It’s been one heck of a week for Chicago Bears fans, mostly because of the conversations regarding the future of leadership. No one truly knows whether or not general manager Ryan Pace or head coach Matt Nagy are safe. It’s tough to know what to believe.
The Chicago Bears are coming off one of the most embarrassing losses in the recent history of the franchise. It was certainly the worst regular-season loss of the Matt Nagy/Ryan Pace era as they got destroyed by the Green Bay Packers on national television for their fifth straight loss. Well, despite all of that, their 5-1 start still has them in the hunt. Whether or not you want them to try and make it, they believe in trying. With that, looms a unique opportunity on Sunday against the Detroit Lions.
The Lions just fired their now former head coach, Matt Patricia. He came in after being a highly touted coach coming from being the New England Patriots defensive coordinator. He didn’t have much success with Detroit at all as they were consistently one of the worst teams in the NFL under him. In addition to Patricia, general manager Bob Quinn was also fired.
Chicago Bears take on Detroit Lions after coaching changeon December 5, 2020 at 1:37 pm Read More »
An Illinois Department of Transportation truck was struck by gunfire Saturday morning in a shooting on the Eisenhower Expressway near Independence Boulevard.
The shooting happened about 4:15 a.m. on the I-290 eastbound ramp to Independence Boulevard, according to Illinois State Police.
An IDOT truck was struck by at least three rounds of gunfire, state police said.
The driver was not shot but was run off the road and transported to Mount Sinai Hospital with minor injuries.
I-290 is closed from Cicero Avenue to Independence Boulevard as police investigate the shooting.
Less than 24 hours earlier, a man was fatally shot on the Eisenhower Expressway just east of the Jane Byrne Interchange.
IDOT vehicle struck by gunfire in I-290 shootingon December 5, 2020 at 12:38 pm Read More »
I finally got a chance to buy some of Seipp’s Extra Pale Pilsener, the revival of a historic Chicago brand.
The Conrad Seipp Brewing Co. was established by the descendants of Mr. Seipp, a German immigrant who started brewing in Chicago in 1854. The brewery was one of the few to survive the Chicago Fire, and at its peak in the mid 1870s was one of the country’s largest brewers, producing 100,000 barrels a year. Like other brewers, they were crippled by Prohibition, and Seipp closed its doors in 1933, ironically just as Prohibition was about to end. The brewing complex was torn down immediately to build Michael Reese hospital.
Just a few years ago, Seipp’s 3x-great granddaughter began to work on reviving the brewing name. She worked with Doug and Tracy Hurst of Metropolitan Brewing to create what they called a “Pre-Prohibition Pilsener” called Seipp’s Extra Pale.
The new beer began distribution this past June. I finally spotted some on my local store shelves, and grabbed a sixer. I poured a glass in front of my iPad to shre my impressions:
The beer has a golden color with a lot of bubbles feeding a thick head. A good “beer” smell: some spicy noble hops, and a clean toasty malt note. Hops are pretty pronounced on the palate. That pepper of German Noble varietals sticks around. The hops support a light, dry malt with no extra sweetness.
The “Pre-prohibition” tag can cover a wide range of beers. It’s usually what craft brewers use to describe their light lagers with adjuncts like corn or rice. This was needed to lighten up beer for U.S. tastes, and to reduce the protein haze caused by American six-row barley. But they also made up for the lighter malt taste with more aggressive hopping, and this beer cerainly does that.
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Historic Beer Revival: Seipp’s Extra Pale Pilseneron December 5, 2020 at 5:43 am Read More »
Fourteen people have been displaced from their homes following a fire at an apartment building in West Rogers Park on the North Side.
The fire started about 7:25 p.m. on the back porch of a building in the 6400 block of North Washtenaw Avenue, according to Chicago fire officials.
No one was injured, but the fire has forced 14 people from their homes, fire officials said.
The cause of the fire was not immediately known.
14 displaced after apartment fire in West Rogers Parkon December 5, 2020 at 3:35 am Read More »
Chicago house music producer Matthew Agostini’s first son is due to be born Christmas Day.
Agostini, known as Turk to his friends and Dirty Turk in the music world, won’t be present for the birth.
Two days before Thanksgiving, the 50-year-old Logan Square resident died from pneumonia caused by COVID-19. His death came less than two hours after he was taken by ambulance from his home to the hospital.
Agostini’s death was a shock to his many friends, who flooded a Facebook remembrance page with stories of a talented and funny man whose passion was music but who supported his family by working as an electrical rigger on television and movie sets.
Jessica Tapper, 38, his partner of nine years and mother of their 3-year-old daughter Violet, said they already had picked the name Matteo for their son-to-be.
A recent ultrasound showed the boy has his father’s nose.
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Tapper told me that, during one particularly difficult recent day, her young daughter had told her: “Don’t cry, Mommy. Put your feelings away.”
Tapper said Agostini was devoted to Violet but had begged her for a son since they began their relationship.
Agostini has two older daughters from previous relationships — Devin Whitman, 29, who lives in Arizona, and Lucia, 14, in California.
“He always wanted a baby boy,” said Whitman, who spoke glowingly of her dad. “Violet was his world. He loved being a father.”
In an online tribute, she described him as: “The King of Useless Information. The bearer of bad news. The most Sicilian of all Sicilians and the King of the Lower East Side. Type One Warrior… Poet. Musician. Artist. Sculptor.”
Whitman and her mother have established fundraising sites on Facebook and GoFundMe.com to help pay for Agostini’s funeral and to support his younger children.
Agostini, a well-traveled native New Yorker, moved to Chicago 12 years ago to focus on his music because of the city’s status as the home of house music. Whitman said he considered himself a “deep house” musician.
“He called it progressive jazz house,” she said.
Agostini was also a songwriter and session musician, playing keyboards, guitar and bass.
“He would be walking down the street and just start writing a song in his head,” Tapper said. “He’d call his own voicemail and hum the song so he wouldn’t forget the melody.”
Agostini learned electrical work as a teenager and later operated his own contracting business, his daughter said.
In Chicago, he worked on most of the major TV shows shot here as a member of International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 476. His specialty was setting up generators for filming locations outside the studio.
As a teenager, Agostini aspired to be a professional breakdancer. He competed in contests along the East Coast and appeared briefly as a dancer in the 1984 movie “Breakin.’ “
His brand of humor was along the lines of “breakin’ balls,” as one of his old buddies put it.
“He liked to roast people,” Whitman said. “He made people laugh until they cried and peed their pants, literally.”
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Tapper said she and Agostini stuck close to their apartment since she learned she was pregnant shortly after the pandemic began in March.
Agostini, who had diabetes and high blood pressure, was careful to wear a mask when he needed to go out, she said.
He was sick for two weeks before he died, his symptoms becoming progressively worse, with a cough and fever. He suspected he caught the virus at a pharmacy where another customer was coughing and not wearing a mask.
Even as his breathing became labored, he never sought treatment and wasn’t diagnosed until he went to the hospital the night he died.
Tapper isn’t sure of this but suspects “he was afraid of dying on a ventilator.”
When the ambulance came, Agostini walked to it and went to Norwegian-American Hospital.
“He was there for an hour and a half, and then he was dead,” Tapper said.
Why do I keep writing about COVID victims?
Maybe so that we aren’t tempted to put our feelings away.
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‘Tis the season to be jolly. Or…something like that? 2020 hasn’t exactly been merry and bright, but that doesn’t mean we should celebrate any less. So grab your ugly sweater and heavily spiked eggnog and let’s get this party started. Here are the best things to do in Chicago for next few weeks to have yourself a merry little December.
2001 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60614
Move over, Clark Griswold. The ZooLights boast 2.5 million bulbs of holiday razzle dazzle. Feel free to roam the park and take in all the sparkly lights but heads up, most animals will be indoors. Tickets are $5. Looking for something with less kids? Book tickets for an adult-only night out on December 10th (complete with hot chocolate and mulled wine) featuring A Charlie Brown Christmas tribute concert.
1467 N Elston Ave, Chicago, IL 60642
Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree. If you’re wishing for a heavenly-smelling real pine this year, check out this fun pop-up. Snap a selfie with your besties next to some twinkly lights or explore their full 2-acres in historic Goose Island. Tickets start at $21 per person and come with Jack’s Winter Walk and a delicious donut. Yum.
3505 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60657
He sees you when you’re drinking! The iconic Santa Baby Christmas bar is back with all of the holiday cheer your inner elf desires. Ho-ho-ho your way through their multi-rooms, multi-levels, and the interactive Christmas experience. Just a heads up, after a few of their Instagram-worthy cocktails, you might make the naughty list this year.
Various locations
Oh, what fun it is to ride! Get to know your city during this 90-minute boat cruise. It’s a great excuse to snuggle up next to your sweetie and learn about the history of our beautiful downtown. The best part? Colder weather and a global pandemic mean fewer tourists (the Grinch would approve). Tickets and departure times range, learn more here.
2239 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60616
Join the Mad Hatter and his even madder guests for a 90-minute psychedelic cocktail menu created with Rabbit Hole Bespoke Gin. Three enticing cocktails await you, each carefully construed from curious ingredients that’ll befuddle your tastebuds. Don’t be late for this very important date, or it’ll be ‘off with your head’! Tickets start at $65.00.
4614 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60625
Load up the kids in your sleigh (aka your car) and head to this drive-in movie theater for a festive night out. Watch classics like Home Alone on December 11th or A Christmas Story on December 19th. Don’t forget the popcorn, hot chocolate, and of course, candy canes.
Featured Image Credit: Jack Frost Winter Village on Facebook
Things to Do in Chicago This Month (December 2020)on December 4, 2020 at 5:28 pm Read More »
An $8,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrests of would-be carjackers who fatally shot a retired CFD firefighter Friday.
The reward in the murder of 65-year-old Dwain Williams was organized by Rev. Michael Pfleger, community activist Andrew Holmes and Lets Get Poppin’, the popcorn shop Williams left moments before he was killed.
Williams, 65, was confronted by four carjackers about 2:10 p.m. after he left the popcorn shop, 11758 S. Western Ave., in the Morgan Park neighborhood, authorities said.
Williams exchanged gunfire with the carjackers and was shot in his abdomen. He died later at Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.
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Pfleger said the murder was “another absolutely senseless killing” and was evidence of how violence in the city “is really out of control.”
“This reminds me that we’re not safe anywhere,” Pfleger said in an interview. “You can’t get popcorn without being at risk.”
Pfleger said he knew Williams’ wife from his church, and had only heard great things about him.
“Everything I’ve heard about him is what an amazing guy he is,” he said.
Williams was a Chicago Fire Department lieutenant who retired about two years ago after joining in 1992, officials said. His final assignment was with the Office of Emergency Management and Communications, where he was about to return to work as a civilian employee as soon as next week.
Pfleger said he doesn’t want to see Chicago’s rising violence swept aside as attention turns to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year has already seen more than 3,800 people shot in Chicago, with shootings and murders more than 50% higher than they were during the same period in 2019.
“We’re seeing many innocent people killed because of a climate of violence that’s becoming more of a norm. As citizens, when do we get tired of it? We’ve lost mothers, fathers, a retiree who was about to go to work. It’s just so painful.”
The 99% Invisible City takes a second look at familiar cities.
At a moment when some city dwellers are moving to less populated areas, The 99% Invisible City: A Field Guide to the Hidden World of Everyday Design (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) reads like a love letter to all things urban, an invitation to look a little longer at the design stories that have changed how cities work. The illustrated guide is the first book by co-authors Roman Mars and Kurt Kohlstedt, creator and producer of popular design podcast 99% Invisible.…Read More
A travel guide to your blockLeah Gallanton December 4, 2020 at 7:30 pm Read More »
A new community photo project highlights the beauty of Logan Square as seen through new and old locals and will be on display at the centerfold of the neighborhood.
Growing up in Logan Square, 24-year-old photographer Deanna J. Smith has seen all the changes swirling around the neighborhood. But for her recent photo class at Columbia College that focuses on photography as a social practice, she wanted to see what the neighborhood looked like from other people’s eyes, like newer residents, older folks, and diverse creatives.…Read More
See it Through Your EyesAriel Parrella-Aurelion December 4, 2020 at 7:10 pm Read More »
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