiting an outdoor museum. Located just nine miles west of downtown Chicago, it’s a convenient place to live if you want to be close to the city. And though it can be a bit pricey, you can buy into the suburb’s architectural heritage.

Let’s start with the crème de la crème. When I lived near the intersection of Pleasant and Grove I’d always admire the impressive Victorians that sit on all four corners. This home at 139 South Grove Avenue designed by Fiddelke & Ellis is one of them. In our current world of HGTV renovations, it’s pretty shocking to see a home in such original condition with ornate millwork, stained glass windows, pocket doors, built-in furniture like bookcases and sideboards, as well as six fireplaces with hand-carved mantels. Five different types of wood was used throughout the home and none of it has been painted. It’s a miracle! Although the kitchen has been modernized, it still preserves the historical flair of the home. The one-bedroom coach house can be rented out or used for whatever suits your needs, whether as a guest house or office. But the best part is its walkability—not just to stores and restaurants in the Hemingway District but to public transportation. 

Located a few doors down from Frank Lloyd Wright’s Winslow House, this 1960 ranch-style design was one of twelve built by architect and developer Martin H. Braun on the former estate of Edward C. Waller. Chicago Tribune advertisements for Braun’s “tomorrow’s houses” lured potential owners with amenities like rumpus rooms and built-in televisions. Some of those original details survive, but this 10-room home has been updated for life in today’s world. Plus it has a yard to die for! You’ll find a surrounding deck, garden ponds, green house, and above ground pool. That might explain the hefty price, but who wouldn’t want a private oasis on an acre lot that backs up to the woods and the Des Plaines River?

Roy J. Hotchkiss was the draftsmen for local architect E.E. Roberts and these two men were responsible for hundreds of buildings in Oak Park, including the town’s art deco masterpiece, the Medical Arts Building. He designed this Craftsman-style Foursquare in 1924. Almost a hundred years later the home is a blend of historic charm on the exterior with modern day decor on the inside. You’ll find plenty of space here with 15 rooms offering different options for further renovation, plus a large coach house out back. And you’re just steps away from a Green Line stop.

This 1914 Prairie-style home comes with controversy. Frank Lloyd Wright famously did “bootleg houses” on the sly, which led to his boss Louis Sullivan firing him. Well, history repeats itself. Architectural historian William Allin Storrer declared an entire block of homes in River Forest to be Frank Lloyd Wright designs, although evidence shows they are “bootlegs” by Wright’s draftsman Harry Robinson. One of these disputed homes is currently for sale. Historically appropriate details include art glass and a roman brick fireplace. There is also a bright sun room for reading and relaxation and contemplation… who *actually* designed this house?

Located in between two Frank Lloyd Wright-designed homes on Oak Park’s beautiful Forest Avenue, this understated 1890 Queen Anne was designed by Patton & Fisher, architects responsible for a number of buildings in town, as well as one of Chicago’s most visible architectural landmarks: the vividly red-brick Main Building at the Illinois Institute of Technology, completed three years after this house. While preserving the original woodwork, the home has been tastefully updated inside with new bathrooms and a bright white kitchen that opens up to a spacious family room. Compared to the Victorian on Grove, which seems like a museum, this old home is quite livable for modern tastes.

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Five Architecturally Significant Homes in Oak Park and River ForestWhet Moseron August 5, 2021 at 3:00 pm Read More »

Why Is Trump’s Hatchet Man Postmaster General DeJoy Still on the Job?on August 5, 2021 at 1:54 pm

The Quark In The Road

Why Is Trump’s Hatchet Man Postmaster General DeJoy Still on the Job?

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Why Is Trump’s Hatchet Man Postmaster General DeJoy Still on the Job?on August 5, 2021 at 1:54 pm Read More »

Annihilus’ Luca Cimarusti brings Chicago musicians along on his experimental black-metal journeyMonica Kendrickon August 5, 2021 at 12:00 pm

Chicago multi-instrumentalist and Reader contributor Luca Cimarusti is having a busy summer. In July his minimalist postpunk trio, Luggage, dropped the album Happiness, and now he’s about to put out the second full-length from his black-metal solo project, Annihilus. Cimarusti originally wanted to keep this project anonymous, but he dropped that idea after releasing his first demo, deciding that the mystique of anonymity wasn’t worth the trouble and distraction of maintaining it. Last year’s full-length debut, Ghanima (American Decline), earned rave reviews and immediately established Annihilus as a project to watch.

Cimarusti named Annihilus after a Marvel Comics villain from the so-called Negative Zone who first appeared in the late 60s, but even if you know about his plan to destroy the universe with a bomb harnessing the Power Cosmic, it really won’t prepare you for the fury of the new Annihilus record. Follow a Song From the Sky is a deep and wild album, full of eloquent rage and formidable artistry. Its raw guitar work and vocals have strong links to punk, industrial, ambient, and postrock, and Cimarusti can switch gears between the eerie and the absolutely unhinged; “Draw the Beast,” which features guest vocals by Ryan Wichmann of Sick/Tired, is especially brutal in this way. “Winter Song” settles into a harsh, sharp-edged groove and sustains it for a perfectly satisfying length before erupting into a glorious coda that sounds almost like an old-school rocker grinding a guitar against an amp. While Annihilus is technically a solo project, Cimarusti is hardly a loner, and on Follow he welcomes collaborations from several local musicians. Electronic composer Brett Naucke adds simmering, boiling noise to several tracks; Dan Binaei of Racetraitor and Trevor de Brauw of Pelican contribute guitar to “AMA” and “Song From the Sky,” respectively; and Brian Case of FACS turns in a mesmerizing vocal performance on “Song From the Sky.” The first single from the album, “The Voice of Shai-Hulud” (inspired by Frank Herbert’s Dune series), condenses an epic journey into less than five minutes–you can almost feel the sand blowing into your eyes. If this past year and a half has taught us anything, it’s that the creative impulse will not be denied, even under terrible conditions. On Follow a Song From the Sky, Cimaurusti shows how it can be adapted into wondrous new mutations. v

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Annihilus’ Luca Cimarusti brings Chicago musicians along on his experimental black-metal journeyMonica Kendrickon August 5, 2021 at 12:00 pm Read More »

After pandemic time off, soul singer Bette Smith psyched about first Chicago-area show, seeing the sightsEvan F. Mooreon August 5, 2021 at 1:00 pm

Soul singer Bette Smith aims to make the most of her first time in the Chicago area.

She performs Tuesday at Space in Evanston, part of her “Bustin’ Out of Brooklyn Tour ’21.”

The New Yorker plans to play tourist while she’s in town.

Bette Smith

When: 7 p.m. Tuesday

Where: Space, 1245 Chicago Ave., Evanston

Tickets: $12-$20

Info: evanstonspace.com

“I have a girlfriend in Chicago,” Smith says. “I met her in New York, and she moved back home during the pandemic. She’s gonna take us around on the waterways and highways and byways. I’m really excited about that. I’ve heard a lot about the Windy City, but I’ve never been there before.”

Smith — whose style has often been compared to Tina Turner and Aretha Franklin — had plans to tour and promote her album “The Good, the Bad and the Bette,” released last fall.

Because of the pandemic, that changed. She played virtual shows, took stock of her mental health and worked on her music.

The enforced break from travel made her very appreciative of being able to be back on tour.

Bette Smith’s album “The Good, the Bad and the Bette” came out last year.
Ruf Records

“I took up meditation, walked my dog and just really tried to focus on building up my inner strength so that, when I get back out there, I’m in shape to do my thing,” Smith says. “That’s how we got to it with our dogs and nature and our families. That’s how we got through it in New York.

“It was really good to be out there after the lockdown for about a year or two. I think all the artists right now in the world are so happy that we’re finally — hopefully — getting out of being in lockdown. It’s really good to be around the fans, give them energy and get back energy. It’s a really positive feeling. I hope the pandemic stays away and dies out.”

“I’m a Sinner,” one of the songs on her latest album, has become a favorite with crowds when she performs.

“I’ve been getting a lot of good energy from it,” she says. “I like it because it’s kind of a biblical story, and I thought it was a very funky beat. It’s a real crowd-pleaser, and I try to sing it every time I get out there. It’s one of my favorite songs on the new album.

“When I’m singing, I’m teaching, and I think a lot of things feel that way. I think it’s a really nice trip to take the audience on — to go to church on stage. I think that’s a really positive way to communicate with the audience sometimes.”

Smith says one of her musical influences is legendary gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, who lived in Chatham and Hyde Park.

“I have really eclectic tastes,” she says. “I like Mahalia Jackson. I grew up listening to her. And now I like Valerie June and a lot of upcoming new soul singers and folk singers like The War and Treaty.

“A lot of people say I sound a little like Tina Turner. She’s been a big influence also. I like Tina’s stage presence. She’s got a lot of chutzpah.

“I love Mahalia Jackson because she was so dedicated to the Lord, and she refused to sing secular music. It was very interesting to see how she dedicated her life to singing religious music exclusively.”

Smith says she’s happy to be playing concerts again.

“I’m looking forward to touring in the Midwest, and I’m looking forward to being on stage again within it and hanging out with the Midwestern audiences,” she says. “Learning new things from them and having them learn new things from me as a New Yorker.

“It’s going to be a really exciting time for me and my band.”

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After pandemic time off, soul singer Bette Smith psyched about first Chicago-area show, seeing the sightsEvan F. Mooreon August 5, 2021 at 1:00 pm Read More »

Four Bears remain on reserve/COVID-19 listPatrick Finleyon August 5, 2021 at 12:57 pm

The Bears put nose tackle Eddie Goldman, long snapper Patrick Scales, linebacker Christian Jones and tackle Elijah Wilkinson on the reserve/COVID-19 list Tuesday. They remained out Thursday morning, with Bears coach Matt Nagy saying he hopes that there will be no other positive tests.

Wilkinson is not vaccinated; it’s unclear if the other three are, though presumably they would not have been tested Tuesday had they been vaccinated.

“I think it’s just for all of us to understand we’re still going through this thing,” Nagy said. “There’s, you know, gotta be great communication through all of it. And then again, this isn’t just a football thing this is a worldwide thing that I think we gotta all recognize is still going pretty good.”

The NFL has two different sets of rules for players depending on their vaccination status. Vaccinated players who test positive can return any time after two negative tests, while unvaccinated players must isolate for 10 days. Vaccinated players don’t have to isolate if they are ruled a high-risk close contact of someone who is infected, while unvaccinated players must isolate for five days after a close contact.

Bears quarterback coach John DeFilippo, who is vaccinated, quarantined for the first five days of camp because of the coronavirus but returned earlier this week. Nagy stressed that “we are not back to 2019” when it comes to protocols.

“Until everybody says it’s normal and there are going to be no issues, then the guys have to expect that,” Nagy said. “On the front end, we have to learn what the rules are per the league of fully vaccinated vs. non-vaccinated and how that works. We’re all kind of learning but I think our guys have been great so far, I really do. They are following all the rules and they are doing what they are supposed to do and they really have not talked about it too much. But with what happened the other day they are probably all saying, ‘O.K, man, this is real, this is what we have to do.'”

Since July 25, teams have tested 2,528 players and 4,549 staff members, the NFLPA wrote in a memo sent to players Wednesday. Of the 65 positive cases, 32 were among vaccinated people. Citing the speedy spread of the Delta variant, the NFLPA said it will recommend increasing the frequency of tests among vaccinated players — up from once every two weeks to once a day. The NFL would have to agree to any change in testing frequency.

Bears tight end Jimmy Graham posted part of the memo on Twitter and wrote the following: “Was basically forced into getting the vaccine. Now I’m just confused.”

Graham’s issue, he explained, was that he could be fined a maximum $150,000 for missing daily coronavirus tests even though he’s vaccinated.

“How’s the punishment 100 [times] worse than last year and I’m vaccinated now?” he wrote.

Nagy said Graham has not discussed the issue with him.

“There is stuff going on every day with this and I think everybody is figuring out the best thing to do to be safe,” Nagy said. “And not just in the sports world but in life in general, every state is a little different in what they are doing. Masks, no masks, things are certainly changing.”

Nagy, like all NFL staffers, had to get the vaccine. He declined to detail what his thought process would have been like otherwise — “You can say one wrong thing and it goes the wrong way from what I say,” he said — and said he respects players’ viewpoints on the matter. While coaches like the Vikings’ Mike Zimmer and Washington’s Ron Rivera have been visibly frustrated with their team’s low vaccination rate, Nagy has remained even-keeled publicly. He said the Bears simply explain the facts to their players.

“You got the why –now you can make your decision on what you want to do,” Nagy said. “That’s literally all you can do and you got to be open and honest. Whatever people believe or get into, that’s up to them. Otherwise, it can be a distraction that takes you away from football.”

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Four Bears remain on reserve/COVID-19 listPatrick Finleyon August 5, 2021 at 12:57 pm Read More »

Top 5 Swizzle DrinksLynette Smithon August 5, 2021 at 1:15 pm

1 Swizzle of Broken Dreams

Three Dots and a Dash

Kevin Beary’s swizzle delivers a complex, fruity punch, thanks to Guyanese rum (finished in Pineau des Charentes casks to add sweetness and red fruit flavors), peach liqueur, lime, and a layer of port floating on top. Spices from the port and muddled mint give it earthy depth. $15. 435 N. Clark St., Near North Side

2 Queen’s Park Swizzle

Good Measure

Kristina Magro has perfected this classic version (which features mint, lime, and an angostura float) by using a blend of rums, including Plantation’s OFTD, a caramelly overproof rum. $13. 226 W. Chicago Ave., Near North Side

3 Swizzle 33

Scofflaw

In its nine years, Scofflaw has always had a swizzle on the menu. This one, its 33rd, packs in Zhumir, a funky Ecuadorian spirit, Jamaican rum, and apricot and gentian liqueurs. Coconut and lime round it out. $10. 3201 W. Armitage Ave., Logan Square

4 Jungle Kitty

Arbella

Eric Trousdale swizzles rum and a grapefruit, eucalyptus, and chamomile kombucha with lime, pineapple, Campari, and hibiscus syrup for a zippy cocktail with a gently bitter edge. $15. 112 W. Grand Ave., River North

5 Sadie’s Pockets

Proxi

Jess Sandberg eschews rum entirely in this tropical number, opting instead for blended Scotch, which she mixes with toasted cashew orgeat, banana, and lemon, then tops with an angostura float. $14. 565 W. Randolph St., West Loop

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Top 5 Swizzle DrinksLynette Smithon August 5, 2021 at 1:15 pm Read More »

Rumor: Chicago Bulls may be in play for a Lamarcus Aldridge comebackRyan Heckmanon August 5, 2021 at 1:00 pm

Chicago Bulls (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
Chicago Bulls (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

This week has been an eventful one for the Chicago Bulls; one full of rumors, signings and trades. NBA free agency is always a blast for basketball fans, and this year is no exception. The Bulls came out swinging from the get-go.

Already, we have seen the Bulls bring in the likes of former number two overall pick Lonzo Ball and four-time All Star DeMar DeRozan. Additionally, Chicago has signed free agent guard Alex Caruso and center Tony Bradley.

The facelift in Chicago should equal a much more competitive basketball team which finds themselves in postseason play this coming season — something fans have deserved for quite some time now.

One more possible move that could come out of this offseason, though, is a move that arises as fairly unforeseen.

Veteran big man Lamarcus Aldridge is considering an NBA return, and the Chicago Bulls could be in play.

Earlier this past season, Aldridge spent just a short time with the Brooklyn Nets after a few years with the San Antonio Spurs. Aldridge retired because of heart concerns, but he is now considering an NBA return — of course, if all his medicals come back 100 percent.

The interesting wrinkle with a potential Aldridge return comes from the Bulls having interest in him even before he retired. According to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago, the Bulls were looking at pursuing Aldridge this offseason.

With the interest in Aldridge comes another possibility of a sign-and-trade with forward Lauri Markkanen, who currently would be playing out this year on his qualifying offer. If Aldridge was cleared to return and the Bulls ultimately signed him, then Markkanen would likely be dealt.

Already the Bulls have dealt forwards Thaddeus Young, Daniel Theis and Al-Farouq Aminu, along with guard Tomas Satoransky and wing Garrett Temple. Chicago’s roster is going to look a heck of a lot different when next season rolls around.

Aldridge spent the last five and a half seasons with the San Antonio Spurs after nine years with the Portland Trailblazers. The 7-time NBA All Star would be a phenomenal candidate to be the Bulls’ top big off the bench, should he accept that role. In his last healthy season (2019-2020) Aldridge still posted 18.9 points and 7.4 boards per game.

The most notable aspect of this entire situation is, of course, the fact that the Bulls drafted Aldridge back in 2006. They ended up trading his rights to the Blazers for Tyrus Thomas, which goes down as one of the worst deals in Bulls history.

Now 15 years later, the Bulls very well could end up with Aldridge at the tail end of his career. Better late than never, right?

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Rumor: Chicago Bulls may be in play for a Lamarcus Aldridge comebackRyan Heckmanon August 5, 2021 at 1:00 pm Read More »

You are a bad-tempered, surly, argumentative, self-centered, cranky and cantankerous old geezer and that’s just for starterson August 5, 2021 at 1:00 pm

Cheating Death

You are a bad-tempered, surly, argumentative, self-centered, cranky and cantankerous old geezer and that’s just for starters

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You are a bad-tempered, surly, argumentative, self-centered, cranky and cantankerous old geezer and that’s just for starterson August 5, 2021 at 1:00 pm Read More »

1 killed, 17 wounded in shootings in Chicago WednesdaySun-Times Wireon August 5, 2021 at 9:33 am

Eighteen people were shot, one fatally, in Chicago Wednesday.

The fatal attack occurred inside a West Pullman home on the Far South Side. Two gunmen entered the home in the first block of East 118th Place and opened fire about 4 p.m., Chicago police said. Maurice Morris, 34, was struck in the head and pronounced dead at the scene.

Other shootings:

  • Two men were shot in Gresham on the South Side. About 11:30 p.m., they were standing on the street in the 8100 block of South Elizabeth Street when someone inside a passing black sedan fired at them, police said. A 19-year-old man was struck in the left leg and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in good condition. A 46-year-old man was struck in the right arm and taken to the same hospital in good condition.
  • Minutes earlier, two men were shot in South Chicago on the South Side. About 11:05 p.m., they were in the 8800 block of South Burley Avenue when someone fired at them, police said. A 38-year-old man was struck in the buttocks and a 42-year-old man was struck in the left arm. The 38-year-old was brought to the University of Chicago Medical Center in good condition, while the older man was taken to Trinity Hospital in good condition.
  • A 29-year-old man was shot during an attempted robbery in Lawndale on the West Side. About 10:40 p.m., he was in the 3000 block of West Flournoy Avenue when he was shot in the back by three people who were attempting to rob him, police said. He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in serious condition.
  • A 13-year-old boy and another teen were shot in East Garfield Park on the West Side. The two were sitting in the back of a car around 7 p.m. in the first block of North Hamlin Avenue when someone opened fire, police said. The 19-year-old victim was shot in his left land and the 13-year-old was shot in his neck. Both were dropped off by a friend at Rush University Medical Center, where the 19-year-old’s condition was stabilized. The 13-year-old was transferred to Stroger Hospital in critical condition.
  • About 30 minutes earlier, a woman was shot in South Shore on the Far South Side. The woman, 42, was in an apartment when she was shot in the chest just before 6:35 p.m. in the 7800 block of South Constance Avenue, police said. She was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in critical condition.
  • A man was wounded while riding in a car in West Town on the Near West Side. The man, 28, was riding in a car just before 6 p.m. in the 300 block of North Loomis Street, when someone opened fire, police said. The man was shot in the left leg and groin. He was taken to Stroger Hospital in critical condition.

Eight others were wounded in shootings citywide.

Two people were killed, and 11 others were wounded, in shootings Tuesday in Chicago.

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1 killed, 17 wounded in shootings in Chicago WednesdaySun-Times Wireon August 5, 2021 at 9:33 am Read More »