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Chicago’s 4th of July Weekend/ Who’s to Blame/ Let’s Play Point the finger/The Blame Game begins

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By BOB ANGONE,
today at 11:37 am

” WHOSE FAULT IS THIS”? THE SEARCH IS ON! CHICAGO’S LEADERS ARE LOOKING FOR A DONKEY TO PIN THE TAIL ON?

A wise person once said ” Playing the blame game is stupid and childish. Even if it is someone else’s fault the blame game is wasted time, effort, and energy. It takes you somewhere that’s not going to get you anywhere.”

Chicago’s politicians are off and running (their mouths as usual). What, you say? Come on! Somebody has to be responsible for 113 people being shot and 22 murdered over the holiday weekend. The victims included 3 cops and 2 federal agents shot down in a 3-day period along with several children. Instead of the usual suspects, guns, lack of jobs, Covid -19, Trump, the Federal Government, hell even the State of Indiana usually gets a regular bashing, the FINGER POINTS in another direction. Now they are turning on each other. Chicago’s police superintendent who some critics say couldn’t find an Asian at 22nd and Wentworth (China Town) aimed his FINGER at the Cook County States Attorney, the spectacularly incompetent Kim Foxx, he then turned his flamethrower on the Chief Judge Timothy Evans. “A SCAPEGOAT! A SCAPEGOAT! MY KINGDOM FOR A SCAPEGOAT” RICHARD THE III WOULD HAVE BEEN PROUD.

Of course, it’s frustrating to hear all the babbling about gun control and then see 98% of gun offenders released within 12 hours. Imagine being a cop, going to court in the morning after arresting felony gun offenders, and that afternoon rolling up on the same individuals in the same neighborhoods they were arrested in (smirks all around). Some with 2 and 3 pending arrests awaiting a disposition from a States Attorney that has released gun offenders by the thousands over the last few years. CHICAGO’S COPS CONFISCATED 12,000 GUNS IN 2020 AND THE NUMBER IS FAR MORE THIS YEAR AT THE SAME TIME. Below is just one example, but there are hundreds and hundreds more in Cook County.

Pain is the risk all cops take when we become cops, it’s unavoidable. For the millions of people in the country who avoid the unpleasant realities, life throws at them we have cops who take up the call. Death, violence, terror, mayhem, grief, you name it, cops are front and center. Sharing people’s worst days of their lives is all too common, it never becomes routine and it never does leave when the shift is over. The picture below is a pretty vivid depiction.

Somewhere lost in all the “COVER MY ASS” rhetoric the Politicians are bitch slapping each other over, is the ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM which for reasons beyond my comprehension goes unmentioned. READY-IT’S THE FU****G-GANGS FOLKS. It’s kinda on the par of TALKING ABOUT PEARL HARBOR AND NOT MENTIONING THE JAPANESE. Chicago has a Gang war playing out right in front of them every single day and nobody is mentioning them let alone doing something about it. Until the Feckless politicians come to grips with reality I’m afraid the violence will continue unabated. Confused, inept, delusional, clueless, and useless leadership continues to fail a city that is in dire need of help–.

Quit pointing the finger and either lead, follow, or get the hell out of the way. The Gangs are terrorizing a once great City and leaders need to look in the mirror and quit pointing the finger.

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Latest on ChicagoNow

• Chicago’s 4th of July Weekend/ Who’s to Blame/ Let’s Play Point the finger/The Blame Game begins

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Back in 2019, long before the world seemingly fell apart, the renowned Oak Park Festival Theatre decided to put on a production of “The Tempest,” one of Shakespeare’s greatest works, which tells a story of compassion and grace and forgiveness. Now, nearly two years and countless challenges later, the production finally is set to make its appearance on stage in 2021.

And perhaps, it has never been more timely.

“I feel like so much of Prospero’s journey in the play is what we are going through at this very moment,” explains Barbara Zahora, director of “The Tempest” and artistic director of Oak Park Festival Theatre, of the production’s lead character. “We have collectively been through something that has been traumatizing and, in some cases, made us full of rage and even vengeful. I think it’s going to be kind of cool to lean in and watch someone else dealing with the exact same thing.”

Zahora is the first to admit that over the course of the tumultuous months of the pandemic, she and her team questioned if they should move forward with “The Tempest.”

“We asked ourselves if we should change what we were doing since the world was changing so much,” Zahora remembers. “With the murder of George Floyd, the world was starting to look inward and at who they were and how they were dealing with harmful practices. But for us, ‘The Tempest’ just kept resonating. [Pauses] I think we got the right show. I think we’ve got the right people. We just needed to wait for the right time.”

And that time is now.

“It is joy … It is sheer joy,” gushes Zahora as preparations continue for the production that will begin on July 17. “I mean, yes, part of it is terrifying because it’s been a while and we’ve got some other factors in play as a result of the pandemic that we’ve never dealt with before. And then there’s a little added pressure when you’re one of the first out of the box and you want to make sure you make it better than what people have been watching on Netflix.”

It’s been nearly 18 months since audiences have been able to witness live theater. And for the actors, actresses, stagehands and lighting people whose passion was taken away from them like a thief in the night, this experience is being met with more excitement than trepidation.

“I just love this play mostly because it deals with one of the most difficult things that human beings have to do, which is forgiveness,” explains actor Kevin Theis, who plays the powerful wizard Prospero. “For me, the hardest thing that a person could ask of themselves is to forgive someone who is intentionally hurting you. But Prospero does it, and to me, it’s the most important part of the story.”

The production will serve as the first time a socially distanced audience will get to gather for an Oak Park Festival Theatre production since the pandemic began. (Note: Unvaccinated audience members are required to wear a mask when moving about the park, and socially distanced seating “pods” will be featured. Check the theater website for updates on protocols.) And for Zahora, the moment is sure to bring a sense of healing for everyone on the stage, and off.

“There’s something about being able to share something with a group of people at the same time,” says Zahora, who was able to bring back nearly 80% of the cast and creative team that had already been established back in 2019. “You can’t replace it. I feel like every day I’m dealing with like a new idea or new change just because of the changeability of the world.”

Adds Thies, “Then you add the elements that come from doing the production outdoors. The wind is blowing and there’s clouds overhead and it’s as if God becomes a scene partner.”

One thing that the pandemic hasn’t changed is “that moment,” the goosebump-inducing piece of every production that reminds us all why we thrive on live theater.

“There are many amazing things that happen in the course of the production, but toward the end, there’s a moment where we take it all away,” expresses Zahora. “And I kind of want to see what happens with our actors and the audience when there is a stripping away of what we no longer need. And it’s so beautifully written in the text, where we’re literally walking the circle of magic backwards, and I can’t wait to see what happens. I just can’t wait.”

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SURFSIDE, Fla. — The search for victims of the collapse of a Miami-area high-rise condominium reached its 14th day on Wednesday, as workers uncovered 10 more bodies from the rubble and officials sounded more and more grim about the prospects of finding anyone alive.

Miami-Dade Assistant Fire Chief Raide Jadallah broke the discovery of the additional bodies and human remains to family members in a private briefing Wednesday morning. The death toll now stands at 46.

The latest retrieval reflects what rescue officials have said would be a ramped-up pace of work throughout the debris field after the remaining portion of the condo building was demolished Sunday night.

Crews “did some significant removal of the pile,” Jadallah said. “They were able to get down to various areas to inspect.”

Jadallah also reported the somber news that so far no new “voids” have been discovered in the areas that became accessible for the first time after the demolition. Rescuers had hoped to find new pockets where there might potentially be survivors.

Still, Jadallah told families the work continues to be a search and rescue operation and has not yet transitioned to a recovery mode.

“We’re not there yet,” he said.

No one has been rescued from the site since the first hours after the building collapsed on June 24 when many of its residents were asleep.

Workers on Tuesday dug through pulverized concrete where the Champlain Towers South building in Surfside once stood, filling buckets that were passed down a line to be emptied and then returned.

The up-close look at the search, in a video released Tuesday by the Miami-Dade County Fire Rescue Department, came as eight more deaths were announced — until Wednesday, the most for a single day since the search began. It also came as rain and wind from Tropical Storm Elsa disrupted the effort.

“Unfortunately, we are not seeing anything positive,” county fire chief Alan Cominsky said Tuesday night, referring to workers not finding any open spaces within the mounds of rubble where additional survivors might be found.

Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said Tuesday that the families of the missing were preparing for news of “tragic loss.” She said President Joe Biden, who visited the area last week, called on Tuesday to offer his continued support.

“I think everybody will be ready when it’s time to move to the next phase,” she said.

Reporters got their closest in-person look at the site Tuesday, though it was limited to the portion of the building that workers tore down Sunday after the initial collapse left it standing but dangerously unstable. A pile of shattered concrete and twisted steel stood about 30 feet (9 meters) high and spanned roughly half the length of a football field. A pair of backhoes pulled rubble off the pile, which blocked any view of the search effort.

Severe weather from Elsa hindered search efforts to a degree. Lightning forced rescuers to pause their work for two hours early Tuesday, Jadallah said. And winds of 20 mph (32 kph), with stronger gusts, hampered efforts to move heavy debris with cranes, officials said.

Crews have removed 124 tons (112 metric tons) of debris from the site, Cominsky said. The debris was being sorted and stored in a warehouse as potential evidence in the investigation into why the building collapsed, officials said.

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Lanes were closed on the Dan Ryan Expressway Wednesday morning after a reported shooting near 91st Street.

The incident happened about 9:17 a.m. in the northbound lanes of Interstate 94 between 95th and 91st streets, according to preliminary information from Illinois State Police.

No injuries have been reported, state police said.

All northbound lanes are shut down for the investigation.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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■ My friend Pat Finn always reminds me what the audition was for Cheers: I needed to look like a guy who wanted to have another beer.

■ Norm is just me with better writing. There were hundreds, if not thousands, of actors who could have delivered on the absolute gems that I was handed on a silver platter every Wednesday morning.

■ I prided myself on going out and not worrying about being recognized. I thought, If Jack Nicholson can do it, we can all do it. I remember I was at an Oakland A’s—White Sox game. We were sitting on the right field line, and around the seventh inning I had to pee. I had to walk up about 20 rows to get to the restrooms. People were like, “Oh my God!” and cheering and clapping. After the game, I went to say hi to one of the players, Steve Lyons, and he said, “Did you see that fight in the right field stands?” I said, “No, I didn’t.” He said there were cops and a whole bunch of people rushing over. On the train back, I went, Oh, fuck, that was me.

■ I was only too happy to be one of the faces of beer. I used to run into Ed McMahon now and then. He was the Anheuser-Busch guy for probably 30 years. I said, “Dude, I’m a heartbeat away from your contract.”

■ When I was home from school the summer of 1966, I needed a job. So my mom made a few calls, and I got hired at the Daily News. I started in the wire room. It was an eventful summer with Martin Luther King Jr. here, the Cicero march, the Richard Speck murders. My shift was from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., and I was a jack-of-all-trades. I’d run out to the Billy Goat to get the most god-awful lunches for everybody. When the proofreading ladies went to lunch, I’d sit where they sat and do the proofreading. And before Royko got in each day, around noon, I had to clear out all the coffee cups and cigarette butts from his office. The next June, I met with Sun-Times editor Emmett Dedmon. He looked at me with scorn and said, “Why should I hire you?” I thought and thought and thought and said, “Because my grandfather used to work here?” And he goes, “Get out of here!” I spent that summer on a Pepsi truck.

■ The night before my Second City audition, I got beat up in a bar near Sox Park. We had parked at 33rd and Princeton and, after the game, thought, Let’s get a drink and let traffic die down. We were sitting there when this one guy punched a friend of mine and knocked him off the barstool. We all stood up like, What the hell? We didn’t know there were a bunch of other guys lurking. I was lucky to get away without serious injury. I had a swollen face and a cut on my head that bled quite a bit. It wasn’t a good look for my audition.

■ When my pals and I got into Second City, it was right when Saturday Night Live hit. We cruised into this sweet spot where we didn’t have to build an audience. The place was packed with 330 people eight shows a week. When I got demoted after a year, I was crushed, but it made me reexamine myself. It was my first “What? They don’t like me?” Which made me think, Well, I guess I’m an actor. Because that had never really occurred to me.

■ Playing Edna Turnblad in Hairspray on Broadway was a blast. It was one of my two favorite roles, apart from Norm. Absolute utter joy and entirely different from anything in my world. Old friends from college would come see it and go, “Jesus Christ,” because I had seven song-and-dance numbers. Mind you, my dances were choreographed for an obese middle-aged man, but it was plenty. Everyone says, “How’d you dance in those high heels?” They were the best shoes I’ve ever had. I had like four fittings with a little old Italian cobbler. My back never felt better than when I wore them.

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Summer is in full swing and concerts are back in action! With so many artists booking shows in Chicago this summer, you’re not going to want to miss any. From rap and hip hop to alternative, funk, oldies, and more, this summer is primed to be a triumphant return for live music in the Windy City. To make your search easier, we’ve put together a roundup of concerts happening in Chicago this July.

Tyga

July 16 and 17, 8:00 PM

Radius | 640 W Cermak Road

For more information and tickets, visit this link.

Funtcase

July 16, 9:30 PM

Concord Music Hall | 2051 N Milwaukee Ave

For more information and tickets, visit this link.

Bryce Vine

July 24, 12:00 PM

Anita Dee Yacht Charters | 200 N Breakwater Access

For more information and tickets, visit this link.

All Time Low

July 28, 7:00 PM

Bottom Lounge | 1375 W Lake St

For more information and tickets, visit this link.

Dayglow

July 28, 7:30 PM

Lincoln Hall | 2424 N Lincoln Ave

For more information and tickets, visit this link.

James Taylor

July 29, 7:30 PM

United Center | 1901 W Madison St

For more information and tickets, visit this link.

Limp Bizkit

July 29, 11:00 PM

Metro | 3730 N Clark St

For more information and tickets, visit this link.

$UICIDEBOY$

July 29, 10:00 PM

House of Blues | 329 N Dearborn St

For more information and tickets, visit this link.

Jack Harlow

July 29, 11:00 PM

Vic Theatre | 3145 N Sheffield Ave

For more information and tickets, visit this link.

Young the Giant

July 30, 10:00 PM

House of Blues | 329 N Dearborn St

For more information and tickets, visit this link.

Post Animal

July 30, 11:00 PM

Sleeping Village | 3734 W Belmont Ave

For more information and tickets, visit this link.

Mt. Joy

July 30, 11:00 PM

Thalia Hall | 1807 S Allport St

For more information and tickets, visit this link.

Band of Horses

July 31, 10:00 PM

Metro | 3730 N Clark St

For more information and tickets, visit this link.

Modest Mouse

July 31, 11:00 PM

Vic Theatre | 3145 N Sheffield Ave

For more information and tickets, visit this link.

The Front Bottoms

July 31, 10:00 PM

Lincoln Hall | 2424 N Lincoln Ave

For more information and tickets, visit this link.

JPEGMAFIA

July 31, 11:00 PM

Sleeping Village | 3734 W Belmont Ave

For more information and tickets, visit this link.

Are you going to a show that’s not on the list and think we missed it? Drop us a comment and tell us who we need to go see this July! You can also check out this extensive list of Lollapalooza After shows.

Photo by Louis Comar on Unsplash

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Small Business Blog

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Avoiding an ADA Lawsuit: What You Need to Know

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By Martin Banks,
today at 10:09 am

When it comes to running a business there are so many different factors to consider. Keeping your employees happy should be a top priority. Some workers require special accommodations to access and move around the office. To prevent them from filing an ADA lawsuit, you need to be aware of their unique challenges.

What is an ADA lawsuit?

ADA stands for Americans with Disabilities Act. The ADA  allows people with disabilities to sue public places that don’t provide equal access. They file these claims through the federal court system. Investigations into ADA violations can also be filed through the Justice Department.

The ADA doesn’t permit plaintiffs to collect monetary damages. However, they receive compensation through the payment of attorney fees. If the Department of Justice sues you, you won’t have to pay their attorneys fees. However, if you lose, you may have to pay compensatory relief or civil penalties.

How to Prevent One

California and Florida have the highest number of ADA cases. In 2017, California accounted for 2,933 of the ADA filings of the 4,961 across the nation. This might have been because California state law allows a plaintiff to add a monetary claim for damages.

To ensure your business is protected, here are some steps you can take to avoid an ADA lawsuit.

1.  Start With Your Parking Lot

Before you even evaluate the inside of your building, consider the exterior. Make sure your parking lot has the correct number of accessible parking spots with proper signage. For example, if you have 26 to 50 parking spaces, you need at least two accessible parking spots. These parking spaces need to be located as close to the main entrance as possible and on level ground.

Also, ensure your sidewalks are compliant with ADA guidelines. You may need to add a ramp leading into the main entrance for wheelchair access.

2.  Have an Accessible Route to Your Front Entrance

Make sure all paths to the entrance are free from any excess slopes, steps or steep ramps. You want to ensure people with disabilities can easily maneuver the route. Also, make sure your doors are wide enough to allow wheelchairs to pass through effortlessly.

Keep in mind at least 60% of public entrances in newly built construction need to be accessible. Some features of accessibility include communication systems and signage.

3.  Check Your Entryways

Your entryway must comply with multiple ADA standards. These include measurements for clearance, types of door surfaces, and landing features. For example, your door must provide at least 32 inches of clear width. This is measured between the face of the door and the opposite stop.

Following these guidelines can help you to prevent a drive-by lawsuit. This is when a person notices a violation when driving by the exterior of the building.

4. Measure Your Bathrooms

Public restrooms are essential places to make sure you follow all ADA requirements. Some common guidelines address the proper height of coat hooks, paper towels dispensers, and mirrors. Also, watch out for any unwrapped pipes or misplaced handle grab bars.

The ADA requires you to place grab bars at the back and side of toilet fixtures. Other bathroom guidelines include easy-to-use flush controls and enough space to navigate a wheelchair.

5. Ask a Professional

If you’re unsure if your business meets ADA requirements, check with a professional. They can come up with a cost-efficient plan to help you comply with the guidelines. The ability to prevent a lawsuit outweighs the price of hiring an ADA consultant.

To find the right one, make sure they are up to date on the latest regulations. Also, look into their experience and ask for references. You want to ensure they have a plan to increase your ADA compliance. This plan may consist of:

• Conducting a site audit
• Identify the needs of those affected by vision impairments
• Understanding changes that need to be made and how to implement them
• Testing the site after adjustments have been made
• Setting up an ongoing monitoring system

How to Prevent an ADA LawSuit

It is essential your office space can accommodate everyone, especially those with disabilities. This way, you can prevent any unexpected lawsuits. Follow these steps to ensure your company’s workplace is accessible for all employees and complies with ADA standards.

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Latest on ChicagoNow

• Avoiding an ADA Lawsuit: What You Need to Know

  from Small Business Blog by Martin Banks
  posted today at 10:09 am

• A Coincidental Conversation about Rollercoasters, Shirt Cardboards and Walt Disney with former Imagineer Jim Shull

  from Where Are We Going So Fast? by James Warda
  posted today at 9:42 am

• Daily Cubs Minors Recap: Brennen Davis doubles three times; Velazquez homers again, and Byrd delivers walk-off single in South Bend come from behind victory

  from Cubs Den by Michael Ernst
  posted today at 9:12 am

• Becoming Jane at the Field Museum explores the life and legacy of Jane Goodall

  from Show Me Chicago by Carole Kuhrt Brewer
  posted today at 8:58 am

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NEW YORK — For “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, the inspirations for art and philanthropy are inextricably linked.

On Wednesday, Miranda is announcing a series of donations to organizations that serve immigrants, whose experiences are central to the new film version of his hit Broadway musical “In the Heights.”

“For me,” Miranda told The Associated Press, “philanthropy and artistic inspiration kind of come from the same place.”

He is forever drawn to what he calls “the things that don’t leave you alone.” Immigration, he said, is both a passion and a foundational element of his work.

“In the Heights,” he noted, centers on immigrants from the Caribbean and Latin America living in New York City. And “Hamilton,” he said, “is sort of the proto-immigrant story.”

“I think I am in awe of people who can make an impossible leap to leave everything they know behind and start a new life here,” he said. “And I think it’s one of the great things about our country.”

In honor of the Fourth of July, the Miranda Family Fund awarded a total of $225,000 in grants to immigrant rights groups and policy reform advocates throughout the country. The recipients are Arizona’s Pima County Justice for All, California’s Coalition for Human Rights Los Angeles, Colorado Immigration Rights Coalition, Michigan’s Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services, Texas’ Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center, Utah Refugee Connection, Asian Americans Advancing Justice in Washington, and both Alianza for Progress and Orlando Center for Justice in Florida.

Luis Miranda Jr., Lin-Manuel’s father and co-founder of the MirRam Group, a political consulting firm that has worked on campaigns for Democratic Sens. Hillary Clinton, Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, said all the recipients were recommended by friends of the family in the field of immigration.

It was important to the Mirandas to make the grants unrestricted, so the money would go to “whatever the organization believes is important,” Luis said. “It’s going to make a difference.”

“They know what they need,” Lin-Manuel added.

Though the Miranda Family Fund has been active for years in donations to the arts community, especially arts education, the donations announced Wednesday mark a new direction.

The fight for immigrants’ rights became a much larger part of the film version of “In the Heights” than it was in the musical that opened on Broadway in 2008. Lin-Manuel said the idea to make the character of Sonny a DREAMer, an undocumented immigrant who has Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status, came from Quiara Alegria Hudes, who wrote the screenplay.

“Immigration was on the front page in a totally different way in the past few years,” Lin-Manuel said. “So in updating it, it sort of only made sense to make that a part of the conversation because that is part of the conversation here uptown in our communities. And so what’s so brilliant about Quiara’s choice to make Sonny struggle with his undocumented status is that he’s the most New Yorkian character. He’s the one who said, ‘If I had $96,000, I would fix my neighborhood.’ “

Luis added that they had that character in mind in choosing the organizations to help.

“It’s to make sure that we continue to help those organizations that are helping people like Sonny — refugees, immigrants, people who are coming and are trying to figure out how to make it here,” he said.

Lin-Manuel said that highlighting the story of an undocumented immigrant was important to him.

“I think that’s one of the things art can do that headlines can’t always do,” he said. “Now, you feel like, you know someone who’s going through this. You know Sonny, and it just it goes into your bloodstream in a different way.”

He said the donations are another way of demonstrating support.

“We’re at our best when we’re celebrating our promise,” Lin-Manuel said. “So many people come here from all over the world because of this promise that we export — and that we so often fall short of. If you work hard, there is a possibility of a better life. We want to help the organizations that help to make that possible for folks who make that journey.”

Lin-Manuel said it’s vital to showcase both the successes and the struggles of being an immigrant.

“The trick is not to look at it through rose-colored glasses, but through really clear eyeglasses,” he said. “It’s always something that we can be working on, always something we can do better.”

He holds his own work to that idea as well. The release of the movie version of “In the Heights” created controversy because there were no dark-skinned, Afro-Latino characters in the film’s lead roles. Lin-Manuel issued an apology and promised “to do better in my future projects.”

“Every time you make a frame, you hear from the folks who say, ‘Hey, I’m not in the frame’,” he said. “I take that learning with me to the next project. But I also know, because I live here, how proud this neighborhood is of this movie. Afro-Latinos and Latinos of every shade and how seen they feel and I can understand what I can do better next time. I’m holding space for all of it. I think that’s the only way to grow as an artist. ‘Hamilton’ got criticism. Everything I do gets criticism. And I can take it and I can grow from it.”

“You have to understand I started writing ‘In the Heights’ because I didn’t feel seen,” he continued. “So I am also hoping that someone is going to see ‘In the Heights’ and say, ‘That wasn’t my story’ and write their own. I would be thrilled by that.”

One thing that is not on Lin-Manuel’s mind, though, is returning to “Hamilton,” which is set to reopen on Broadway on Sept. 14. Theorists were noticing Lin-Manuel’s longish hair recently and wondered whether he was planning a return to the Tony award-winning smash.

He’s not. And he cut off his hair to prove it, which Luis happily tweeted out.

“I have three more movies coming out this year, right?” said Lin-Manuel, referring to the animated “Vivo” out this summer, Disney’s “Encanto” this fall and his directorial debut “Tick, Tick… Boom.” “I don’t have the bandwidth to jump back in the show.”

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Windy City Smokeout, the nation’s premier outdoor country music and BBQ festival, will return to Chicago on July 8-11, 2021, outside the iconic United Center. Hosted by popular barbecue joint, Bub City, and ACM award-winning, Joe’s Bar, Windy City Smokeout will feature live performances from country music’s biggest names and up-and-coming talent plus the best BBQ and craft beer from around the country. If you’re a country music lover like myself, this event is a must-go. There will be some iconic country artists as well as some new talent that you won’t want to miss. Enjoy some classic modern country music and good food. With that, here are five artists we can’t wait to see at Windy City Smokeout this weekend. 

1. Cody Canada and The Departed  

The Departed is an American rock band formed in 2011 by Cody Canada, the former lead vocalist and guitarist for Cross Canadian Ragweed after that band broke up in 2010. The band currently consists of Canada, Jeremy Plato, and Eric Hansen.

2. Lainey Wilson

Lainey Wilson is an American country music artist. Signed to BBR Music Group, she has released two singles, including “Things a Man Oughta Know”. A must-see.

3. Morgan Evans 

Absolutely love his music. A definite must-see. And if he performs this song, you’re lucky. Morgan John Evans is an Australian country music singer and songwriter. He released a self-titled debut studio album in March 2014, which peaked at number 20 on the ARIA Albums Chart. In 2019, he won the ARIA Award for Best Country Album for his second studio album, Things That We Drink To.

4. Brett Eldredge (duh)

I don’t think I need to even give you background info on Brett Eldridge. We all know who he is, and it’s just a no-brainer. 

5. Ross Ellis 

Ross was born and raised in the small town of Monterey, Louisiana. At fifteen years old, he started the band, “Wayside” with his cousin and some high school friends. The band gained a strong following throughout Ross’s high school and college years, playing venues across Louisiana and Mississippi.

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Becoming Jane at the Field Museum explores the life and legacy of Jane Goodall

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By Carole Kuhrt Brewer,
today at 8:58 am

Perhaps best known for her groundbreaking work with chimpanzees, Dr. Jane Goodall revolutionized the way scientists study the natural world challenging how people picture scientists, both in terms of research techniques and gender roles in the field.

A special exhibit, Becoming Jane: The Evolution of Dr. Jane Goodall, at the Field Museum explores her life from her early years as an intrepid young woman with a dream to learn about animals in Africa, to her years establishing herself as a renowned scientist in Gombe National Park, Tanzania, to her present role as an activist, mentor and advocate for creating a better world for all life on Earth.

“Becoming Jane gives such a personal look at Dr. Goodall,” says Jaap Hoogstraten, the Field Museum’s director of exhibitions. “She’s a figure that’s changed the way that we see animals and inspired countless people to help protect our planet, and we’re excited to bring her story, and some of her personal belongings, to the Field.”

Photo by Hugo Van Lawick, Jane Goodall Institute

Widely known for her innovative approach to animal behavior research, Dr. Goodall traveled to what is now Tanzania’s Gombe Stream National Park and immersed herself in the natural habitat of wild chimpanzees.

Her work studying the lives of chimpanzees in the wild captured the imagination of the world. Rather than seeing the animals as subjects, she came to know them as individuals with personalities and emotions—a notion once rejected by the scientific world, yet now considered revolutionary. Her story—one of fearless determination, curiosity, the pursuit of knowledge and a passionate love of the natural world—has resonated with generations of people around the globe.

Highlights

Highlights of the exhibition include some of Dr. Goodall’s childhood belongings, including a beloved stuffed monkey, interspersed with stories about her as a budding naturalist, studying a chicken coop at age four.

The exhibition also features augmented reality interactives that invite visitors to try their hand at chimpanzee vocalizations, a hologram-like projection of Dr. Goodall sharing her memories of living among the chimpanzees, and a replica of her field research tent.

The exhibit

What: The Field’s newest exhibition, Becoming Jane: The Evolution of Dr. Jane Goodall

Where: Field Museum, 1400 S DuSable Lake Shore Drive, Chicago

When: The exhibition runs now through September 6, 2021, presented in English and with a Spanish translation booklet

Admission: included with the museum upgraded ticket

About Dr. Jane Goodall

Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace, is an iconic voice for holistic, compassionate, and sustainable solutions. Through her global advocacy as an ethologist and environmentalist, she is shaping attitudes and policy on issues ranging from human rights to the climate crisis, and inspiring action through the power of hope.

Jane Goodall was born on April 3^rd, 1934, in London, England. At the age of 26, Jane followed her passion for wildlife and Africa to Gombe, Tanzania. There, under the mentorship of paleoanthropologist Dr. Louis Leakey, she began her landmark study of chimpanzees in the wild. Her revelatory observation in 1960 that chimpanzees make and use tools rocked the scientific landscape and forever redefined our understanding of the relationship between humans and other animals.  

In 1977, Dr. Goodall established the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI), a global community-led conservation, research, and animal welfare organization to advance her vision of a better future for all. In 1991, Dr. Goodall created Roots & Shoots, JGI’s international youth program, now active in more than 60 countries, to develop the compassionate changemakers our world needs.  

From scientist to world-renowned activist, Jane has been a leader in the community-led conservation and animal welfare movements for decades.   

Filed under:
Exhibitions, Field Museum.

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