I was horrified by a letter in Thursday’s Sun-Times in which a reader, a former Chicago police officer, suggests that the police resume a policy of stop and frisk. This is a policy that gives the police the authority to stop and search anyone in relation to a crime based on nothing more than an officer’s suspicions.

New York City enacted such a policy in the 1990s. Not only is the data too murky to suggest that it had any sort of positive impact, but a majority of those stopped and frisked were people of color, who already were suffering from high rates of police brutality and corruption.

If the police want the communities they patrol to trust them once again, giving them more power to abuse is the wrong way to go.

Jae Celer-Robling, Oak Park

Mayor Lightfoot deflects blame

As a Black man, longtime Chicago resident and former Chicago cop, I am offended at Mayor Lori Lightfoot saying 99% of the criticism of her performance is because she’s a Black woman. Please. We don’t hear nonstop criticism of Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and last I checked she, too, is a Black woman.

Lightfoot is criticized because she is ineffective. Crime is up, the city is deteriorating, people (like me) are moving, and schools are failing as the Chicago Teachers Union dominates her and gets what it wants.

To blame criticism on her race or gender is ridiculous. It’s like a magician trying to distract us with a shiny object. Mayor Lightfoot needs to look in the mirror and own it, or get out the way.

Malcolm Montgomery, Hammond

Chicago gets it right with Ida B. Wells

What a beautiful new monument for Ida B. Wells. Why couldn’t we have done something like that for Jean Baptiste Point DuSable and not messed with Lake Shore Drive? Ridiculous!

Virginia Dare McGraw, Naperville

Mexican Art Museum a true treasure

Yes, as a Sun-Times editorial pointed out this week, the National Museum of Mexican Art in Pilsen is a wonderful place. About ten years ago, we took relatives there who were visiting from New York and it was a fantastic discovery. Then we found a luncheonette in the neighborhood and enjoyed Mexican food together. (I always say there’s no Mexican food in New York City, or at least there was not when I was growing up there.)

Thank you to MacKenzie Scott, the philanthropist who recently gave the museum $8 million, and to all the wonderful museum staff

Emily Carroll, Lincoln Park

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A deer snorted behind the phragmites hiding the other shore as evening settled Sunday at Mazonia State Fish and Wildlife Area.

I snorted back. I couldn’t help myself.

I have learned to do a passable enough deer snort through the years that the deer and I spent the next five minutes snorting back and forth as it worked east along the other shore.

The deer never showed itself.

Experiences such as that one are part of why Mazonia is my great nearby getaway. It helps that it is a short drive for me.

Too many people don’t know the Illinois Department of Natural Resources has a public site near them. Virtually every county has a site. They are places to clear your head, not just visit on July 4.

I am working my way through all the sites on the IDNR’s ”All Parks” page (www2.illinois.gov/dnr/Parks/Pages/AllParks.aspx).

I’ve been to all the northeast sites, two-thirds of the northwest and east-central sites and half of the south sites. My weakness is west-central, where I’ve only been to a third of the sites.

Mazonia is a collection of 200-plus strip pits, from tiny water holes to serious lakes, in the southwest corner of Will County.

It’s where I clear my head.

It used to be easier to clear my head completely there. When the IDNR acquired the Mazonia South Unit in 1999, there was no cellphone service. That changed through the years — and I’m not sure if that is for the better. I enjoyed disappearing completely.

The other great draw of Mazonia is its variety, size and abundance of fish (redear, bluegills, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, gar, crappie, catfish, etc.).

I focused Sunday on the North Unit, starting with a small lake I knew. I wanted to catch 10 fish before switching to what I really wanted to do, which was wander around trying new lakes.

As I began casting, red-winged blackbirds trilled and rustled in the phragmites, a frog I couldn’t identify with certainty croaked and a turtle swam through a school of green sunfish and came up for air.

Dale Bowman

I caught six green sunfish and four bluegills within a half-hour on a tungsten jig and spikes or a small spinner.

With that, I began to explore. I couldn’t reach my first new lake because of growth, primarily phragmites. Mazonia needs serious work to control phragmites.

The second lake was so flooded that I needed my high rubber boots for wading. I wear rubber boots at Mazonia because it is notorious for ticks; my worst day was having two dozen on me. Since switching to high boots, I rarely come out with a tick. I missed the two bites I had.

As I was walking out, a couple of a certain age in a red roadster stopped to chat. They seemed at peace with each other and life, bringing me joy.

Two great blue herons squawked off as I hit my final lake, which had a flooded launch. High boots were useful again, and I waded along the flooded lip, fancasting. I plucked a white bass near a flooded trash can, which brought memories of the late Norm Minas and his feats of fishing flooded picnic tables. Another white bass came near a flooded tree.

Mazonia closes at sunset. Driving out in the dying light, a plethora of rabbits fed roadside and a doe bolted across in front of me.

It was time.

Taking back roads toward home, I savored fireflies over fields, lighting the night.

Dale Bowman

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Last week I wrote about some of the houses you can find amidst northwest Indiana’s hot housing market. So if we’re going a bit afield of Chicago, why not Wisconsin? It’s also a hot market, but there are bargains—like the lucky buyer who got a lakefront lot for $230,000, plus the cost to demolish the Racine house that’s about to fall into Lake Michigan. It doesn’t get quite the attention that the Region does from Chicagoans looking for second homes or a slower pace, perhaps because its rocky shores compare unfavorably to those in Indiana and Michigan (unless you’re talking Door County, which does draw from Chicago).

But Racine and Kenosha are no less part of greater Chicagoland than the Region, at least according to the Census Bureau, which puts them in the Chicago metropolitan statistical area. And the housing stock might seem a bit more familiar: well-preserved grand old houses of the kind you might find on the North Shore, but with the density of an older Chicago suburb like Oak Park or Riverside. Alternately, you can get a newer-build log mansion with an observatory, that you’re probably not going to find in the Chicago ‘burbs.

Salem, Wisconsin, is a bit of a ways west, towards the Dells—and if you like the feeling of a Dells resort so much you want one of your own, this 2009 home is for you. It’s got an observatory as its special draw, 60 acres for winter sports, great rooms on each level, and even an indoor pool in a sunny two-story addition that feels like a hotel pool. It’s a lot of space—almost 5,000 square feet with three bedrooms and four bathrooms, meaning a lot of entertaining space—but it’s geothermally heated for the Wisconsin winter.

Just across the street from Lake Michigan—with a Frank Lloyd Wright house as a neighbor—is this six bed, five bath, 6,000+ square foot neoclassical home. It was built in 1896 for Charles K. Carpenter, cashier of the Commercial Savings Bank, and it’s now nestled into Racine’s historic district. Inside it’s been beautifully maintained in a modern style appropriate to its bones, save for a couple bathrooms that at least stand to show how awry things could have gone. Bay windows look off into the lake, as do its two huge porches. And for socializing on those porches, there’s a big wine cellar.

If you’d prefer Kenosha, this 1925 Allendale Tudor is similarly rich in history and close to the lake. It’s big, too: five beds, four baths, over 5,600 square feet. The iron entry door leads you into a castle-like entry with a bit of a Mediterranean air (that has been carried into one of the bathrooms to unfortunate affect—you’ll want to do something about that painted toilet and sink so the furnishings rise to the level of the lovely tile). There are some misses with recent renovations that don’t mesh with the nicely preserved living areas, but those give you something strong to work off of—stucco in warm colors, iron railings and crosshatched windows, and a good stout stone fireplace.

Also in the Racine historic district, at a big discount for being a bit smaller and a bit further from the lake, is this 1878 Italianate home, built for Thomas Jones, an officer at a lumber firm. It still has five beds and 4.5 over more than 5,000 square feet, and it’s arguably more stylishly updated for today. The rooms are subtle but rich, with gentle but elaborate wallpapers and details that allow centerpieces like the carved fireplaces, gilded mirrors, and exquisite chandeliers to shine. It’s a lot, but not overwhelming: big, thoughtful, and tasteful for under $500,000.

Finally: your own estate on the lake, a 1926 Tudor with lake views from the bedrooms, patio, backyard, and, down a set of steps, a big wooden deck right on the water. That lake view is of a rocky shore, but what a view. Inside you’ll find opulent details: a stained glass Pan overlooking Main Street from the three-story central stair, an arched ceiling in the formal dining room, arched beams at the top of the main stair, decorative ceramic tile in the family room—which also has a fountain. Newer renovations add some modern amenities, like an open-plan kitchen with, again, extensive lake views, as well as hardwood flooring worthy of the house’s heritage.

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Chicago Cubs Rumors: 5 blockbuster trades for selling now by Ryan Heckman

For the past five seasons, the Chicago Bears have had to deal with the leveled-up version of Davante Adams. Since his third pro season, Adams has taken a monumental leap and is now viewed as one of the elite at his position.

Last year, Adams’ 18 touchdowns led the league. He was virtually impossible to cover inside the 20-yard line and clearly the NFL’s top red zone threat.

For Bears fans, it surely doesn’t help that Adams is catching passes from Aaron Rodgers. The two-time MVP has tortured the Bears for years.

But, could the tides be shifting in Green Bay when it comes to both of their offensive superstars?

The Chicago Bears may soon see a world without Davante Adams or Aaron Rodgers in the NFC North.

Not only is Rodgers’ future in severe doubt with the Packers right now, but even Adams has started to touch on his future with the Packers.

Recently, Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr went on record saying that he was going to pull a “full court press” next year if Adams were to hit free agency, calling him the “best receiver in the NFL.”

Carr and Adams were teammates at Fresno State and Carr has spoken highly of their long-time friendship.

The story gets more interesting, though, as Adams was asked by the same reporter, Bri Mellon of Fresno’s ABC30, about Carr’s comments.

Had the chance to follow up with @tae15adams today about @derekcarrqb‘s recruiting comments. “It would be a dream to play with him, I’m a Packer now until the point where we make that decision we’ll see what happens.”
Watch the full interview: https://t.co/ZKmmk4q2Gl via @abc30 https://t.co/FRFtL2x8N7 pic.twitter.com/4m4z0rOVsL

— Bri Mellon (@BriABC30) June 30, 2021

Should Adams’ contract run out next year and he not receive a contract extension from Green Bay, it is very likely we see the last of him in a Packers uniform. What makes Adams’ potential departure even more interesting is what ends up happening with Rodgers.

The stalemate between Rodgers and the Packers has been on full display for a while now, with neither side budging.

Rodgers even told media recently that he has thoroughly enjoyed this offseason because he really hasn’t had to do anything. He noted a veteran of his age would, of course, appreciate extra time to himself during the offseason. But, we all know where that comment was actually directed.

It appears Rodgers very likely won’t play for the Packers this season. It sounds crazy saying that out loud, but the reality is becoming more and more real every day.

Could Bears fans see a Packers team without both Rodgers and Adams next year? If that’s the case, the NFC North would be wide open for the Bears’ taking. Looking at a Justin Fields second-year leap in the NFL and not having to deal with a juggernaut Green Bay team certainly sounds appealing, no?

Must Read

Cubs: 5 blockbuster trades for selling now

Read now >>

For now, we’ll enjoy the ride as Green Bay continues their offseason full of juicy, catastrophic proportion. Buckle up, Bears fans. Next year might be very, very different.

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Daily Cubs Minors Recap: Abbott strikes out 10; Beesley, Washer, Byrd homer; Estrada dominates again

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By Michael Ernst,
today at 9:30 am

AAA

Indianapolis 7, Iowa 6 (12 Innings)

Game Recap

A back and forth affair which lasted until the 12th inning. It looked good for the Cubs after Abiatal Avelino tied the game with an RBI single in the 9th and then Michael Hermosillo drove in the inherited runner in the top of the 10th. Sidearmer Scott Effross couldn’t nail it down in the bottom half of the frame though, as he too allowed the inherited runner to score. Neither team pushed across a run in the 11th.

Things looked good once again in the 12th when Dee Strange-Gordon singled home Tony Wolters. The game fell to Ryan Kellogg to nail down. After intentionally walking the leadoff man to set up a double play, Kellogg walked the next batter to load the bases. A walkoff single by veteran catcher Christian Bethencourt drove in a pair.

Top Performers

• Michael Hermosillo: 3-5, 2B, R, 2 RBI, HBP, SB (5), CS (1) (.351)
• Tony Wolters: 2-4, 2B, 2 R, BB, SB (1) (.286)
• Tyler Ladendorf: 2-4, BB (.200)
• Abiatal Avelino: 1-3, RBI (.247)
• Cory Abbott: 5 IP, 8 H, 3 R, BB, HBP, 10 K (5.88)
• Michael Rucker: 2 IP, 3 H, R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K (5.90)
• Scott Effross: 2 IP, 0 H, R, 0 ER, BB, 2 K (6.16)

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

Nico Hoerner has collected a hit in each of his three rehab outings. He was removed from the game prior to extra innings. He could return to Chicago soon. And not a minute too early either. The Cubs offense could really use a boost in contact rate.

It’s been a weird season for Cory Abbott thus far. He got himself in great shape during the offseason, and came into the spring with his stuff looking as crisp as it ever has. It has shown in an increased strikeout rate as Abbott has punched out 64 batters in 41.2 IP with Iowa. My hope though, when Abbott showed up “in the best shape of his life,” was that it would translate into better command not necessarily better stuff.

Abbott has never been wild, but his walk rate has never been great either. His issue has always been that he is a control-over-command pitcher. That can work when you have great stuff, but Abbott’s stuff rates more as back-of-the-rotation with occasional stretches where he rates as a mid-rotation guy. But if he continues to miss his spots as often as he is (both in and out of the zone), it creates a poor combo of an extra free runner or two and an extra opportunity or two at hittable pitches in the heart of the plate. Abbott will need to make some progress on both his walk and home run rates before he is ready to take over a rotation spot in the big leagues.

AA

Tennessee PPD

High-A

Lake County 5, South Bend 4 (Game 1)

Lake County 3, South Bend 2 (Game 2)

Game Recap

The Cubs eventually came up just short in game one of the doubleheader, but a late rally centered around a trio of homers by Bradlee Beesley, Jake Washer, and Grayson Byrd seemed to give them some confidence heading into second game. Matteo Bocchi held the Captains in check through five innings and the Cubs offense eventually broke through on a two-run single by Beesley in the top of the 5th. But in an all too familiar circumstance, the South Bend bullpen once again could not hold the lead. Burl Carraway continued his struggles with finding the plate. He allowed three runs on three walks and two hits, while recording just one out.

Top Performers

• Bradlee Beesley: 2-6, HR (2), R, 3 RBI (.250)
• Jake Washer: 1-3, HR (1), R, RBI (.195)
• Grayson Byrd: 2-3, HR (1), R, 2 RBI (.667)
• Nelson Velazquez: 3-6, 2B (.282)
• Jake Slaughter: 3-6, R (.233)
• Jacob Olson: 1-3 (.216)
• Matteo Bocchi: 5 IP, H, 0 R, 0 BB, HBP, 4 K (2.54)
• Bryan King: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K (5.40)

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

There is no denying the stuff Burl Carraway has. He began his pro career by not allowing any hits for darn near a month. But he also battled a couple of bouts of wildness during that stretch. Unfortunately, as the season has gone on those bouts are increasing in frequency. At times it looks like Carraway has lost all feel for his arm slot (there are likely some underlying mechanical issues which are causing that). While his 24 Ks and just 7 hits allowed in 14 innings showcase his upside, Carraway has now walked an astounding 27 batters as well. The Cubs need to consider sending him back to Mesa while he works his way through his issues.

Low-A

Myrtle Beach 9, Down East 4

Game Recap

The Pelicans followed a four run 3rd with another four runs in the 4th to break this game open. They generated their rally in the 3rd thanks to three extra base hits, capped by a two-run triple off the bat of Jordan Nwogu. In the 4th, they let the Wood Ducks pitchers self destruct, as the drew three walks and got hit by three pitches as well. None of the four runs that inning came via anything but a walk or hit batter. Spotted with such a comfortable early lead, Richard Gallardo was able to coast to a relatively easy win. There were some late fireworks from the pen as well. Jeremiah Estrada continued his impressive comeback from multiple arm injuries by striking out five more batters over two shutout innings. Jake Reindl followed that up by striking out the side in the 9th.

Top Performers

• Ryan Reynolds: 2-4, 2B, 2 R, RBI, HBP (.266)
• Flemin Bautista: 2-4, 2B, 2 R, BB (.206)
• Jordan Nwogu: 1-3, 3B, 3 RBI, HBP (.154)
• Ethan Hearn: 1-2, 2 RBI, BB, SF (.159)
• Jonathan Sierra: 1-3, 2 RBI, BB (.239)
• Pablo Aliendo: 0-2, 2 R, BB, 2 HBP (.264)
• Richard Gallardo: 6 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K (W, 2-4, 5.27)
• Jeremiah Estrada: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K (0.84)
• Jake Reindl: IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K (7.48)

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

In 7 games (10.2 IP) since being added to the South Bend roster, Jeremiah Estrada has mowed down 22 batters while allowing just 6 hits, 5 walks and 1 run. His four seam fastball has been too much for Low-A hitters to handle. After working multiple innings in his last couple of appearances, the time may be approaching for Estrada to move up to South Bend.

Estrada straight gas pic.twitter.com/N7NfGJynDu

— Todd (@CubsCentral08)

July 2, 2021

Estrada breaker coming along nicely! pic.twitter.com/Q84bWD4a3u

— Todd (@CubsCentral08)

July 2, 2021

ACL

Rockies 7, Cubs1 4

Top Performers

• Felix Stevens: 2-3, 2B, R (.364)
• Yovanny Cuevas: 1-2, 2B, 2 RBI, SF (.500)
• Ezequiel Pagan: 2-4, R, SB (1) (.308)
• Reggie Preciado: 2-4, 2B (.400)
• Owen Caissie: 1-3, RBI, BB (.400)

Filed under:
Daily Cubs Minors Recap

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  44slug

  13 minutes ago

  In reply to 44slug:

  We might get a look at him after the trade deadline. My devise is fried. Sorry.
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  44slug

  19 minutes ago

  The state of the org top to bottom probably isn’t as bad as it looks right now. In the second…
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  44slug

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  Why might feet a look at him after the trade deadline.
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  tater

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  I don’t know what players in triple A see in the way of pitches to hit, but Gushue hitting the…
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  Hagsag

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  Hermosillo belongs in Chicago!
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Chicago Cubs: Lineup is desperately missing contact bats by Mark Steubinger

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Chicago Cubs (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

It is quite shocking what just a few days can do. Just a couple of weeks ago, the Chicago Cubs were in first place and looked like they could be buyers at the 2021 MLB trade deadline.

Then, the wheels fell off. Now, the Cubs are 6.5 games back of the Milwaukee Brewers and losers of seven of their last 10 games — including six straight losses.

At one point, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that the Cubs would look to add talent this month. Jed Hoyer told The Athletic just a month ago that the Cubs would do just that. However, things have changed drastically and David Ross’ crew could look a whole lot different in a few weeks — for the worse.

It seemed inevitable that the Cubs would eventually break up their core. With how the past few seasons have gone, the writing has been on the wall.

Expect the Chicago Cubs to be major sellers at this year’s MLB trade deadline.

Since their World Series win five years ago, the Cubs have functioned as though winning no longer matters. Moves like allowing Jon Lester to walk away or trading Yu Darvish for practically nothing speak volumes as to just how important winning is to the Ricketts.

News flash: it’s not very important.

With the World Series team hardly intact anymore and just a few key players left, the Cubs may do something serious at the deadline. They could look to deal one or two big-time players.

If they do so, though, fans would expect a haul in return for one of the key players on this team. The following five trades would certainly shake things up and signal the Cubs into a full-on rebuild.

Next: 1. Trade with the White Sox

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The Rooted Wanderer

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Local Women Sets Out to Save Monarch Population and Loses Shoe

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By Katie Moler,
today at 8:00 am

First, let me admit that it’s me. I’m the local women. It all started two years ago when my aunt gave me 5 microscopic monarch eggs to take back to my apartment in Virginia. I raised them from egg, to caterpillar, to chrysalis, and finally beautiful black and orange butterflies. I was hooked.

Last year, I raised 80. This year? I’m setting out to raise 500. Why? Well for one, I’m not doing anything else this summer but writing to you lovely folks, trying to finish my first novel, walking 30,000 steps a day, working my main job, and my side hustle slinging nail polish. It’s not like all of that keeps me busy or anything. Hey this is what happens when you are 35, single, childless, and live in a 280 square foot recreational vehicle. Oy.

So as anyone in Chicagoland may have noticed over the last, well what feels like FOREVER, we have had SO. MUCH. RAIN. It never stops. But the quest to raise 500 monarch must go on. Not only do I have to go out daily and collect eggs, but I also have to collect milkweed to keep these hungry little caterpillars fed. That book was no joke. These little yellow and black striped critters eat, and eat… and eat.

So three days ago, there was a break in the rain which made it the perfect time to go out and look for eggs. Only issue is I’ve already reached all the milkweed in walking distance along the road on our 120 acre farm, so on this specific day I thought I better head out to the fields in search of more flutter butter friends. Great Idea. NOT.

After a .75 mile walk to the south end of the farm, I made a turn to walk around the back of the farm. I was slightly worried about the mud I might encounter, but after the first 10 feet or so I realized it wasn’t so bad! Then I walked another 10 feet and down about 8-12 inches my feet slid into the slimy, quite stinky, tilled slop. I hadn’t even made it to my first milkweed plant yet, and my feet were already covered in mud so I trudged on. I found some milkweed and walked up the side of the farm a bit to less muddy land and looked down. There had to be two inches of mud covering my feet and legs in all directions.

Now that I was walking on grass, things got even more precarious as what I can only describe as a five year olds mud pie developed on the bottom of my $150 Teva sandals. Let me explain to you how important these sandals are to you. I’m cheap when it comes to clothes and shoes. I don’t know a thing about fashion. In 2018, I was going to Spain. It would be hot. I would be walking A LOT and I needed practical shoes to wear.

After spending forever in shoe stores trying to find hiking sandals that didn’t feel like a straight jacket, I came across this black pair of Teva’s. I’m not a name brand person by any means but boy, these sandals fit like a glove. I looked at the price tag. $150 dollars. About $130 more than I have ever spent on a pair of shoes in my lifetime. But don’t worry, since Spain, I have worn this very pair of shoes every single day unless I was at work, in my bed, or there was more than a dusting of snow on the ground. I kid you not, these shoes have been on my feet more than they were not over the last three years.

And beautifully did they hold up. That was until I walked back down in the mud and decided to walk a little further. The more I walked between the grass and mud, the heavier my feet became to lift. I mean great workout and all, especially since every step I took was basically one of those knee up things. Yea, I’m not a fitness guru.

Then the unthinkable, unimaginable, and heartbreaking happened. I pulled my foot up out of the mud, and my sandal was gone. GONE. I didn’t want to lose the other one so I sunk my hand down to the firm soil under the slop, grabbed the shoe and stood barefoot. Next I would need to find the shoe. I searched and searched in the mud for the counterpart to the left shoe sitting in the grass next to me.

It took a while, but after losing one of my most precious possessions, I found it… but… the strap was broken. My heart sank, but I had to go on. I held the what felt like 20 pounds of dirt and shoes in my hand as I walked further through the mud. I felt a bit like a child as I made my way from one milkweed plant to the next.

Of course the rain returned so I made the mile long trek back home, barefoot. I stopped at the hose with my 38 monarch eggs and 15 large milkweed leaves to rinse my shoes and legs. Mud had spattered all the way up my legs, onto my shorts and even my shirt. I swear when I jumped in the shower a few minutes later, I even found mud in my hair.

And you know what? Despite the tear in the strap by my ankle, I have worn the sandals every day since. Maybe it’s time for a new pair? Eh. I think I’ll ride these ones out as long as I can. Plus in about 24-28 days, I’ll have 38 beautiful monarchs to show for it. Priceless.

I want to know! What hobbies do you enjoy? Comment below!

Filed under:
Fridays on the Farm

Tags:
Farm, Monarch, Mud, Rain, Sandals

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• Local Women Sets Out to Save Monarch Population and Loses Shoe »

  Katie Moler on The Rooted Wanderer
  Posted today at 8:00 am

• The Index Cards of Covid »

  Katie Moler on The Rooted Wanderer
  Posted Thursday at 8:00 am

• LakeShake Day Two: Warmer. Drier. Bigger. »

  Katie Moler on The Rooted Wanderer
  Posted June 24, 2018 at 9:02 am

• LakeShake 2018 Off to a Fun Start Despite Cold Rainy Night »

  Katie Moler on The Rooted Wanderer
  Posted June 23, 2018 at 9:00 am

• Things I Wish I Knew When I Was Sixteen »

  Katie Moler on The Rooted Wanderer
  Posted May 30, 2018 at 10:12 pm

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Meet The Blogger

Katie Moler

I love trying ethnic foods. Give me Pad See Ew over a burger any day. I hate eating meat off the bone because I am empathetic towards poor animals in meat factories. Hell- I rarely eat meat at all and envy vegans for their will power. I want to be you. But seriously, Cheese?

I enjoy nerdy activities like knitting, coloring in adult coloring books (as in for adult, not naked people… come on now), and playing the same board games I was playing when I was 10 years old.

Don’t get me wrong- I love going out on the town, too. It’s just that I’m more likely to get into trouble… you know the sort where you ruin your sister’s shirt with a random cup of Hawaiian punch that was sitting on the sidewalk or where you ruin your best friends shirt with a shot of Katiemeister- eh I mean, Jagermeister. Basically, don’t wear nice shirts around me when I’m drinking. Granted, this was the past version of me. Now I don’t drink. Read that again. I know, right?!

Truth is I enjoy life from my couch, sitting by my overly annoying cat, eating guacamole and watching documentaries, sci-fi shows, or Schitt’s Creek on Netflix.

I’m recently single; not by choice. I’m a bachelors and masters grad who is done with formal education and regrets ever attending college. I’m very hard to put into a category and I recently learned it’s okay to be your own person. I’m a traveler which is probably my favorite thing about myself. I used to love to read but now do it through Audible.

I work to live but I don’t live to work (sorry work- I do love you though). My side hustle, selling dry nail polish, is a different story though. One day, I hope to be making 6 figures doing this, living in an RV, traveling the country. Oh yea- and I have the benefit that my nail polish doesn’t spill. This is somewhat of a conundrum as I am not a girly girl. I don’t wear dresses often. Any jewelry I’m gifted will be lost. I have no idea when it’s okay to wear white and that’s okay with me. I wear the same Teva sandals every day, almost year round.

I envy the way most European countries live and will probably vote for a president that takes us that way even if it means higher taxes. I love to sing but will pass out if you try to put me on stage. In the past I’ve made my own lip balms, foot soaks and other natural goodies to sell on Etsy. I once created a darkroom for processing black and white film inside a 1 bedroom Chicago apartment. I currently raise monarch butterflies in an RV names, you guessed it, “The Rooted Wanderer”.

I support student loan reform, gay rights (I still won’t spend money in Indiana due to their Shenanigan’s), Alzheimer’s Research. In fact, my brother runs one of the top fundraising teams in Kankakee County.

Recently, I was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder. I am a huge supporter of Mental Health awareness, not just because of my own life with PTSD, Major Depressive Disorder, and now BPD, but because it is so absolutely misunderstood and stigmatized.

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Recent Comments

• 

  Katie Marie

  February 26, 2014 at 12:00 am

  In reply to thesignshopplus:

  Thanks- It definately can be entertaining. I’ve seen some random things out there!
  Read the story | Reply to this comment
• 

  thesignshopplus

  February 26, 2014 at 12:00 am

  Katie – great blog! and I can relate – I lived in the city of Pittsburgh….”dibs” was entertaining and frustrating…
  Read the story | Reply to this comment

Latest on ChicagoNow

• Local Women Sets Out to Save Monarch Population and Loses Shoe

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On the day Chicago’s top cop touted declining crime numbers, the city was hit with one of its most violent days of the year Thursday: four killed, 28 wounded, including three young children who were seriously injured.

A 1-month-old was shot in the head in a mass shooting in Englewood, scene of another mass shooting weeks ago that killed five people and wounded three others.

An 8-year-old girl was shot in the arm as she sat in her home in Roseland. Two women on the porch were also shot and one of them died.

A 9-year-old girl was shot in the head as she sat in a car in Grand Crossing. A Chicago police officer drove her to the hospital, where relatives asked why authorities can’t do more to protect children.

Police Supt. David Brown was asked the same question by a reporter as he held a news conference around the time the 9-year-old was shot. Brown had been talking about new statistics which the department said showed crime is going down in Chicago.

As he has repeatedly done in the past, the superintendent answered by blaming the proliferation of guns, the quick release of suspects and the drug trade for the city’s violence.

Chicago has seen at least 336 homicides for the first six months of the year, just two more than at the same point in 2020 but 33 percent more than 2019’s 252 homicides, according to an analysis by the Sun-Times.

The department, however, said its data shows there have been fewer murders this year than last year, but those numbers do not count killings on expressways that are investigated by the Illinois State Police. The department’s numbers also do not include police-involved homicides.

The Sun-Times data includes all deaths labeled homicides by the Cook County medical examiner’s office. By that measure, this has been a deadlier year so far than last year.

The department did acknowledge in its release that hundreds more people have been shot in the city this year than last year, with numbers roughly the same as the Sun-Times’.

The city has recorded at least 1,892 shootings through June 28, the most recently available statistics, an increase of almost 12 percent compared to 2020’s 1,692 and a 53 percent increase over 2019’s 1,234 shootings during the same time, according to Sun-Times data.

The Sun-Times reported last month that more children 15 or younger have been shot so far this year.

The attacks that wounded the three young children Thursday occurred in some of the deadliest neighborhoods in the city, data shows. Englewood ranks third for homicides this year with 18; Grand Crossing 9th with 14; and Roseland 12th with 12.

Brown is expected to appear before a special City Council meeting Friday called by alderman who said they want to know more about his plans for fighting violence, particularly going into the Fourth of July holiday, traditionally one of the most violent times in the city.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she and Brown will be at the meeting, but accused her political nemesis — indicted Ald. Edward Burke (14th) — and “his minions” of orchestrating the meeting to “create chaos.”

Among Thursday’s shootings:

• The 1-month-old girl was among seven people wounded about 8:15 p.m. Three gunmen jumped out of a black Jeep Cherokee in the 6500 block of South Halsted Street and “began shooting in several directions,” according to police. The trio then hopped back in the SUV and were last seen traveling on 66th Street. No one was in custody. The baby was shot in the head and taken in critical condition to St. Bernard Hospital before being transferred to Comer Children’s Hospital, according to police and a Chicago Fire Department spokesman. The other six were reported in good condition.
• A woman was killed and an 8-year-old girl and another woman were wounded in Roseland on the Far South Side about 1:10 a.m. The two women were sitting on the porch of a home in the 11300 block of South Wentworth Avenue when someone stepped from a white Nissan and fired at them, police said. The girl was inside the home and hit in the arm.
• A 9-year-old girl was critically wounded in a shooting that also left a man hurt in Grand Crossing on the South Side. They were in the 800 block of East 79th Street when a car approached and someone inside opened fire about 2:45 p.m., police said. The girl was struck in the head and taken to Comer Children’s hospital in critical condition. The man was shot in the foot and was in good condition at the University of Chicago Medical Center.
• A 25-year-old man was killed in a drive-by in West Garfield Park around 4:15 p.m. He was standing on the porch in the 4000 block of West Van Buren Street when a car drove by and someone from inside fired shots, Chicago police said. He was shot in the head and was pronounced dead at the scene. He hasn’t been identified.
• Donzell Bailey was killed in a shooting in South Shore. He was found unresponsive with a gunshot wound to his forehead about 8:25 a.m. outside an apartment building in the 6800 block of South Ridgeland Avenue, police said. The 30-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene.
• Melvin Ajtun, 29, was found fatally shot in a car in Gage Park on the Southwest Side. He was discovered about 5:55 a.m. in the 5400 block of South Artesian Avenue with a gunshot wound to his face, police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
• Two men were shot in a drive-by in Back of the Yards on the South Side. About 11:30 p.m., they were standing in a gangway in the 5300 block of South Hoyne Avenue when someone drove past in the alley and began shooting, police said. A 20-year-old man was struck in the foot and a 35-year-old man was struck in the leg. They were taken to St. Bernard Hospital where they are in good condition.
• Two people are in critical condition after their car was caught in the crossfire of a shoot-out in East Garfield Park on the West Side. About 10 p.m., two men and a woman were traveling north on California Avenue and were attempting to turn north onto Van Buren Street when they came between two cars shooting at each other, police said. A 38-year-old man and a 27-year-old woman were struck multiple times and taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital, where they are in critical condition. A 27-year-old man was struck in the right leg and taken to the same hospital, where he is in good condition.

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“Segregation isn’t all bad. Have you ever heard of a wreck where the people on the back of the bus got hurt?” — Dick Gregory, 1961.

If Dick Gregory had stayed in the standup comedy lane throughout his career and lived a quiet life off-camera and off-screen, his work would be worthy of a documentary due to his groundbreaking and socially relevant material.

If Dick Gregory had never told a joke in his life and was known strictly as a civil rights, anti-war, anti-poverty activist who was a close associate of Martin Luther King Jr. and Medgar Evers and inspired thousands — that’s a hell of a legacy.

If Dick Gregory were known solely for his runs across the country before anyone had ever heard of Forrest Gump and his efforts to improve Americans’ health (especially in the impoverished areas) through better eating habits and lifestyle choices, he would be remembered as a pioneer in the field, ahead of his time.

As we see in the rock-solid, thorough Showtime documentary “The One and Only Dick Gregory,” he lived up to that title with all of the aforementioned accomplishments — and we haven’t yet talked about his complicated family life, his influence on next-generation comics from Dave Chapelle to Chris Rock to Kevin Hart, his rags-to-riches-to-rags-once-again financial rollercoaster ride and his later years as an aging but roaring lion who could still hold a room in the palm of his hand but was prone to going off on conspiracy-theory rants.

Writer-director Andre Gaines delivers a treasure trove of archival footage from nightclub appearances, TV guest shots and interviews and political rallies; audio interviews with Gregory at various stages of his career; present-day interviews with Gregory’s widow Lillian and two of his grown children, Christian and Ayanna; and insights and memories from the aforementioned comedians, among others.

“The One and Only Dick Gregory” is a comprehensive biography of a mercurial, brilliant and wildly funny artist-activist.

But it also serves as a valuable time capsule of the tumultuous 1960s and 1970s and a reminder of how the more things change, the more they stay the same. (Split-screen film and video of rioting and fires and looting and violent clashes in 1968 and in 2020 are eerily, stunningly similar.)

Gregory was born and raised in St. Louis, but, after a time at Southern Illinois University (where he was a track and field star) and a stint in the Army, he moved to Chicago circa 1960 to pursue a full-time career as a standup comedian.

In 1961, Hugh Hefner booked Gregory to perform for one night, for $50, at the Playboy Club in Chicago without knowing the room had been rented by a delegation of frozen-food conventioneers from the South. We hear an audio recording from that night, with Gregory addressing the white elephant(s) in the room: “You got a little snow down there in Georgia, first time in a hundred years. Can you imagine what it’s like being my color in all-white Georgia? I had a cousin damn near got killed during that first storm. He thought he was leaning up against a snowbank and it turned out to be a Ku Klux Klan rally.”

Getty Images

The room roars with laughter. Gregory killed.

He became an overnight sensation, with a sensational write-up in Time magazine and an appearance on “The Tonight Show” in which he became the first Black comic to join host Jack Paar for a sitdown conversation after his routine.

By the early 1960s, Dick Gregory was the highest-paid comic in America, regularly appearing on TV shows and in sold-out venues, working his cigarette like a baton as he slayed audiences with his sharp, observational, socially relevant humor.

All the while, Gregory became increasingly political, joining Dr. King and the other prominent civil rights leaders of the time at marches and rallies and strategy sessions.

When Gregory began to speak out against the Vietnam War, FBI director J. Edgar Hoover made him a target.

Gregory’s grown children speak with great love for their father but note he was almost never around when they were growing up. (If you’re out there trying to save the world, you don’t spend many weekends at home.)

The documentary takes us through Gregory’s remarkable forays into other venues and disciplines, including his run from New York to Los Angeles fueled only by water and a plant-based nutrient powder; the fasting protests that nearly cost him his life; and his creation of the “Bahamian Diet” craze of the 1980s.

At times, Gregory was Rolls-Royce rich. Other times, he was dead broke and lost his house and couldn’t even afford insurance.

“The One and Only Dick Gregory” concludes with a chronicle of Gregory’s return to the public arena in the 2000s and 2010s, when he could sometimes be irascible and unreliable (in his last years, he battled dementia) but still had that fire in his eyes and still had a lot to say.

Dick Gregory died in 2017, leaving a lasting and impressive footprint on this world.

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Chicago Blackhawks: 3 realistic trade packages for Duncan Keith by Vincent Parise

The Chicago Cubs once-thriving offense has sputtered to nearly a complete stop. Early this season, the Cubs found success with a strong lineup and an elite bullpen staff. From the start of the season until the end of May, the Cubs had a top-10 offense in terms of wRC+ and the second-best bullpen ERA of any team.

Those good times now feel like eons ago. After suffering through an embarrassing sweep in Milwaukee, the Cubs’ playoff hopes seem slim.

The beginning of the team’s decline can be pinpointed to late May when Matt Duffy and Nico Hoerner – two of the team’s best contact bats – were both lost to injuries within just a couple of days of each other.

The Chicago Cubs offense has been one of the worst in MLB over the past five weeks.

Duffy last appeared in a game for the Cubs on May 22 before he suffered a back strain that landed him on the injured list. Before his injury, Duffy had been a surprise difference-maker for the Cubs, slashing .278/.377/.356. Although his game lacks power, his bat-to-ball skills made him a key contributor in the heart of the lineup.

Similarly, Hoerner’s season was off to a strong start. He made the Cubs’ front office look foolish for starting him in the minors, hitting a scorching .338/.405/.432 in his brief time with the big league club. Hoerner last played on May 25 when a strained hamstring forced him onto the Injured List just three days after Duffy suffered his injury.

Two players getting hurt so close together is nothing notable for a lot of teams, but in this case, it became a huge deal. The Cubs have a lineup built around players that have a large amount of swing-and-miss in their batting profile, so players that don’t have that problem (like Duffy and Hoerner) can be even more important.

Of all Cubs players with more than 30 plate appearances this year, Hoerner and Duffy have the first and the third-lowest strikeout rates along with the fifth and seventh-highest walk rates, respectively.

What happens when you take those vital skills out of the Cubs’ lineup? Disaster. Prior to Duffy’s injury on May 22nd, as a team, the Cubs were hitting .242/.326/.413, had a 103 wRC+, a strikeout rate of 25.5 percent, and a walk rate of 9.5 percent.

Since Duffy’s injury, those numbers have gotten much worse. Since May 22nd the team is hitting .199/.275/.373, have a 79 wRC+, a strikeout rate of 28.1 percent, and a walk rate of 8.3 percent. That batting average, on-base percentage, and strikeout rate are all the worst of any team over that period.

Next: It’s time for the Cubs to consider selling

Hoerner may be activated from the Injured List for this weekend’s series against the Reds but that help may be too little, too late. After a disastrous stretch, the Cubs are sitting six games out of first place at the start of July. It’s no secret that this is a make-or-break year in Wrigleyville and the front office may have already seen enough to be sellers at the quickly approaching trade deadline.

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