What’s New

Jada (played by Yolonda Ross) reassesses her future after she receives devastating news.

SPOILER ALERT: This recap of Season 4, Episode 2 contains explicit plot details.

Emmett (Jacob Latimore) fesses up in regards to his affair with Dom (La La Anthony).

And yes, it was as messy — literally — as we all thought it would be.

Tiff (Hannaha Hall), in no surprise to anyone, is rightfully angry with her husband.

Feeling betrayed, she runs to Dante (played by Cory Hardrict), her business partner, who cashes in on his opportunity to take advantage of Tiff’s feelings.

Showtime

‘Where are the parents?’

One of the standout themes of the popular Showtime series — whether series creator Lena Waithe is intentional about it or not — shows how parenting isn’t a zero-sum endeavor. Teens often do what they think is best despite their parents’ advice.

Kevin (Alex Hibbert) smoked marijuana with Jake recreationally in previous seasons and now is self-medicating via alcohol, getting kicked off a college tour for being high. Like many Chicago teens navigating life in the city’s marginalized communities, he’s finding ways to cope in any way he can.

Since the beginning of season one Kevin has witnessed a killing; shot the killer; dealt with his absentee father’s death; left an all-Black school to attend another where he’s one of the few Black students and endured the kidnapping of his sister, his main confidant. Two episodes into season four, he’s sorting through his thoughts on last week’s police encounter, and Brandon (formerly played by Jason Mitchell), whom Kevin leaned on for haircuts and advice, is dead.

‘There’s a war going on outside…’

After speaking with the police officer who beat up Jake (Michael Epps), Mayor “Douda” comes to two decisions that will have explosive ramifications for the city: He fires the officer makes a public vow to defund the Chicago Police Department. In real life, 40% of the city’s operating budget is dedicated to police resources, and it’s pretty difficult to fire a police officer.

‘Why don’t you get some food before you try to get into something else?’

Trig (played by Luke James) picks up Shaad, an old friend (Jason Weaver), from the Cook County Jail after a lengthy sentence and lays out some ground rules. (It seems Shaad has a bad history of disrespecting boundaries.)

In the midst of Shaad’s welcome-back party, Trig tells Imani (Jasmine Davis) he’s going to live with them. Imani — possibly thinking that her transgender status isn’t known to Shaad — is concerned. After all, remember last season when Imani told Jake about her status?

‘That’s my momma’s song’

In the aftermath of reluctantly bringing her much younger “masseur” Suede (Bernard Gilbert) to her high school reunion, Jada (played by Yolonda Ross) finds out she has cancer.

Hearing that word is a scary proposition. After all, Black women are 40% more likely to die of breast cancer than white women and are twice as likely to die if they are over 50, according to the American Cancer Society.

The episode, named “Cooley High,” seems to be timely viewing. The name is a not only a nod to a poorly planned high school reunion-themed party, but also to the locally based 1975 film where a group of teenage Black boys navigate their lives around some of the same issues as Kevin, Jake, and Papa are now dealing with. Time is indeed a flat circle.

Showtime

5 things we learned from Episode 2:

• Kiesha (played by Birgundi Baker) doesn’t want to know the sex of her unborn child.
• Jada has long had a lump on her breast that she never checked.
• Shaad living with Trig and Imani could have explosive consequences.
• Kevin, continuing to suffer the after-effects of his police encounter, isn’t really interested in anything his girlfriend, Jemma, has to say about their future.
• Papa (played by Shamon Brown Jr.) starts his own podcast.

Storylines to think about:

• Where does Kevin go from here after getting kicked off the college tour?
• How will Douda continue to keep one foot in the streets and the other in City Hall, knowing he’s made a public claim to defund the police?
• Now that both Emmett and Tiff have stepped out on their marriage/relationship, how will their business ventures survive?
• How does Jada cope with her cancer diagnosis?
• And how will police will respond to Trig beating down one of their own?

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As we look at their fading photographs, we ask: Would our brave bygone soldiers have given their lives for politicians’ right to subvert election results?

On this Memorial Day, as democracy in America comes under attack even in the halls of government, we remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

We wonder what those heroes we honor on this day would think of seditious Americans and big-dollar political donors who would selfishly overturn the will of the people. What would they think of those who would twist the political process for personal gain?

As we look at their fading photographs, we ask: Would those brave bygone soldiers have given their lives for a politician’s right to subvert election results? Would they have braved everything from musket fire to artillery to IEDs so that future politicians could claim unjustified lifetime holds on their offices?

Would they have said, “Make the world safe for minority rule”? Or “Don’t tread on voter-suppression photo ID requirements”?

Would they have taken to the shores at Omaha Beach to make it possible for partisan state legislatures to overturn the decisions of the voters and select their own presidential winners? Would they have admired the members of Congress who voted not to certify the results of the Electoral College?

As they slogged through the mire or battled under fire in foxholes, did those who died for our country say, “We are fighting so there can be Pizzagate and QAnon”? At the Battle of the Bulge, did they see nothing but “tourists” coming at them?

On the sands of Iwo Jima, did they fight so that grifters could look for ballots that contain bamboo? Would they have attributed military setbacks to Dominion voting machines?

Jake May/The Flint Journal via AP

Did anybody say “Fifty-four forty or fight for 11,780 more votes in Georgia”? Or “We have met the enemy, and they are the voters”? Or “Give us mail-in voting bans or give us death”?

Would they have approved of threats of violence against duly appointed vote counters just trying to do their jobs, ethically and fairly? Would they have looked the other way as partisans purged voter registration rolls? Would they have approved of secretive and suspicious “audits” of votes in states where certain parties weren’t happy with the outcome? Would they have supported a Niagara of bogus lawsuits designed to overturn elections and cast doubt on the results?

Is this what those honorable heroes would be telling us today if their silenced voices could be heard? Is this why they left their homes and went off to war?

Not likely.

We think the servicemen and servicewomen who gave their lives in America’s wars were fighting for something pure and fundamental: American democracy. We think they fought for a vote for everyone. They fought for the American ideal that so many politicians are so busy trashing right now.

We talked with a few veterans who feel the same.

“It makes me sick to see the politicians mess with one of our most basic rights for their own benefit,” said Mike Auxier, a Bloomington resident who grew up in Arlington Heights and served in the Army during Vietnam. “I think they should all be voted out of office.”

“We supposedly fought for democracy and free and fair elections, and you see both of those trampled on,” said Arnold Stieber of Hyde Park, who served in the infantry in Vietnam. “I think it is disgusting, disgraceful and treasonous.”

“Democracy is the reason is the I served,” said Burrell Poe of Logan Square, who served in the Army under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. “Protecting people’s right to vote is extremely important.”

On this Memorial Day, we owe it to those who fought and died for America to stand up for American democracy.

Send letters to [email protected].

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Trevor Williams, who was supposed to start Monday against the Padres, is the latest Cub to be unavailable after he underwent an appendectomy Sunday morning.

The way things are going, David Ross and Marty Pevey might soon have to become co-managers of the Chicago/Iowa Cubs.

As the list of injured players grows, Ross’ daily report on their progress gets longer, and the number of healthy players he needs from Triple-A rises. Ross joked Sunday that he called Iowa manager Pevey and apologized for taking most of his team away from him.

Before Sunday’s game, the Cubs put David Bote on the 10-day IL with a dislocated left shoulder and selected Sergio Alcantara from Iowa. Trevor Williams, slated to start Monday’s game against the Padres, had an appendectomy Sunday morning and is out indefinitely.

But while the Cubs have had a very successful May, the specter hanging over their rise in the NL Central standings is the ongoing task of figuring out who is healthy enough to play.

“The main thing is just, you know, you feel for the guys,” Cubs manager David Ross said. “Then trying to find guys with little bumps and bruises rest where it doesn’t turn into an IL stint and playing guys and balancing that with trying to win each and every day and night.”

Anthony Rizzo continues to work on getting back into the lineup, and his return would simplify things for Ross. But he has not made an appearance since May 25, so the question becomes how long to wait before adding Rizzo to the injured list.

“We’re really getting thin on players that we have to bring up, so I think our first preference would be to just let him continue to get better and hopefully not extend the ten days,” Ross said. “But if it’s something that needs to be done, we’ll definitely do it.”

Looking ahead to June

Beginning Monday, the Cubs host the Padres for three games, starting a June slate that will be a measuring stick for Ross and his team.

“It’s a tough schedule,” Ross said. “If you’re looking at run differential, the top three teams are in the West. It will be a nice test.”

Given how banged up his roster is, Ross said he’s not going to read too much into the wins and losses against the teams the Cubs will face next month. Going up against the Padres, Dodgers, and Giants will be a good barometer for his team’s overall strengths and weaknesses.

“It’ll be a good test to show us where we need to continue to grow, how we measure up, where they might try to take advantage of areas,” Ross said.

Kris Bryant’s flexibility an act of necessity

Bryant is putting together another MVP-caliber season, all while showcasing extra defensive flexibility.

He has always been able to bounce around the field, but with so many injured or day-to-day, Bryant has spent more time than usual away from his usual position at third base. And with Ross trying to keep his healthy guys in the lineup, there’s been no time to brush up on other positions.

“We don’t have the luxury right now of extra work,” Ross said. “We’re really trying to take care of bodies and time under duress, whether it’s on their legs or in the cage. I think he’s really relying on his baseball savvy and experience as he’s used in the past. Which is great — that’s obviously a luxury that we have.”

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It’s time to be rid of the FOID requirement, putting Illinois in line with other states.

Finally, there is a very real chance that the Illinois Firearm Owners Identification Act will be declared unconstitutional and struck down by the state Supreme Court.

This antiquated law is no longer required. There are enough background check procedures for firearm purchases. The FOID law is a violation of our Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. That amendment does not stipulate that Illinois residents must complete and submit an application to own a firearm or ammunition and pay a fee for the “privilege.”

Question: Do Chicago gang members apply for FOID cards to legally own their weapons? Of course not. Do they buy ammunition at licensed gun shops? Of course not. They would have to show a FOID card.

SEND LETTERS TO: [email protected]. Please include your neighborhood or hometown and a phone number for verification purposes. Letters should be approximately 350 words or less.

But not having a FOID card doesn’t seem to prevent gang members from possessing weapons and ammunition. FOID is just a money grab by the State.

It’s time to be rid of the FOID requirement in Illinois, putting our state in line with other states that don’t require such a card. If the Illinois State Supreme Court does not strike down the FOID requirement, I hope the U.S. Supreme Court will.

Chris Berney, Schaumburg

Who says Chicago wants to dump the Drive?

At Wednesday’s Chicago City Council meeting, the most bogus argument made for renaming Lake Shore Drive for Jean Baptiste Point DuSable is that this is “the will of the people.” I seriously doubt that if Chicagoans were to actually vote on this issue, even 25% of them would favor the name change.

Among the arguments against changing the road’s name are the high costs and inconveniences involved in doing so. Addresses for homes and businesses along the Drive would have to be changed. Maps would have to be revised. Streets signs would have to be replaced. The costs would be in the millions.

Why should the Chicago City Council, with a history of corruption second only to that of New York’s old Tammany Hall, be allowed to make a change that a clear majority of Chicagoans probably don’t want to make?

How about setting a serious precedent here? Let the people decide.

Tom Sharp, Balmoral

Fix Chicago’s real problems

Chicago, the city that shirks? With all Chicago’s problems, why is the City Council considering spending $2.5 million to change the name of Lake Shore Drive? Dozens of people are shot each weekend, and this is what we do? Really? That $2.5 million could feed a lot of people. It could be used to buy back a lot of guns. It could do real good.

Fix Chicago’s real problems, please.

Bradford L. Meinecke, Logan Square

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At long last, Helio Castroneves joined the exclusive club of four-time Indianapolis 500 winners on Sunday. 

INDIANAPOLIS — At long last, Helio Castroneves joined the exclusive club of four-time Indianapolis 500 winners on Sunday.

Then Spiderman scaled the Indianapolis Motor Speedway fence for his trademark victory celebration at the largest sporting event since the start of the pandemic.

Castroneves wasn’t done yet. At 46 and one of the oldest drivers in the field, he sprinted along the frontstretch of the speedway waving to the 135,000 fans in attendance. He was interrupted during his victory jog by multiple drivers and most of Team Penske, the organization he spent more than two decades with and won three Indy 500s.

But it was time for Roger Penske to part ways with Castroneves, who still believed he had plenty of racing ahead. Michael Shank picked him up for a partial schedule that included the Indy 500 and a shot for Castroneves to add to his legacy at the speedway.

His last Indy 500 win was in 2009, and Castroneves has been trying since to join A.J. Foyt, Al Unser Sr. and Rick Mears, his former mentor at Team Penske, as the only four-time winners of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” Mears was the last driver to join the club in 1991.

“I love Indianapolis! You guys don’t understand it! The fans, you give me energy,” Castroneves said.

Castroneves was also part of the winning Rolex 24 Daytona sports car team in January, taking the prestigious sports car event for the first time.

“I’ve run two races this year and won two races, I’d say that’s pretty good,” said Castroneves, who noted that Tom Brady won the Super Bowl this year and 50-year-old Phil Mickelson won the PGA Championship last week.

It was a stark contrast to the recent theme of young drivers taking over IndyCar, which now has six different winners through six races this season. Three of them have been first-time winners and four are drivers aged 24 or younger.

Castroneves found himself in a closing duel with one of the young stars, 24-year-old Spaniard Alex Palou, but he passed Palou for good with two laps remaining and beat him by 0.4928 seconds for the victory.

Former Penske teammate Simon Pagenaud, the 2019 Indy winner, was third, followed by Pato O’Ward, the 21-year-old budding IndyCar star.

A year ago, no fans were allowed for the race that was delayed from May to August. This year, celebrities were back and fans were everywhere and they were treated to a win by one of the most popular drivers in Indy 500 history.

___

More AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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“This is our city that we love, and there is loss of life, and it should make us weep and roll up our sleeves,” said John Fuder of Chicagoland United in Prayer.

Cook-outs, prayer circles, marches, pony rides.

As police step up patrols in Chicago’s hot spots to contain violence this holiday weekend, community workers will fan out to some of the same places to draw people out of the line of fire.

“This is our city that we love, and there is loss of life, and it should make us weep and roll up our sleeves,” said John Fuder of Chicagoland United in Prayer, whose group is sponsoring prayer marches across the city this weekend.

The city has been relying more and more on violence prevention groups like Fuder’s in its strategy to reduce shootings. Their help is more crucial than ever.

Shootings are up 36% this year compared to the same period in 2020, according to Sun-Times data. Homicides are spiking in areas long afflicted with gun violence.

Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times

Eight neighborhoods have seen more homicides this year than at this time last year: South Shore, 9 last year and 12 this year; North Lawndale, 6 and 16; West Garfield Park, 11 and 13; Near West Side, 1 and 4; Grand Boulevard, 1 and 8; Austin, 17 and 23; Englewood, 8 and 17; East Garfield Park, 9 and 14.

Last year, the Lightfoot administration released a report titled “Our City Our Safety” that relied heavily on violence prevention groups in the community to connect with people caught in the cycle of violence.

“Gun violence is a reflection… of a lot of things — racial and economic injustice, high incarceration rates, high unemployment rates, poor neighborhoods and under-resourced schools,” said Jahmal Cole, founder of My Block, My Hood, My City. “If you have those five things, that’s the perfect conditions for gun violence.”

For the second year in a row, the nonprofit is funding dozens of events over the long weekend on the South and West sides, investing nearly $50,000 in community groups.

“I feel like the more positivity we put out in the streets this weekend, the more we can create ripples of hope,” Cole said. “I don’t expect to end 400 years of disinvestment with one weekend of giving out grants. But at the same time, I love seeing good stuff happening in the communities.”

Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times

This weekend, religious leaders in Chicago will lead prayer marches Saturday and Sunday along major economic corridors. “We feel the urgency that on our watch as faith leaders … we need to take this personally,” Fuder said.

There are also weekend-long “Hand’s Across Chicago” events held in coordination with the Chicago Police Department, with some officers leading prayers.

“Police (have) got to keep the peace … the church has to make the peace happen,” Fuder said.

Earlier this week, Chicago Police Supt. David Brown announced the department was canceling days off for the weekend and putting officers on 12-hour shifts.

“From a historical perspective, [it’s] better to prepare for the worst … than, you know, not be prepared,” Brown said. Last year, 10 people died and 39 others were wounded in shootings over the Memorial Day weekend, the deadliest since 2015.

Arne Duncan, founder of the CRED violence prevention group and former U.S secretary of education, told the Sun-Times he was “very concerned” about the months ahead and was implementing “an all-hands-on deck approach.”

Chicago CRED, CP4P, READI and other organizations have again partnered this year for the FLIP program — Flatlining Violence Inspires Peace — where people with influence in neighborhoods canvas hotspots and work to mediate conflict.

Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times

Duncan said they aim to have up to 400 Chicago CRED members working as extended outreach workers under the program this summer, targeting 77 hotspots across 12 neighborhoods.

“It’s so important for our city to understand that our men who are in these cycles of violence, they are also the solution… the only solution, to moving us out of these cycles of violence,” Duncan said. “We can’t arrest our way out of this.”

Steve Perkins, director of outreach at Metropolitan Family Services — which oversees CP4P — said their frontline FLIP workers do not work with Chicago police but have a “professional understanding.”

“We stay away from yellow tape or red tape … we understand that’s police business, and we also want that same level of respect when we’re in community and we’re working with community,” Perkins said. “We allow them to do their job, we do our job, and our methods may be a little different.”

Many of the programs by CP4P and Metropolitan Family Services had to shut down last summer due to the pandemic. This summer, Perkins said they aim to bring back large-scale events, through their Light in the Night program.

“We’re being deliberate and intentional … we’re trying to get in front of it,” Perkins said. “All of our outreach workers are on call.”

For many anti-violence workers, it has been that way since last summer.

“I’m not sitting by my phone to get a call from the mayor’s office to ask me, ‘What are we going to do this weekend to minimize the gun violence?’” READI senior director Eddie Bocanegra said. “Every weekend in Chicago since last year it’s been like a Memorial Day weekend.”

Last weekend, at least 12 people were killed and another 42 were wounded in Chicago, the deadliest weekend so far this year.

Nearly all of the violence happened in neighborhoods on the South and West sides identified by the city last fall as “priority community areas” where police and other resources were to be boosted.

According to “Our City, Our Safety,” 15 community areas have accounted for more than 50 percent of all shootings over the last three years.

“We’re anticipating the worst (this holiday),” Bocanegra said. “But the worst … it’s been like that for over a year already, every weekend.”

Jesse Howe contributed to this report

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