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No bail for man accused of killing stepdad in front of his motherJermaine Nolenon July 18, 2021 at 10:56 pm

A 31-year-old man was ordered held without bail Sunday after prosecutors said he fatally shot his stepfather at their home in suburban Bellwood as his mother watched.

Mykel Harris was charged with first-degree murder in Friday’s slaying of 54-year-old Kenny Willis, who prosecutors said was married to his mother.

Prosecutors noted that Harris and Willis had a “contemptuous relationship” and barely spoke despite living together with Harris’ mother in the 4000 block of Congress Street.

Harris initially called Bellwood police Friday to report that he suspected Willis of stealing a gun from him, according to prosecutors, who reported that Harris had a “large arsenal of weapons” he was licensed to own and carry. Police advised him to call back once Willis returned to the home.

Willis came home that evening and went to the garage, where he was known to hang out with friends, prosecutors said. About four hours later, Willis grew “belligerent” when he walked inside the home and started berating his wife after realizing something was missing from the garage.

The commotion led Harris to the living room, where his mother attempted to calm down Willis and asked him to leave, prosecutors said. But when Willis pushed her aside and reached for a bag, Harris pulled out a handgun and indicated for his mother to get out of the way.

That’s when Willis turned his back and reached for the bag, prompting Harris to fire two shots that struck his stepfather in the hip and flank, prosecutors said. After collapsing, Willis used his last words to ask the others to call 911.

His wife did so but was unable to speak, leaving Harris to take the phone, according to prosecutors. Harris then told the dispatcher that he shot Willis in response to threats he made. Harris’ mother, however, said she didn’t see her husband armed and a gun wasn’t recovered near him.

Willis was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead, according to prosecutors and the Cook County medical examiner’s office. His death was ruled a homicide.

Harris was arrested at the home, where investigators found the gun used in the shooting and other weapons, prosecutors said. Harris, who had no prior arrests, admitted to the shooting, though his defense attorney claimed he acted in self-defense fearing his stepfather was armed.

Judge Mary Marubio ultimately denied Harris bail Sunday. He’s expected back in court Tuesday.

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No bail for man accused of killing stepdad in front of his motherJermaine Nolenon July 18, 2021 at 10:56 pm Read More »

Despite desire to start, Kopech embracing bullpen roleBrian Sandalowon July 18, 2021 at 5:35 pm

Michael Kopech would love to be a part of the White Sox’ rotation. But he knows what the Sox starters are doing and is enjoying his role to help them hold leads.

“To come in and be able to pitch behind them and maintain that lead that they kept us with whenever they came out, I think that’s just as rewarding,” Kopech said. “I think we’ve got one of the best five-man rotations in baseball right now, if not the best. I know that’s bold, but I think we’ve shown that.

“I don’t think any time that someone steps on the mound for us that it seems like, ‘All right, we’re going to have to battle today.’ I think we have the potential to dominate everybody we play.”

Sooner or later, Kopech could get his chance in the rotation, but for now he’s a key weapon in the bullpen for the Sox and manager Tony La Russa.

Kopech has retired the last 12 batters he’s faced, with seven coming on strikeouts. He hasn’t allowed a run over his last seven games, and said he’s feeling more explosive since coming off the injured list.

He’s also found himself pitching in high-leverage situations, like Sunday afternoon’s perfect eighth.

“Pitching wherever they need me is a relief,” Kopech said. “I like going out there and getting to be competitive in late innings. But ‘whenever they need me’ is kind of my mindset right now. My last few have just been later. It’s been cool.”

No regrets
Carlos Rodon was named to his first all-star team but didn’t pitch at Coors Field so he could rest and save his arm for the second half. Rodon relished the experience and said the honor of being an all-star is a “big deal,” but was keeping his eye on other team-oriented prizes.

“We all have a common goal here,” Rodon said. “I think the well-being of the team is more important than individual honors. Those are nice, I think our goal is the postseason and that’s what we are trying to focus on.”

Rodon’s seven innings Sunday moved him to 96 2/3 this season. Over the 2019 and 2020 campaigns, he threw a total of 42 1/3.

“That break was much needed,” Rodon said. “It’s been a while since I pitched to an all-star break and after an all-star break. I think I needed that for my body. I think it will do well in the second half.”

Lopez’s goals
Reynaldo Lopez was once considered part of the rotation of the future. Now, he’s trying to contribute in any way he can.

“My goal right now is just to help the team to win games,” Lopez said through a translator. “It doesn’t matter what role. Whatever spot they want to use me, I know I have to perform and do the best that I can do. I’m not looking to be a starter or reliever; just looking to help this team in whatever role they need me.”

Optioned on March 22, Lopez had spent the entire season in Charlotte, compiling a 1-6 record and 7.62 ERA. But the Sox still brought him back, and he threw two scoreless innings Friday in his 2021 debut and could work during Monday’s doubleheader.

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Despite desire to start, Kopech embracing bullpen roleBrian Sandalowon July 18, 2021 at 5:35 pm Read More »

Blackhawks protect 11 players for NHL expansion draft, leave Nikita Zadorov exposedBen Popeon July 18, 2021 at 2:39 pm

The Blackhawks’ 11-player protection list for the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft, released Sunday, surprisingly does not contain defenseman Nikita Zadorov.

Zadorov will thus headline the list of Hawks available for the new Seattle Kraken to choose from during Wednesday’s expansion draft. The Kraken will pick one player from each of the 30 other teams, excluding the Golden Knights.

The Hawks’ protection list is as follows:

Forwards (7): Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Alex DeBrincat, Dylan Strome, Brandon Hagel, Henrik Borgstrom, David Kampf

Defensemen (3): Connor Murphy, Riley Stillman, Caleb Jones

Goaltender (1): Kevin Lankinen

Players with two or fewer professional seasons — a group which includes forwards Kirby Dach, Dominik Kubalik, Lukas Reichel, Pius Suter and Philipp Kurashev and defensemen Adam Boqvist, Ian Mitchell, Wyatt Kalynuk and Nicolas Beaudin — are automatically exempted from the expansion draft. Forward Alex Nylander was also given a special exemption by the NHL.

That leaves Zadorov and fellow defenseman Calvin de Haan, forwards Adam Gaudette and Ryan Carpenter and goalie Malcolm Subban as the logical Hawks options for Kraken general manager Ron Francis.

Hawks general manager Stan Bowman’s decision to protect both the newly extended Stillman and newly acquired Jones over Zadorov was unexpected. Even as a restricted free agent reportedly asking for a big payday, Zadorov — acquired from the Avalanche last fall for the hefty price of Brandon Saad — still holds significant trade value.

Ryan Graves, a 6-6, defense-first, 26-year-old, second-pairing defenseman just like Zadorov, was traded from the Avs to Devils last week for the sizable reward of a second-round pick and borderline prospect, setting a potential market price for Zadorov. But the Hawks could now lose Zadorov for nothing or be forced to give up additional assets in a side deal to persuade the Kraken to pick someone else.

Among the forwards, the final spot likely came down to a decision between Kampf and Gaudette, with the Hawks ultimately favoring familiarity.

Gaudette, another RFA, could be a clever pick for the Kraken, though. After a deadline trade from the Canucks, he impressed in his late-season Hawks stint by scoring four points in seven games, and he could be poised for a breakout with his long-running digestive disorder finally under control.

Meanwhile, if the Kraken aim higher on their selections from other teams and simply want a steady depth presence from the Hawks, Carpenter could make sense. If the Kraken need a third goalie to meet their minimum draft requirements, Subban could fit.

Around the league, other teams’ protection decisions demonstrated just how much the flat salary cap has altered NHL team-building, making good players on reasonable contracts often more valuable than star players on big contracts.

As a result, an array of big-name veterans with hefty cap hits — including Canadiens goalie Carey Price ($10.5 million cap hit), Predators forwards Matt Duchene and Ryan Johansen ($8 million each), Blues forward Vladamir Tarasenko ($7.5 million), Flyers forward James van Riemsdyk ($7 million), Flames defenseman Mark Giordano ($6.75 million), Ducks forward Adam Henrique ($5.825 million) and Islanders forwards Jordan Eberle ($5.5 million) and Josh Bailey ($5 million) — were left exposed.

The Kraken won’t be able to afford all of those players, however, and might flip some of the ones they do select to other teams in exchange for picks and prospects.

More affordable exposed options like Jets forward Mason Appleton ($900k), Penguins forward Zach Aston-Reese (an RFA), Red Wings defenseman Troy Stecher ($1.7 million), Bruins defenseman Jeremy Lauzon ($850k) and Wild goalie Kaapo Kahkonen ($725k) are considered very likely Kraken choices.

And one selection is already essentially locked in: UFA goalie Chris Driedger is expected to sign with the Kraken and be their de facto pick from the Panthers, TSN reported Saturday.

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Blackhawks protect 11 players for NHL expansion draft, leave Nikita Zadorov exposedBen Popeon July 18, 2021 at 2:39 pm Read More »

‘Space Jam’ dunks on ‘Black Widow’ to win weekend box officeLindsey Bahr | Associated Press Film Writeron July 18, 2021 at 5:55 pm

“Black Widow” ceded its No. 1 spot to an unlikely foe in its second week in theaters: The Tune Squad.

LeBron James, Bugs Bunny and the rest of the stars of Warner Bros.’ “Space Jam: A New Legacy” defied expectations and won the box office this weekend. According to studio estimates Sunday, “Space Jam: A New Legacy” grossed $31.7 million in North America, while “Black Widow” took in $26.3 million.

Not many expected “Space Jam: A New Legacy” to pull off this win. The poorly reviewed film was pegged for an opening in the $20 million range. But a sizable number of families and millennials who grew up with the original “Space Jam” left the house and went to a theater to see it, even though it’s currently streaming on HBO Max free for subscribers.

Not only that, audiences also gave the film a promising A- in CinemaScore polling, suggesting word of mouth could be strong.

“Space Jam: A New Legacy” is the largest pandemic opening for Warner Bros., which is significant since the studio in 2021 is releasing all its films simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max.

It’s also the largest domestic opening for a family film since the beginning of the pandemic. Warner Bros. said 32% of the audience was under 18, which is larger than usual. Most of the major family films that have come out during the pandemic — from “The Boss Baby: Family Business” to “Raya and the Last Dragon” — have opened well under $20 million. But audiences of all ages turned out for the new “Space Jam.”

“It shows that families have waited for a movie that everyone can go to and that’s this movie,” said Jeff Goldstein, Warner Bros.’ head of domestic distribution. “It’s just a fun movie for the family.”

“Black Widow,” meanwhile fell 67% in its second weekend, which, although steep, is also fairly normal for superhero films, which tend to have frontloaded audiences. Internationally, the Scarlett Johansson-led film picked up another $29.9 million, bringing its global grosses to $264 million.

Last weekend, “Black Widow” became the highest grossing film of the pandemic. Disney also surprised many in the industry by revealing its first weekend profits from the movie’s streaming rentals. Rental grosses were not provided this week, however.

This weekend also saw the launch of “Escape Room: Tournament of Champions,” a sequel to the high-concept 2019 film. Sony is projecting that the film will gross $8.8 million over the weekend, which is actually better than the first film’s debut and in line with studio expectations.

“F9” took fourth place with $7.6 million. The “Fast & Furious” film has made $591.2 million globally to date. The fifth and sixth place spots also went to Universal films: “The Boss Baby: Family Business” with $4.7 million and “The Forever Purge,” with $4.1 million.

“A Quiet Place Part II,” which recently became available on Paramount+, is still doing good numbers into its eighth week in theaters. It added another $2.3 million, bringing its domestic total to $155 million.

The Anthony Bourdain documentary “Roadrunner” also did well this weekend, grossing around $1.9 million from 925 theaters, making it the top grossing specialty debut of the year.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. “Space Jam: A New Legacy,” $31.7 million.

2. “Black Widow,” $26.3 million.

3. “Escape Room: Tournaments of Champions,” $8.8 million.

4. “F9,” $7.6 million.

5. “The Boss Baby: The Family Business,” $4.7 million.

6. “The Forever Purge,” $4.2 million.

7. “A Quiet Place Part II,” $2.3 million.

8. “Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain,” $1.9 million.

9. “Cruella,” $1.1 million.

10. “Pig,” $945,000.

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‘Space Jam’ dunks on ‘Black Widow’ to win weekend box officeLindsey Bahr | Associated Press Film Writeron July 18, 2021 at 5:55 pm Read More »

The Tough Talk has Stopped/ The Mass Shootings and Killings CONTINUE/ Chicago Leads The Nationon July 18, 2021 at 5:36 pm

JUST SAYIN

The Tough Talk has Stopped/ The Mass Shootings and Killings CONTINUE/ Chicago Leads The Nation

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The Tough Talk has Stopped/ The Mass Shootings and Killings CONTINUE/ Chicago Leads The Nationon July 18, 2021 at 5:36 pm Read More »

Teatro ZinZanni revives Loop theater with laughs, thrills and a slo-mo pieCatey Sullivan – For the Sun-Timeson July 18, 2021 at 4:50 pm

It didn’t take long Thursday night at Teatro ZinZanni for The Caesar — a.k.a. the dinner theater production’s emcee/ringmaster/clown-in-chief — to get loud about the return of in-person, live theater to Chicago’s Loop.

Three times, the last with the audience roaring along, The Caesar (Frank Ferrante) roared toward the heavens: “We are here!” Part battle cry, part defiant declaration, all unbridled exuberance, it was a fittingly raucous and celebratory moment.

When: Open run

Where: Cambria Hotel, 32 W. Randolph

Tickets: $119 – $189 (includes dinner; drinks extra)

Run-time: 2 hours and 40 minutes, including two intermissions

Info: zinzanni.com/Chicago

Well, as celebratory as one can get with COVID-19’s lethal variants lurking who-knows-where. Although the ZinZanni press materials say that all audience members and performers must be vaccinated, nobody affiliated with the production checked with patrons as they entered the show’s grand Spiegeltent on the 14th floor of the Cambria Hotel for opening night — the first the Loop has hosted since the lockdown last March. Two friends of mine were quickly moved to another table after they found out they’d been seated with an unvaccinated couple in the near-capacity, 300-person dining room where the show is punctuated by a meal created by the Goddess and Grocer’s Debbie Sharpe. Opening night, there weren’t many empty seats, nary a vestige of social distancing and few masks.

ZinZanni originally opened back in July 2019 only to fall victim, along with the rest of the theater world, to COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns the following year. Certain key elements — namely Ferrante and master clown/co-director Joe DePaul — remain intact. The rebooted and retooled acts are fantastically over-the-top and more than diverting enough to make you momentarily forget we’re emerging from a pandemic. Truly, there’s nothing like top-drawer aerial artists, contortionists, a one-person ode to King Kong, a golden chariot pulled by fluttering doves, a couple seducing each other with lettuce, and a pie floating in extreme slo-mo toward an unsuspecting Cleopatra to take your mind off your troubles.

Teatro ZinZanni's Duo 19 features aerialists Cassie Cutler and Oliver Parkinson.
Teatro ZinZanni’s Duo 19 features aerialists Cassie Cutler and Oliver Parkinson.
Provided

The aforementioned Spiegeltent is reminiscent of a lobby/bar/theater space serving decor that’s “Eyes Wide Shut” by way of Liberace’s mansion and a Moulin Rouge floor show. With RuPaul’s “Sissy That Walk” featured prominently in the preshow music, the champagne bar, the regular bar and a gift shop selling pricey tiaras take on the feel of a catwalk.

There are kinks, so to speak, during the nearly three-hour production directed by ZinZanni founder Norm Langill, with Ferrante joining DePaul as a co-director.

The biggest issue: Way. Too. Much. Audience interaction. Non-professionals, a.k.a. people you wouldn’t pay to see, take up about 20 minutes of stage time. A bit involving a dance-off among three audience members has a great denouement, but it was a long, repetitious time coming. Audience interaction inevitably brings out some himbo who thinks they’re funnier than the professionals and while Ferrante is a master at breaking the fourth wall, (“You look like every Republican senator I’ve ever met.”), he resorted to shouting “SIT THE HELL DOWN” when a guy in front didn’t get the directive the first few times.

The irritants fade when the performers get the spotlight. The plot is incidental: We’re in The Caesar’s restaurant, where Cleopatra has decided to hang out after 2,000 or so years in a sarcophagus.

As The Caesar and Marco Antonio (DePaul) bombastically extol the beauty of Cleopatra (Storm Marrero), she emerges from the tomb, a royal for the ages. When Marrero launches into “Sympathy for the Devil,” it sounds like the music is welling up from somewhere ancient, an offering from the Gods of Belt. Marrero isn’t the only one with pipes. The single monikered Cunio boasts both an eerie falsetto and a rocker’s growl worthy of an arena, all while rocking six-inch ruby slippers.

Hula-hooping contortionist Vita Radionova turns centrifugal force into ethereal beauty as she morphs into a human slinky. Oliver Parkinson and Cassie Cutler (Duo 19) do a trapeze pas de deux to “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,” that is every bit as hallucinatory as you’d expect. Aerialist Lea Hinz and dancer Mickael Bajazet evoke old-time Hollywood with a delightfully Chaplinesque duet. A live, five-piece onstage band conducted by Bill Underwood adds intensity and drama to the acts.

The other area that needs work is the dining service. Our silverware arrived about 10 minutes after our entrees. By the time we had finished, the people sitting behind us hadn’t yet been served. Sharpe’s menu includes a choice of entrees, hummus and olives, Caesar salad and chocolate mousse; drinks and appetizers run $7 – $16.

The bit that leaves the biggest impression, however, belongs to DePaul, a clown worthy of Sir Toby Belch, or any other of Shakespeare’s magnificently foolish wits. It all starts as a random celebration of nonsense: There’s a shoe filled with celery, a to-the-skivvies striptease in a garbage can, a beheaded Barbie, a fleet of paper airplanes, a paper box. DePaul takes seemingly random lunacies and turns them into a one-person re-creation of one of the most iconic movie scenes of all time. When it suddenly comes into focus, you will be not only laughing, but outright guffawing and you won’t give a darn about missing silverware.

Catey Sullivan is a local freelance writer.

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Teatro ZinZanni revives Loop theater with laughs, thrills and a slo-mo pieCatey Sullivan – For the Sun-Timeson July 18, 2021 at 4:50 pm Read More »

Missing man, last seen in South ShoreSun-Times Wireon July 18, 2021 at 3:43 pm

A 90-year-old man who was last seen in South Shore on the South Side has been reported missing, according to Chicago police.

Charlie Dean was last seen about 4:30 p.m., getting onto the number 6 bus at 67th Street and Oglesby Avenue, headed north, police said. He may be in the downtown area.

Dean, who has dementia, is 5-foot-10, 190 pounds, with gray hair, brown eyes, and has a medium-brown complexion, police said.

He was last seen wearing a beige baseball hat, light blue checkered jacket and pants.

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Missing man, last seen in South ShoreSun-Times Wireon July 18, 2021 at 3:43 pm Read More »

Chicago Cubs Rumors: ESPN insider suggests Javier Baez to this teamRyan Heckmanon July 18, 2021 at 2:56 pm

Chicago Cubs (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
Chicago Cubs (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

Leading up to the 2021 MLB trade deadline, the Chicago Cubs have been one of the main teams which the league assumes could be enormous sellers.

Once atop the NL Central this season, the Cubs are now in no position to compete. Rather, the team will likely either retool for the immediate future, or even completely blow it up and begin a rebuild.

Two of the players likely to be dealt are closer Craig Kimbrel and third baseman Kris Bryant. While those two seem the most plausible candidates to be traded, the Cubs could also choose to part with a couple of other big names.

One of those names, shortstop Javier Baez, has been a staple in this Cubs lineup for quite a few years. But, with Baez’s contract up at the end of this year, the Cubs now must choose whether to deal him or try to lock him up long-term.

If the Chicago Cubs trade Javier Baez, one team out East seems to make sense according to an ESPN insider.

Buster Olney went on Sportscenter Sunday morning to talk about the New York Mets and their current situation with shortstop Francisco Lindor. Having been placed on the 10-day IL, Lindor originally looked like he could be back in a short time with an oblique injury.

However, Lindor said himself that this is more of a “week-to-week” injury than day-to-day. He may end up missing longer than just 10 days, and if that’s the case, the Mets will want some help.

Olney suggested that the Mets could bring in Baez to play shortstop until Lindor comes back, and then move him to either second or third base. Worst case scenario, Lindor’s oblique strain is more serious and it could threaten the rest of his regular season. If that was the case, having Baez there now becomes more than just short-term insurance. The Mets want to reach the postseason and make a run.

Currently 2.5 games up on the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East, the Mets have to make a move — or a couple — in order to have the best possible chance at holding down that top spot in the pennant race.

Baez has had a deceiving year thus far, with some unusually bad defense at times. At the plate, he’s struck out over one-third of the time. Yet, Baez is also batting .241 with 21 home runs, 57 RBI and 12 stolen bases.

Baez is still a threat at the plate and is absolutely still capable of providing top-notch defense. Whatever slump he’s found himself in fielding at times has to come to an end, and maybe a change of scenery helps with that type of lift.

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Chicago Cubs Rumors: ESPN insider suggests Javier Baez to this teamRyan Heckmanon July 18, 2021 at 2:56 pm Read More »

Daily Cubs Minors Recap: Davis doubles and homers; Roberts and Lugo continue putting up zeroes; Wick starts rehab; Ball debuts; Estrada still dominatingon July 18, 2021 at 3:10 pm

Cubs Den

Daily Cubs Minors Recap: Davis doubles and homers; Roberts and Lugo continue putting up zeroes; Wick starts rehab; Ball debuts; Estrada still dominating

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Daily Cubs Minors Recap: Davis doubles and homers; Roberts and Lugo continue putting up zeroes; Wick starts rehab; Ball debuts; Estrada still dominatingon July 18, 2021 at 3:10 pm Read More »

Man found fatally in suburban JolietSun-Times Media Wireon July 18, 2021 at 2:08 pm

A man was found fatally shot Saturday night in suburban Joliet, according to Joliet police.

About 9:40 p.m., police responded to calls of shots fired in at the Cantigny Post 367 VFW Hall, 826 Horseshoe Dr., and found a 40-year-old man who had been shot multiple times, Joliet police said.

The man was rushed to Amita St. Joseph Medical Center in Joliet, where he was pronounced dead, police said. His name had not yet been released.

Joliet police continue to investigate.

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Man found fatally in suburban JolietSun-Times Media Wireon July 18, 2021 at 2:08 pm Read More »