You may be soaking up every last bit of summer by taking family weekend trips, spending afternoons at the beach, and enjoying later bedtimes. But back-to-school season will be here soon! And let’s face it: new school supplies, backpacks, and textbooks add up fast. So this year, instead of buying all new threads for the kids, consider purchasing your supplies and materials at thrift shops in the city. Not only will you save money, but you’ll also be helping save the planet and reducing waste. Check out these top Chicago thrift stores to score some dope gear.
Looking for a solid alternative and sustainable way to dress your little ones? Look no further than The Second Child! Owner Amy Helgren was inspired to open the thrift shop in Chicago after the birth of her second daughter and the over abundance of baby and child gear. Head to Lincoln park to check out her awesome selection!
This adorable thrift shop located in North Center stocks gently used children’s clothing, infant accessories, and upscale toys. The thrift store offers popular kids labels such as Ivivva, Tea, Crew Cuts, Hanna Andersson, Mini Boden, Janie and Jack, Peek, Ralph Lauren, Vineyard Vines, North Face, Patagonia and more.
A light-filled corner shop that’s the epitome of bold, colorful, and fun? Say no more! Cloud and Bunny is a social enterprise children’s boutique in Chicago featuring luxury products at affordable prices. Owner and Mother, Maja Haraslic, offers a rotating selection of clothing from ages newborn to 12 years.
This Avondale thrift store is a place where the community can come together to support programs for addiction recovery, reintegration, HIV/AIDS, and other vulnerable populations. Stop by this thrift store in Chicago on Fridays for 50% off your purchase! Just a heads up, face masks are still required inside of the store.
Address: 3311 North Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60657 Want your money to go towards an amazing cause? When you shop at Out of the Closet, $0.96 of every dollar collected goes directly to helping people living with HIV and AIDS.
Portage Park’s newest shop is the boutique experience with thrift store prices. Regular discounts are offered each week. Stop by for kids’ clothing, shoes, and fun finds left and right!
First Seconds Resale
Address: 4266 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60641
This no-frills, straightforward corner thrift store, just north of Portage Park, sells used children’s clothing, shoes, toys & games. Find great bargain merch or sell your secondhand items.
This popular Chicagoland thrift store with 11 locations spanning Chicago, the burbs, and Indiana sells vintage, retro style clothing and household goods at amazing prices. Check out this staple for hidden gems the kids will love.
Going into the 2021 NBA Draft, the Chicago Bulls only held one pick, and they would have to wait a long time before making that selection.
Vice President Arturas Karnisovas and his front office mates would have to make this one count, too, as it came all the way back at pick no. 38. Without a first-round pick due to the Nikola Vucevic trade, the Bulls had only their second-round pick to work with.
Needless to say, Karnisovas made that pick a meaningful one.
The Bulls selected Illinois guard and Chicago native Ayo Dosunmu, creating a dream come true for the reigning Bob Cousy Award winner. Yes, the Bulls were able to snag the kid who won the award for the nation’s top point guard in the second round.
The Chicago Bulls couldn’t have made a better pick than Ayo Dosunmu in the 2021 NBA Draft.
With everything considered, Ayo was the perfect pick for the Bulls. First and foremost, they needed depth at point guard. They need to find their true point guard of the future, and while Ayo may not be that exact guy, he certainly helps their quest.
He also believes this may have been destiny.
Ayo Dosunmu is a Chicago Bull! How about that for the hometown kid and love the reaction from family and friends @WGNNewspic.twitter.com/lzkqCmQ8xa
The reason he dropped to the second round is simply due to his game being a bit unpolished. Ayo isn’t the best athlete in the world and he could use some refining in his game when it comes to three-point shooting as well as taking care of the basketball.
However, his strengths are exactly what the Bulls need at this time. The 6-foot-4 guard has an enormous wingspan that allows him to comfortably guard positions 1-3, so he immediately brings a strong defensive presence to Chicago.
Ayo is as well-rounded a point guard as any in this draft, too. He is one of just four players to ever average 20 or more points, six or more rebounds and five or more assists per game in an entire season. Last year, he posted a line of 20.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 48.8 percent from the field.
This was an incredibly smart pick by the Bulls, who not only needed help at point guard, but a defensive-minded guy who can facilitate. It’s no wonder Chicago is going to be in on Lonzo Ball when it comes time for free agency to begin. They need bigger guards with plus defense, and they got that in Ayo.
The obvious fact here is also that Ayo will be part of selling tickets. No matter what his role ends up being, Chicago is excited to have a hometown kid get drafted again. He will draw more fans than probably any other player they could have taken at that pick, therefore Ayo was as wise a pick as Karnisovas could have made.
Firing 72 pitches over 5 innings, Justin Steele looks extremely comfortable and confident in his transition back to a starting pitcher. The same aggressive mentality which suited him so well out of the Chicago pen earlier this year (along with the new slider) has continued to work for him in the Iowa rotation. He’s also maintained his velocity jump (touching 97) with the move. Should the Cubs trade a starting pitcher at the deadline today, Steele looks ready for the challenge of returning to Chicago. He’s still not fully stretched out, but he should start throwing 80-90 pitches next time through, be it in Iowa or Chicago.
Final line for Justin Steele: 5 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 5 K, 0 BB
His longest start of the season. And if you are worried about him maintaining his velocity and stuff, he retired his last eight hitters.
I missed Tony Cingrani‘s one inning of work, just as I have missed all of his outings since he joined Iowa earlier this month. I need to make sure I catch one soon. The veteran has not allowed an earned run in his first 6 games (5 IP).
Ben Leeper has bounced back after a couple of outings where he gave up solo homers last week. The fastball is sitting around 96-97 with carry and cut. He’s been improving his command of his upper-80s slider with hard downward tilt, and mixing in some high-70s curves as well. The Cubs will likely give 40-man roster members Manuel Rodriguez, Trevor Megill, and Tommy Nance opportunities during the second half as they look to replace Ryan Tepera, Andrew Chafin and Craig Kimbrel at the back of the Chicago bullpen, but it is likely a couple of 40-man spots are opened up as well, giving Leeper a chance to grab one, even if he will not be Rule 5 eligible for some time. My guess is though the Cubs might prioritize an opportunity for Ethan Roberts, Dakota Mekkes, Michael Rucker, and perhaps even Cingrani, who will be Rule 5 eligible or free agents at the end of the season.
Greg Deichmann made his debut in RF and the leadoff spot for Iowa.
I don’t know what’s gotten into Luis Lugo, but after being perhaps the worst pitcher in the org over the first month of the season, he’s maybe been their best since mid-June. Over his last 8 outings (30 IP) he’s allowed just 5 runs (3 earned) on 19 hits and 14 walks, while punching out 37. That’s a 0.90 ERA.
His 15.2 inning scoreless streak may have been snapped last time out, but Ethan Roberts got right back on track in this one, to earn his 4th save. As relievers begin filtering up from Iowa to replace traded bullpen arms in Chicago, I would expect Roberts to be the first callup to Iowa.
South Bend figures to receive some starting pitching help soon in the form of recently acquired LHP Bailey Horn and RHP Alexander Vizcaíno. Vizcaíno is 24-years old and already on the 40-man roster, so I would expect the Cubs would like to push him to AA at some point, but he had just gotten on the hill for the Yankees High-A affiliate after battling a shoulder issue this spring, so for the time being the Cubs may send him to the equivalent level as he works his way back.
Alberto Sojo: 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, BB, 0 K (W, 1-0, 4.40)
Carlos Ocampo: 2 IP, H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K (S, 3, 5.29)
Injuries, Updates, and Trends
You aren’t going to find many starker contrasts in physical makeup than the two guys who homered for the Pelicans last night. Matt Warkentin is a mountainous 6’6″ 250 right handed first baseman. While Ezequiel Pagan (.315/.368/.480) is a wiry 6’1″ ~170 pound center fielder who swings from the left side. Warkentin is a former two-way Indy ball signing who isn’t much in the field. Pagan is a former 13th round sleeper prospect out of Puerto Rico who has been pretty good at the plate for Myrtle Beach out of the leadoff spot (and he lit up the AZL in a short stint). The 21-year old spent both 2018 and 19 in Mesa as he improved his size and strength. He didn’t hit much the first year, but picked up the pace the next season, and now looks even a little stronger now. He’s also a pretty good defender with above average speed.
After reaching in all 5 of his plate appearances Wednesday (a homer and 4 walks), Jordan Nwogu (.212/.327/.400) doubled and singled on Thursday. His overall numbers still appear kinda paltry, but his .280/.398/.585 line in July is among the best in the org. He’s really started to get dialed in. He’s on time with his bat through the hitting zone and being more selective at the plate. He’s an exciting athlete and one of the strongest guys in the system so it is nice to see him battle through the issues he had the first 6 or 7 weeks of the season.
Lollapalooza officially returned to Grant Park this week for four days of music and good times despite concerns about how bringing together over 100,000 people each day will affect the ongoing pandemic.
The festival, which opened Thursday with vaccination or proof of a negative COVID-19 test required for entry, represents the largest public event to date held in Chicago since the emergence of the coronavirus last March. Despite worries over the virus’ Delta variant and rising caseloads nationally, the show will go on this weekend.
Starting her Lollapalooza headlining set with “We Can’t Stop” (preaching the general theme of “it’s my party and I’ll do what I want to”), Miley Cyrusset the tone early on: It would be one helluva time and she would be making all the rules. In following those two tenets, the genre-bending star dominated the festival’s opening night.
There were fireworks, some memorable covers, a motley crew of guests, moments of nearly flashing the videofeed cameras, and the artist taking a stand on the important of freeing Britney Spears. During Cyrus’ performance Thursday of her hit “SMS (Bangerz),” which features Spears, the jumbo screens next to the stage broadcast the trending #freebritney message superimposed with caricatures of handcuffs. (Cyrus recently championed Spears’ conservatorship emancipation at a show in Vegas too.)
Black Pumas performs at the T-Mobile stage, Thursday.Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Thousands of people fill out the lawn in front of the Lake Shore and T-Mobile stages.Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Lightfoot takes the stage: ‘Thank you for masking up and vaxing up’
Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who has been outspoken about her decision to keep Lollapalooza as scheduled despite the uptick in cases of COVID-19 and numerous variants spreading around the country, made a not-so-surprise appearance on the festival’s opening day.
Wearing a Black Pumas T-shirt, she introduced the group’s midday set at the T-Mobile Stage and hailed the Pumas as one of the greatest rock bands of today.
“The rate of vaccination in this crowd is off the charts,” she said.
First Lolla fans optimistic as 2021 festival kicks off amid COVID-19 precautions
Thousands of fans streamed into Grant Park Thursday marking the return of Lollapalooza after COVID-19 halted last year’s iteration of the 30-year-old music festival. While some fans said they were slightly worried about COVID-19, many expressed confidence in Lollapalooza’s new protocols.
But not everyone knew about the vaccine mandate in order to attend the music festival.
Lolla signs warn attendees they assume risk for COVID-19
The thousands of people entering Lollapalooza on Thursday are being greeted by signs explaining something that’s not included on their public health and safety website: By attending the festival, “you voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19,” which they mention “can lead to severe illness and death.”
Some of the names on the Lolla lineup are a lot bigger than others. Selena Fragassi parses through the dozens of bands and artists to break down 10 must-see acts that attendees won’t want to miss this weekend. Here’s what Fragassi says about one of the festival’s earliest performers, Orville Peck:
No one exactly knows who this incognito Canadian country singer is (his trademark look is a long, fringed mask and cowboy hat) but the boudoir-looking John Wayne has heaped tons of due praise in his few years on the scene. Both for crafting a highly contagious psychedelic outlaw sound that refreshes the genre and for being an LGBTQ iconoclast whose work with Trixie Mattel and Gaga will soon put him in a new league.
With coronavirus case figures rising across the country amid lagging vaccination rates and the emergence of the Delta variant, Lollapalooza put in place security measures to help make the festival safer.
More than 100 drinking water systems across Illinois, including some in the Chicago area, have tested positive for measurable levels of harmful contaminants known as “forever chemicals” that are linked to cancer, liver damage, high blood pressure and other health threats.
In the Chicago area, Lake Forest, Waukegan, North Chicago, South Elgin and Crest Hill near Joliet are among the water systems that are showing readings of a class of chemicals known as PFAS, short for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. In most cases, the levels are very low though the widespread presence is a concern, environmental and health advocates say.
“These findings confirm our fears that drinking water is a source of PFAS exposure for thousands of Illinois residents,” said Sonya Lunder, a Sierra Club toxics expert who has worked on the issue nationally. “The state needs to urgently address these harmful exposures.”
While state officials say most of these levels are trace amounts, every water system manager showing even small sources is required to regularly test and monitor the levels while Illinois determines safe limits for the chemicals, said Sonjay Sofat, who heads the water bureau for Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. His agency, which is doing the testing as a step toward determining rules on controlling the contamination, ideally will finish testing by the end of October, he said.
PFAS chemicals have been around for decades and are ubiquitous, used in stain-resistant clothing, waterproof products, non-stick pans, polishes, waxes and fire-fighting foam (above).STOCK.ADOBE.COM
Although local officials can’t pinpoint exactly where the contamination is entering their water systems, PFAS chemicals have been around for decades and are ubiquitous, used in stain-resistant clothing, waterproof products, non-stick pans, polishes, waxes and fire-fighting foam.
It’s a complex problem that potentially can cost some local water departments millions of dollars to correct to protect public health. The chemicals are so prevalent that federal officials say most people have some level of them in their bodies. Nicknamed “forever chemicals,” they don’t break down and remain an environmental and human health threat indefinitely.
“If they’re dropped into a volcano, they will fall apart. Otherwise, they are very stable,” said David Andrews, a senior scientist with the Washington-based advocacy organization Environmental Working Group. “That’s why we need to keep testing water [and] cleaning up contamination.”
Chemicals not fully understood
Research continues on the class of chemicals as scientists admit they still don’t have a full grasp of the danger. Human testing suggests the chemicals may decrease infant birth weights, inhibit vaccine response in children, increase the risk of kidney or testicular cancer, lead to high blood pressure and cholesterol levels and cause liver damage. Animal testing found the chemicals can cause birth defects and developmental issues.
Tests of the water in some Chicago-area water systems, including Lake Forest and Waukegan, found the chemical at just above 2 parts per trillion, the level the Illinois EPA says needs monitoring. Much higher levels are seen outside Chicago and the collar counties, including in Winnebago County where Rockford is the county seat.
The state’s findings are the first time Illinois has examined the prevalence of the contaminants. It’s a first step in writing guidelines for safe levels of the chemicals in water. Illinois lags other Midwest states, including Michigan which determined it had high levels of PFAS contamination statewide only after extensive testing. Indeed, there was little evidence in the past that PFAS was so abundant in drinking water in Illinois.
“That’s what triggers the action. If the state’s not looking for it, then it seems like no issue,” said Jeremy Orr, a senior attorney with Natural Resource Defense Council in Chicago.
Illinois EPA set the low 2 parts per trillion measure to get a broad understanding of the chemicals’ presence as officials try to determine a standard for safe drinking water. There is no agreement nationally on what level of PFAS is safe. Last year, Michigan set a limit of 8 parts per trillion on one often-detected chemical, known as PFOA. Conversely, the U.S. EPA has recommended a health advisory if water tests at 70 parts per trillion.
Some Rockford residents forced to drink bottled water
In some cases, Illinois water systems are showing extremely high levels of the chemical, forcing immediate actions.
In Rockford, a trailer park community water system serving more than 200 people had to be shut down earlier this year because the contamination levels were more than double the national EPA advisory level. Residents are drinking bottled water until the park can be connected to the Rockford water system.
Rockford itself is home to three hazardous waste sites in various stages of cleanup under the federal government’s Superfund program, including one close to the trailer park. In Winnebago County, groundwater drawn from wells is the primary source of drinking water.
“They should stop those companies who are producing the chemicals,” said Raksha Soneji, the trailer park’s manager. “It’s frustrating.”
Said Orr: “It’s very feasible they’ve been drinking this water and that community has been contaminated for a very long time.”
Illinois and other states are discovering only after widespread testing that drinking water contains PFAS chemicals, said Jeremy Orr, a senior attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council. Provided
Dr. Sandra Martell, the public health administrator for Winnebago County, said the discovery at the trailer park led officials to contact private well owners in the area to test their water. At least two property owners in the area tested at high levels and they are now addressing the problem, she said.
Another system serving more than 35,000 people south of Rockford, North Park Public Water District, found high levels in one backup well. The well, which officials say has not been used since 2013, has been sealed.
Chicago clear for now
After state testing, Chicago’s water system showed no detectable amounts. However, a decade ago, Chicago’s water showed small amounts of PFAS. In a statement to the Sun-Times, water department officials blamed the earlier readings on less sophisticated testing.
“The extremely low levels detected early on would be considered within the margin of error today,” the statement said.
Some area suburbs, including Evanston, Wilmette and Winnetka have yet to report results, according to the latest state data. In all, more than 1,000 water systems have been tested and there are still several hundred more to test, according to the Illinois EPA.
The state EPA also is asking water departments to make the PFAS readings public, though some water managers say they may only put those results up on an existing state website that tracks drinking water quality.
Among the water system managers contacted by the Sun-Times, none of them could identify the culprit causing the contamination.
Environmental Working Group, which has been studying the contamination issue for years, identifies more than 1,700 potential sources across Illinois, mostly industrial sites but also sewage treatment facilities and landfills.
Illinois lawmakers took a step toward addressing part of the problem by passing a bill that phases out firefighting foam containing PFAS. That bill, the result of two years of negotiations between Illinois fire chiefs and environmentalists, was sent to Gov. J.B. Pritzker at the end of June along with a separate bill that bans incineration of the foam.
The test results have already stirred federal lawsuits. Moline and South Elgin are each suing the companies who have made the products, including 3M Co. and DuPont. The same group of lawyers, multiple firms across the country bringing multiple suits, have also been retained by Crest Hill and East Alton. Separately, Galesburg, in western Illinois, also is suing the companies. The lawsuits, which are being filed across the country, are being consolidated in a South Carolina federal court.
Gulledge, the water plant chief in Lake Forest, is worried about the costs of removing PFAS, even low levels like the trace amounts found in his city’s water supply.Pat Nabong/Sun-Times
Cleanup costs not cheap
The lawsuits aim to defer what’s potentially very expensive fixes to water systems.
“We don’t have to have this burden borne by our taxpayers,” said former Crest Hill City Administrator Heather McGuire. “We want to make sure this gets corrected.”
Some states, including Michigan, also have sued the manufacturers. A DuPont spokesman said the complaints have no merit and will be defended “vigorously.” A 3M spokesman said the company wants to work with communities on a “collaborative path forward.”
That potential cleanup bill is concerning to a number of municipal water officials.
“It costs a lot to do plant improvements,” said John Gulledge, water plant chief at Lake Forest. “Our level is still low. I’m interested to see what kinds of guidelines the state would give for removal.”
Like every other water system official interviewed, Gulledge said he had no idea where the contamination may have occurred.
“It’s a bit of a new adventure,” he said.
Brett Chase’s reporting on the environment and public health is made possible by a grant from The Chicago Community Trust.
From Wellington Ave in Lakeview to North Ave in Wicker Park; the Farmheads Group and Piece Brewing are two staples in the Chicago restaurant scene. So let’s go ahead and straight away call this the crossover event of the century. The Chicago-based Farmheads Group, including Farm Bar Lakeview and Farmhouse Evanston announced a new beer collaboration with Piece Brewing celebrating the 20th anniversary of the beloved Wicker Park brewery and pizzeria.
The ‘20’ brew features honey from Brown Dog Farm—Farmheads exclusive farm run by co-owner TJ Callahan in Mineral Point, Wisconsin—alongside Mosaic and Ekuanot hops. The resulting beer is 7.5% ABV and presents hints of stone fruit, grapefruit peel, orange marmalade and essence of honey—a flavor that keeps people coming back for more.
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The beer by Piece Brewing and Farmheads Group will be available for a limited-time at Piece Brewery in tulips ($8), crowlers ($15) and growlers ($30) as well as Farm Bar Lakeview and Farmhouse Evanston. At both Farmheads restaurants the brew is included on their July ‘Buzz Menu’, a full menu of food and libations that feature Brown Dog Farm’s honey.
“Our partnership with Piece for this special brew is a natural extension of our continued efforts to provide Chicagoian’s sustainable, local farm-to-table dining experiences,” shared TJ Callahan. “After a difficult year for restaurants and bars, it feels great to come together and raise a glass to milestone moments like Piece Brewing’s anniversary!”
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Founded in 2001 by Bill Jacobs and Cheap Trick guitarist and songwriter Rick Nielsen, Piece Brewery and Pizzeria has been recognized as Chicago’s most award-winning brewpub. Piece Brewery has earned an impressive 28 medals at the World Beer Cup and the Great American Beer Festival.
Originating in 2011 with the opening of Farmhouse Tavern in Chicago’s River North neighborhood, Farmheads is a hospitality group with the mission of offering affordable, approachable Midwestern fare based on locally sourced and sustainable ingredients. Since opening our doors to Farmhouse Chicago, operating partners Ferdia Doherty and TJ Callahan have grown that first location into a series of concepts, including Farmhouse Evanston and Farm Bar Lakeview, with a shared vision of utilizing the bounty available within a four state footprint of Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan.
For 10 seasons, Anthony Rizzo has been the heart and soul of the Chicago Cubs. After three All Star Game appearances, four Gold Glove awards and a World Series title, Rizzo’s time in Chicago is now over.
On the last year of his contract, Rizzo was a definitive trade candidate. Indeed, the Cubs found a suitor and dealt Rizzo to the New York Yankees.
It is the end of an era in Chicago, as Rizzo leaves the Cubs to put on the pinstripes. His energy, smiling personality, humor and, of course, stellar play will be missed dearly.
Although it is a painful pill to swallow, the Cubs dealing Rizzo was inevitable. They had turned into surefire sellers a few weeks ago as the downward spiral began. At one point, many believed the return for Rizzo would be next to nothing. His 2021 season wasn’t too spectacular and it was clear he is not the same guy he once was.
Somehow, the Chicago Cubs were able to land two top Yankees prospects for Anthony Rizzo.
Not only did the Cubs find a suitor for Rizzo, but the Yankees had to bid higher than other interested ball clubs — and they did.
In exchange for Rizzo, the Cubs received the Yankees no. 9 and no. 12 overall prospects, according to the MLB’s Prospect Rankings.
The Yankees are trading Alcantara and Vizcaino for Rizzo. The Cubs are picking up all of Rizzo’s remaining salary.
Outfielder Kevin Alcantara now becomes the Cubs’ no. 9 ranked prospect after being traded. The 6-foot-6 outfielder should be due up in 2023.
Alcantara has a strong arm and plus instincts. He possesses above average strength at the plate and a quick bat. Through eight games in 2021, Alcantara was slashing .360/.448/.520.
Right-hander Alexander Vizcaino, meanwhile, becomes the Cubs’ no. 6 overall prospect now. Vizcaino’s strengths lie in his fastball and changeup. He could end up being a mid-rotation type of starter or a late-inning reliever, per his MLB scouting report.
Vizcaino is 22 years old and could be brought up to the Majors next year, while Alcantara is still just 19.
The fact that the Cubs were able to get two of the Yankees’ top 12 prospects in this deal is a thing of wonder. A lot of mock-up trades were projecting the Cubs would get far lower-ranked prospects in a deal for Rizzo, yet New York sent them two of their best.
The most interesting part about it all is that the Yankees will have plenty of work ahead if they are to contend this year, so giving up two significant prospects for a player on the decline is pretty shocking.
Now, Rizzo could turn around and prove that he’s got plenty left in him, which Cubs fans would have to be proud of. However, the fact is, he is hitting free agency after the season. No matter what, the Yankees overpaid.
Dosunmu energized Big Ten basketball fans by leading the University of Illinois Fighting Illini to a first seed in the March Madness tournament.
It is easy to tell that Dosunmu will have a bright NBA future. He has an excellent basketball IQ, great pace for the game, and excellent playmaking ability.
The former Morgan Park and University of Illinois star is staying home in Chicago with the Bulls. It was a serendipitous occurence for him and Bulls fans on Thursday night.
Ayo Dosunmu is a great selection made by the Chicago Bulls in the 2021 NBA Draft.
Ayo Dosunmu was a 1st round talent and a steal for the Bulls!!! Kid plays hard and will play with a chip on his shoulder to prove the so called talent evaluators wrong. Lezzz Go! #BullsNation
Takeaway #1: The Bulls still need help at the point guard position.
It’s been known that the Bulls need assistance at point guard. Without going into much detail, the duo of Coby White and Tomas Satoransky did not work out for them last season.
The Bulls have been tied to names like Lonzo Ball, Dennis Schroeder, and Spencer Dinwiddie in free agency and the front office will most likely continue to recruit one of these names. What does this mean for Coby White?
White or Dosunmu could ultimately solve the ongoing issue of wing depth. White’s a bit small for the position but he’s a gifted scorer off the bench that could help take the pressure off of Zach LaVine. It would be easy to pair White with any other guard on the team to run the offense. It is a simple solution to a complicated problem but the Bulls have White for two more years.
Takeaway #2: The big man issue might be solved in-house.
While the “best available” strategy was clearly the plan that AKME had in mind going into the draft, it seemed viable that the Bulls would go for any other position than point guard to fix that issue in free agency.
While Dosunmu is not tied down to playing point guard, he certainly fits the model with his playmaking ability, defensive abilities, and ball-handling skills. That brings the Bulls back to the larger issue at hand. The big man. Currently, the Bulls don’t have a lot to work with at the position.
Lauri Markkanen seems as good as gone in free agency. Thaddeus Young is still waiting for the green light to return to the team with his partial guarantee. Daniel Theis is heading out to free agency. While it’s likely Young will return and the Bulls will make a run at Theis, that doesn’t leave the Bulls with depth at the four-spot.
It seems like the perfect time for last year’s second-round pick, Marco Somonovic, to make an immediate impact on the floor. The Bulls just inked him to the team and this could be his opportunity to step into the spotlight. Nevertheless, the Bulls could also work free agency to find another big man. Stay tuned to free agency because the Bulls will be extremely active.
Takeaway #3: Trust in AKME
This pick is a monstrous one because Dosunmu is a first-round talent. His draft stock may have fallen off after Illinois was kicked out of the March Madness tournament early but he is one of the most NBA-ready point guards in this draft.
Dosunmu has progressed his game dramatically since getting to Illinois. Last season, he averaged 20.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists in the hardest basketball conference in the country, the Big Ten.
He improved his three-point shooting, eclipsing 39 percent from downtown on the season. He also improved his field goal percentage up to 48.8 percent, better than the previous seasons while taking 15.7 shots per game.
Dosunmu is a gifted scorer and while he doesn’t have the explosiveness that would cap off his offensive game, he is a smart player with the ability to navigate, catch-and-shoot, and use pick-and-roll to his advantage.
Most excitedly for the Bulls, Dosunmu’s defense was impeccable last season. He carried a 96.8 defensive rating and a 3.1 defensive box plus/minus, both drastically better than his previous seasons.
The moral of draft night is that Bulls fans should be excited about AKME as a front office duo. The fact that they did not waste assets trading up into the first round and were still able to obtain a first-round talent is unbelievable. Hats off to Karnisovas & Co. because they did not disappoint.
If you can’t wait to get back to live theatre, your wait is over
The Goodman Theatre returns to the live stage this weekend with its Chicago premiere production of the Off-Broadway smash hit—School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play.
Get ready to LOL at School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play as reigning queen bee at Ghana’s most exclusive boarding school sets her sights on the Miss Universe pageant.
The show runs from July 30-August 29 (opening night is Monday, August 2) in the Goodman’s Albert Theatre.
ABOUT SCHOOL GIRLS; OR, THE AFRICAN MEAN GIRLS PLAY
Biting and buoyant, School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play earned critical and popular acclaim in its Off-Broadway extended run. As the reigning queen bee at Ghana’s most exclusive boarding school sets her sights on the Miss Universe pageant, a new student unexpectedly changes the game, forcing her to defend her reputation—and status. This “nasty-teen comedy, wonderfully refreshed and deepened” (The New York Times) spotlights the universal similarities—and glaring differences—of teenage girls around the globe.
School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play By Jocelyn Bioh Directed by Lili-Anne BrownGifty…………………………..Adia AlliEricka Boafo……………….Kyrie Courter Nana………………………….Ashley Crowe Paulina Sarpong………….Ciera Dawn Mercy…………………………Tiffany Renee Johnson Ama…………………………. Adhana ReidHeadmistress Francis…..Tania Richard Eloise Amponsah……….. Lanise Antoine Shelley Touch Tour, August 21 at 12:30pm – A presentation detailing the set, costume and character elementsAudio-Described Performance, August 21 at 2pm – The action/text is audibly enhanced for patrons via headsetASL-Interpreted Performance, August 27 at 8pm – Professional ASL interpreter signs the action/text as played
Open-Captioned Performance, August 28 at 2pm – An LED sign presents dialogue in sync with the performance
The Chicago Cubs are finally at the trade deadline. There isn’t much time for them to make their final deals but there is some business to take care of before the final buzzer. They haven’t had a very successful team so far this season. As a result, it has led to them selling from their roster. There are a lot of moves that they have made so far that suggest it is over.
Of course, it is sad when they trade players like Ryan Tepera, Andrew Chafin, and Joc Pederson. They also might trade guys like Craig Kimbrel and Zack Davies. All of these guys are great players that have made great contributions to their success in different ways. However, none of them have the emotional attachment to the fanbase as the guys who have won the World Series with the team.
The Cubs already traded one of those guys. Anthony Rizzo is on his way to the New York Yankees after a trade made on Thursday night. The Cubs are getting two prospects for him that should have a chance to become something someday.
Next on the list is the other two pending free agents. Javier Baez and Kris Bryant are players that will be considered trade bait all day. They might decide to keep Baez and work something out but Bryant feels as good as gone.
The Chicago Cubs might be trading Kris Bryant before the trade deadline passes.
If they are going to trade him, they are going to get some good players back in return but it might not be the return everyone is expecting. These are three trades that might be considered by teams that want him:
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“Our partnership with Piece for this special brew is a natural extension of our continued efforts to provide Chicagoian’s sustainable, local farm-to-table dining experiences,” shared TJ Callahan. “After a difficult year for restaurants and bars, it feels great to come together and raise a glass to milestone moments like Piece Brewing’s anniversary!”
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