Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Dr. Allison Arwady, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, wear “Rona Destroyer” costumes and pose for a photo at City Hall before the start of a press conference about Halloween in Chicago, Thursday afternoon, Oct. 1, 2020. | Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times | Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times

City Hall has released guidelines for trick-or-treaters and those passing out candy, along with a list of family-friendly events happening around the city.

Ghouls, ghosts, Marvel heroes and Disney princesses will roam Chicago once more on Halloween. After a year off due to the COVID-19 pandemic, trick-or-treating returns to the city in 2021, along with other family-fun events taking place the week before Oct. 31.

City Hall released Tuesday a set of COVID-19 guidelines to keep trick-or-treaters and candy givers safe as well as the schedule for “Halloweek,” an initiative to provide kids and teens with safe and engaging activities during out-of-school time. The Halloweek events will run from Oct. 23 through Oct. 30.

“Throughout this pandemic, we have learned that we can be open and do the things we love while staying safe,” Lightfoot said in a statement. “Beginning Oct. 23, we’re offering a weeklong celebration of trick-or-treating and other activities that our children and families can once again enjoy.”

For those looking to stay safe while trick-or-treating, the city recommends:

Wearing a mask for anyone unvaccinated and unable to stay socially distant while outdoors.
Keeping groups small.
Moving together as a group and not stopping to congregate.
Staying home if feeling ill.

Candy givers can also do their part to participate safely. According to the city statement, they should:

Download the Halloweek toolkit, which provides safety messaging and signage to notify others of participation, at chicagohalloweek.org when available.
Leave a light on or place signage in windows to indicate participation.
Wear a mask, stay socially distant and use hand sanitizer when passing out candy.
Skip passing out candy if feeling sick.

Further advice for anyone heading to a haunted house or other indoor Halloween activities can be found at chicagohalloweek.org.

Halloweek events can be found all over the city. Some of the biggest happenings include:

The third annual UPSIDE DOWN Parade in Washington Park from noon to 3 p.m. on Oct. 23.
The Arts in the Dark Halloween Parade on State Street from 6-8 p.m. on Oct. 30.
The community-focused “Halloweek on the Block” pop-ups coming to 11 residential streets throughout the week.
The Campfire Horror Movie Series hosted by the Chicago Parks District.

Dates, locations and details of these and other Halloweek activities can be found at chicagohalloweek.org. Businesses can also upload their own Halloweek activities to the city’s website.

Read More

Inspector General Joe Ferguson speaks to members of the City Council during a budget hearing last Thursday. | Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

Today’s update is a 5-minute read that will brief you on the day’s biggest stories.

Good afternoon. Here’s the latest news you need to know in Chicago. It’s about a 5-minute read that will brief you on today’s biggest stories.

This afternoon will be mostly cloudy with a high near 68 degrees. Tonight will also be mostly cloudy with a low near 55. Tomorrow will be partly sunny with a high near 72 and a 50% chance of showers.

Top story

Departing watchdog sounds alarm — again — about CFD response times

Eight years after Inspector General Joe Ferguson sounded the first alarm, the Chicago Fire Department still has not implemented the changes necessary to accurately measure response times to fire and medical emergencies.

In 2013, Ferguson concluded the fire department did not meet the National Fire Protection Association’s standards for emergency response times and that its internal reports “lacked the elements necessary to accurately assess” the veracity of CFD’s claims that it was exceeding national standards.

Two years later, Ferguson issued a follow-up report that reached similar conclusions.

Today — just three days before he ends his 12-year run as city government’s top watchdog, Ferguson released a second comprehensive audit concluding CFD:

Still does not produce annual department-wide reports that would allow it to evaluate emergency response times.
Does not measure “turnout and travel time as separate components of response time,'” does not use “industry-standard percentile measures” and has not set goals for turnout or travel time at the “industry standard 90th percentile.”

(Turnout time begins when first responders press a button at the firehouse acknowledging an emergency call was received. The travel time phase begins when they press another button inside their vehicles to show they are en route and ends when the same button is pressed upon arrival at the scene. )

Documented its overall EMS response time goal as required by state law, but has not done the same for fire response goals.
Still uses data that is “not adequate to allow reliable measurement” of emergency response times.

Fran Spielman has the full story on Ferguson’s report here.

More news you need

The former CEO of a Pennsylvania debt-collection company admitted today that he made payments to support former Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown’s Women’s History Month program to reward her for business he thought she steered his way. The feds in 2019 said Donald Donagher Jr. and Penn Credit conspired to bribe Brown and other elected clerks in Florida.

More than a year after shooting and killing a knife-wielding man, three Chicago police officers were honored by the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation today. Police body cam footage showed the man thrusting a knife at an officer, puncturing her vest and stabbing her before the two other officers fired.

Last weekend marked 150 years since the last embers from the Great Chicago Fire flickered out. Lee Bey looked into how the fire changed a smoldering city with the will and money to rebuild.

Visitors to Millennium Park will have more food and beverage choices soon thanks to a $2.5 million investment that will reopen and rebrand the clout-heavy Park Grill restaurant. Eleven North Hospitality will serve as Millennium Park’s concessionaire, with renovations already underway at the 140-seat restaurant behind the skating rink.

The polarizing Chicago chef Charlie Trotter is the focus of a new documentary titled “Love, Charlie: The Rise and Fall of Chef Charlie Trotter.” Sun-Times movie critic Richard Roeper calls it one of the best documentaries of the year in his 3.5-star review.

A bright one

Chicago International Film Festival returns for in-person, virtual screenings

After going nearly all virtual last year due to the pandemic, the Chicago International Film Festival returns this week for its 57th iteration, bringing back in-theater screenings along with less costly virtual screenings.

The 57th annual festival draws cinema co-produced in 57 different countries, coincidentally. The schedule has 89 feature-length films and 10 programs of shorts. Documentaries include world premieres of works about Mayor Harold Washington, chef Charlie Trotter and U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

“The French Dispatch” launches the festival at 7 p.m. tomorrow at the Music Box Theatre, a partner venue added this year. Tickets are $40. This U.K./France/Germany co-production opens Oct. 21 in Chicago.

Here are some films recommended to see on the big screen or stream at home (tickets for both in-person and streaming options available at chicagofilmfestival.com):

“Amira” (Egypt/Jordan/UAE/Saudi Arabia)

Provided
A still from “Amira.”

Egyptian filmmaker Mohammed Diab crafts a moving thriller about a 17-year-old Palestinian woman seeking truths about her birth. Imprisoned by Israelis, her father had nonetheless impregnated her mother. DNA tests now create a tragic conflict of identity. (5:45 p.m. Oct. 19, AMC River East, 322 E. Illinois St.)

“The Last Execution” (Germany)

Provided
A still from the “The Last Execution.”

Franziska Stunkel re-creates the Kafkaesque plight of an East Berlin academic coerced by state security agents to destroy a soccer star who defected to the west. As in other politically acute entries this year, men leverage women in power plays. The title refers to the June 26, 1981 execution of Werner Teske, whose story inspired the screenplay. (8:45 p.m. Oct. 16, and 5:15 p.m. Oct. 21 AMC River East 21)

“Babi Yar. Context” (The Netherlands/Ukraine)

Sergei Loznitsa assembles a searing montage that contextualizes Germans and Ukrainians shooting 33,771 Jews near Kiev on September 29 and 30, 1941. Adding natural sounds and actors voicing actual words, transcribed and broadcast at the time, lends uncanny impact to the originally silent footage. Some was home movies by German soldiers. (12:15 p.m. Oct. 17, AMC River East 21)

“The Last Forest” (Brazil)

Provided
A still from “The Last Forest.”

Luiz Bolognesi won a Silver Hugo for “Ex-Shaman” in the 2018 festival. He returns to the rainforest to further document the further struggles of ex-shaman Davi Kopenawa Yanomami, credited here as co-writer. He stars as himself. Their shared perspectives defend an imperiled way of life from invasive miners and mercury ruining the water. (6 p.m. Oct. 20, AMC River East 21)

Read Bill Stamets’ full list of must-see films at this year’s festival here.

From the press box

White Sox fans wouldn’t let work or school let them miss out on a critical Game 4 against the Astros. Our Madeline Kenney spoke with fans at Guaranteed Rate Field before the two teams took the field this afternoon.

Typically, when an organization loses a superstar — Elena Delle Donne, in this case — fans never remember anything other than what they lost. The Sky’s Kahleah Copper is ensuring that isn’t the case this time, Annie Costabile writes.

An extremely rare Michael Jordan autographed trading card sold for $2.7 million yesterday, setting a new record for the highest price ever fetched by an MJ card.
Two weeks ago, the Bears looked like a total disaster against the Browns. Two wins later, they feel like they can beat anybody, Patrick Finley writes.
Rick Telander on the post-college education Justin Fields is receiving in the NFL.

Your daily question ?

Can a Cubs fan cheer for the White Sox or vice versa? Tell us why or why not.

Email us (please include your first name and where you live) and we might include your answer in the next Afternoon Edition.

Yesterday we asked you: Thousands of people completed the 26.2-mile Chicago Marathon yesterday. What’s the greatest athletic accomplishment of your life? Here’s what some of you said…

“I did the 39-mile Susan G. Komen breast cancer walk in Chicago back in 2007. It was a long time ago, but the memories and the friendships made will last forever!” — Angela Lehman

“Now — I am 90 years old and I pulled weeds from rock landscaping areas this morning.” — Gail Korbel

“I hit a grand slam in a womens league when I was in my 30s.” — Laurel Schultheis Karolczak

“I acted in an episode of Storm Stories on The Weather Channel at age 70. My role involved fighting the current in the Des Plaines River, then crawling up the slippery muddy bank. It was epic.” — Sandy Gulliver

“Stealing the ball from and tripping my cousin in kiddie soccer when the whole family was watching us play that game versus each other. Got a red card. Lol.” — Angie Lewandowski

“The greatest marathon on earth: the Boston.” — Manny Figueroa

“Passing high school gym in 1962. I am not a fan of sweating at all!” — Sue Shannon Whelan

“I once sat on the couch for 16 hours 27 minutes and 13 seconds without getting up to use the bathroom or eat.” — Gabe Escobar

“Climbing to the 11,000-foot elevation at Yosemite.” — Craig Barner

“Completing the Chicago Marathon, twice, 24 years apart.” — Tom Griffin

“Getting around the dang marathon traffic should be its own sport.” — Leticia Montes

Thanks for reading the Chicago Sun-Times Afternoon Edition. Got a story you think we missed? Email us here.

Sign up here to get the Afternoon Edition in your inbox every day.

Read More

Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Alex DeBrincat and Seth Jones’ respective results in 2021-22 will greatly affect the Hawks’ fortunes. | Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

It’s hard to tell whether the Hawks will be good, bad or somewhere in between this season, but the same can be said for every team in the league.

The Blackhawks’ opening three-game road trip perfectly demonstrates the great uncertainty that lies ahead during the 2021-22 season.

On one hand, the trip looks like a gauntlet. The Avalanche are arguably the Western Conference favorites. The Devils were arguably the NHL’s most-improved team this offseason. The Penguins are a perennial contender, touting 15 straight postseason appearances.

On the other hand, all three have weaknesses. Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon will shockingly miss the opener against the Hawks after testing positive Tuesday for COVID-19. Devils star Dougie Hamilton hasn’t yet played a single game for his new team. Penguins stars Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby are both out injured, Malkin long-term.

Across the board — and more than ever before — the league looks wide open this season, ripe for a changing of the guard or at least a disruption of the hierarchy.

More elite players switched teams this summer than in years. Most teams haven’t faced each other in 19 months. The pandemic continues to wreak havoc randomly, choosing the brand-new Kraken — who were without five key players for their debut Tuesday against the Golden Knights — as its first victim.

And the Hawks sit at the center of the uncertainty, looking equally poised for a breakthrough back into the NHL’s upper echelon or a crash that could cost most of the team’s management and coaching staff their jobs.

Jonathan Toews could play like Toews again or struggle with the rigors of 82 games. Marc-Andre Fleury could look like a Vezina Trophy winner again or resume succumbing to age effects the way he did in 2019-20 (his mediocre .905 save percentage that year has been conveniently forgotten). Seth Jones could lead the defensive revitalization or continue his downward statistical trend from Columbus.

Patrick Kane could play like the Hart Trophy contender he appeared to be during the first half of last season or like the injury-plagued 32-year-old he appeared to be during the second half. Alex DeBrincat could — much like Fleury — be either his tremendous 2021 self or his snakebitten 2019-20 self.

The Hawks’ new focus on grit and physicality among their depth players could add a much-needed element of resistance or could stifle their biggest team strength, transition offense. Coach Jeremy Colliton’s loyalty to his system could finally click with the right personnel, or backfire one final, fatal time.

If most of those things turn out well, the Hawks could easily finish second in the wide-open Central Division. But if things fall apart, they could just as easily finish seventh.

At least the process of finding out — with dates against all 31 other franchises, fans filling every arena and new TV providers elevating coverage quality — should be interesting.

“Yeah, there’s pressure [on us], but that’s fun — you want it,” Colliton said Monday. “If you don’t have it, it’s kinda like, ‘What are you doing?’ It’s why we’re in this business and position. We love the game, love to compete. It’s just exciting.”

The Hawks will have consistency in their leadership group, as became clear Tuesday.

Toews returns as captain, as expected. And outside of Duncan Keith’s departure, the alternate captains will remain the same as they were last season, rather now in official capacity. Kane will wear an “A” for all games, DeBrincat an “A” for home games and Connor Murphy an “A” for road games.

“[DeBrincat and Murphy are] part of what we’ve been trying to build,” Colliton said. “They take a lot of responsibility with leadership in what they say, but more in what they do… [But as] we said to the team Monday, the leadership group is bigger than just these four guys. We’re in good hands here with our experience and leadership that we have.”

Just how good those hands are — and how high they can lift this remade Hawks team — will start to be determined Wednesday in Denver.

Read More

It’s never too early to begin planning for Halloween events! Whether you’re looking for all-age fun involving cookies and pumpkins, or adult Halloween parties in Chicago with real screams and thrills, we’ve got you covered with this extensive list of Halloween festivities now through the end of the month.

Image Credit; Beatrix

272 Oakbrook Ctr., Oak Brook, IL

WHEN: Thursday, October 28: 4:30 PM and 6:30 PM
WHAT: Celebrate Halloween with the Halloween Cookie Decorating Event at Beatrix in Oakbrook Center on Thursday, October 28! The event will be led by Chef Partner Yasmin Gutierrez. If you are looking for things to do near Chicago for Halloween, guests will decorate Halloween-themed sugar cookies with festive frosting, candy, sprinkles and more while learning decorating tips and enjoying sips from Beatrix. The Kids Session is from 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM and is $24.95, plus tax (gratuity not included), and the Adults Session is from 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM and is $39.95 per person, plus tax (gratuity not included).
CONTACT: 630-491-1415 | Reserve your spot at the Kids Halloween Cookie Decorating Event at Beatrix | Reserve your spot at the Adults Halloween Cookie Decorating Event at Beatrix

Image Credit: Offshore

1000 E Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60611

WHEN: Wednesday, October 20, 6:30 p.m.

First-time painters and experienced artists are invited to create a Halloween-inspired skyline painting with a local artist from Pinot’s Palette. Tickets for the Halloween event, each $68, include two glasses of house red, white, or rose wine, along with paint supplies, a blank canvas, and aprons. Additional drinks will also be available for purchase during the event. The evening will take place indoors on the rooftop in Offshore’s airy glass atrium, which includes collapsible floor-to-ceiling windows that give a great indoor/outdoor atmosphere.

Tickets are limited and can be purchased by clicking here. Tickets are nonrefundable.

Image Credit: Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba!

2024 N. Halsted St., Chicago, IL

WHEN: Trick or Treating: Saturday, October 30 – Sunday, October 31; Free Dessert Tapa: Sunday, October 31: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
WHAT: Throughout Halloween weekend, stop by the Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba! take-out window on Saturday, October 30 from 10:00 AM – 11:00 PM and Sunday, October 31 from 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM for free trick-or-treating. Don’t forget something savory for the adults! On Sunday, October 31, wear your costume to the Halloween event in Chicago and your table will get your choice of one free dessert tapa to share. This spooky deal is valid for dine-in customers only. One dessert per table.
CONTACT: 773-935-5000 | Make a reservation at Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba! | Order carryout and delivery from Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba!

Image Credit: Joe’s Live

5441 Park Place, Rosemont, IL

WHEN: Saturday, October 30: Doors at 8:00 PM and music at 9:30 PM
WHAT: Don’t miss the Halloween Party with Sixteen Candles at Joe’s Live on Saturday, October 30. Doors open at 8:00 PM and music starts at 9:30 PM. General admission tickets are $10 (plus taxes and fees). This is a 21+ show.
CONTACT: 847- 261-0392 | Buy tickets for the Halloween Party at Joe’s Live

Image Credit: Offshore

1000 E Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60611

WHEN: Saturday, October 30: Doors at 8:00 PM

Tickets are $95 each, and include access to a premium four-hour bar, along with decadent passed bites. If you are looking for things to do in Chicago for Halloween, the event will feature a costume contest with over $2,000 of prizes and a complimentary hotel stay at Sable at Navy Pier for the first-place winner who killed the competition, along with plenty of music, dancing, and more. Tickets can be purchased by clicking here.

Please note, tickets are non-refundable, and masks are required upon entry, exit, and movement around the space

110 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60654

The fear for darkness is in our nature. But it’s also in our nature to scare ourselves during the Halloween season while simultaneously indulging in emotional support cocktails. The haunted dining in the dark experience at Hubbard Inn will take you through on a trip through the deranged history of its ghostly venue, while pampering you with a gourmet 3-course meal.

Get your tickets here.

Image Credit: Recess

Apocalypse Halloween Party at Recess

838 W. Kinzie Street, Chicago, IL 60642

WHEN: Friday, October 29, 2021 at 8 p.m.

WHAT: Recess will be transformed into an apocalyptic Las Vegas—inspired by Netflix’s smash hit “Army of the Dead”—for a one-night-only zombie party this Halloween, Friday Oct. 29, with themed cocktails, food and a costume contest. The guests at this Halloween event in Chicago are are encouraged to come in costume and participate in the epic costume contest for a chance to win a $500 prize.

Recess employees will be themed as both DEAD and UNDEAD in addition to the costume contest. Early bird tickets are $10 per person on Eventbrite.

TICKETS: $10 per person, available on Eventbrite here: https://bit.ly/2Yvqp0R

820 W Lake St, Chicago, IL 60607

WHEN: Oct. 29 & 30, 8PM – 12AM

How many Japanese horror stories you’ve heard are related to train and subway stations? And what’s a better city for a subway-based horror night than Chicago when we have the famous L trains? Momotaro will transport you to the world of the spine-chilling Japanese kaitan world of Izakaya Station, all the while pampering you with delicious food.

Get your tickets here.

441 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL

WHEN: Sunday, October 31: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
WHAT: Rock your costume at Lil’ Ba-Ba-Reeba! on Sunday, October 31, and you’ll get your choice of one free dessert tapa. This spooky deal is valid for dine-in customers only.
CONTACT: 312-985-6909 | Make a reservation at Lil’ Ba-Ba-Reeba!

260 Oakbrook Ctr., Oak Brook, IL

WHEN: Sunday, October 31: 11:30 AM – 3:00 PM
WHAT: Make your way to Mon Ami Gabi in Oak Brook for a fun-filled Halloweekend Costume Party. Dress up and indulge in French favorites like Onion Soup Au Gratin or Baked Goat Cheese. Brunch will also be available. Guests in costume will be able to enter into a special holiday raffle for a chance to win one of three Lettuce Entertain You gift cards: a third place $50 gift card, a second place $100 gift card, and a grand prize $200 gift card.
CONTACT: 630-472-1900 | Make a reservation at Mon Ami Gabi – Oak Brook  

108 N State St suite 420, Chicago, IL 60602

Have you ever bouldered in Halloween costumes? We haven’t! This year, the newly expanded First Ascent is redefining Halloween costume parties with their climb in costume challenge. Stay tuned to their social media and website announcements as more details plus additional Halloween activities are revealed!

1962 N. Halsted St., Chicago IL

WHEN: Friday October 29 – Sunday October 31
WHAT: Join Quality Crab & Oyster Bah Halloween Weekend for Brews & Boos! Enjoy all draft beers for $5, plus tax (gratuity not included). Pair your brew with an order of Fish & Chips, Oysters on the Half Shell, or King Crab Legs. For the kiddos, we will have an overflowing pot of Halloween Candy for all trick or treaters dressed up in costume.
CONTACT: 773-248-3000 | Make a reservation at Quality Crab & Oyster Bah

Read More

It’s almost giving season, and many organizations are aiming for a head-start to give back to the communities across Chicago. As the holiday season fast approaches, Roseland Community Hospital is launching special events throughout the coming months including a Trunk or Treat event and Coat Drive to give back to Chicago’s South Side neighborhoods and surrounding communities.

This holiday season, Roseland Community Hospital is inviting all companies looking to give back and get involved to participate in the hospital’s wish list which includes Educational Seminars, Team Morale efforts, Fundraising, and Beautifying the hospital, as well as donate to their upcoming holiday events which include their annual Coat Drive, a Trunk or Treat event, a Turkey Drive and Toy Drive initiative.

The Hospital, which is located in the Greater Roseland Area at 45 W. 111th St., strives to satisfy the residents of Chicago’s far South Side neighborhoods by offering quality resources to each individual, a mission it has maintained since its inception in 1924. With the holiday season just around the corner, the Roseland team is excited to get the community together with these various events and celebrate the neighborhood and its residents.

“The holiday season is really our favorite season here at the hospital and in this neighborhood,” said Tim Egan, President and CEO of the Roseland Community Hospital. “We take a lot of pride and joy in these events annually as we love to give back to this community that has since day one, given us the comfort of a place to call home, and welcomed us with open arms. These events are our way of showing our profound appreciation.”

Roseland Community Hospital’s upcoming schedule of events include:

Image Credit: Roseland Community Hospital

Coat Drive

Saturday, October 16 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. 

Teaming up with TIMMY’s Community Connection, Roseland Community Hospital will be distributing 500 children and adult coats to the Greater Roseland Community onsite at the hospital. The Roseland team will also accept newly purchased adult coats for those looking to donate to the cause, or to volunteer their time. To RSVP to the Coat Drive, please click here.

Trunk or Treat

Sunday, October 31 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.  

It wouldn’t be a proper October without Halloween festivities! The Roseland Community Hospital will host their inaugural Trunk or Treat event onsite, which will allow children of the neighborhood a safe alternative to the traditional Trick-or-Treating. Cars will be dressed up in Halloween decorations and lined up as children and their families “trunk or treat” each car, which will provide healthier treats and snacks. There will also be a prize awarded to the best decorated car. To sign up for Trunk or Treat, please click here.

Turkey Drive

Saturday, November 20 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The Roseland Community Hospital is partnering with Hope x Rope for an inaugural Turkey Drive, where they will donate 200 turkeys to families across the greater community. The drive will be on a first come basis and turkeys are not guaranteed for every registration. Monetary donations are also very welcome for those interested in sponsoring a dinner for a family. To register for the Turkey Drive or to learn more, please click here.

Image Credit: Roseland Community Hospital

Toy Drive

Saturday, December 18 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. 

Tis’ the season! Partnering with Hope x Rope, the Roseland Community Hospital will donate 200 gifts for children and their families at this annual Toy Drive. Families who stop by the hospital will enjoy delicious hot chocolate, participate in raffles, sing along to Christmas carols, and much more to keep the holidays bright. Registration will be required for each child, and families must be present to receive their gifts. To register for this year’s Toy Drive, please click here.

To learn more about Roseland Community Hospital’s upcoming holiday events, please visit here or for more information on ways to donate this holiday season, please click here or email Chrislin Flanagan at [email protected].

Read More

White Sox fan Sharon Bresnahan said her late sister, Sheryl, who died of a brain aneurysm in 2006, will be at the game in spirit. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

It wasn’t quite the ideal “taking in a ballgame” conditions as Sunday night — with overcast skies and chillier temperatures — but that didn’t deter White Sox fans.

Sharon Bresnahan took a minute Tuesday afternoon before Game 4 of the American League Division Series to admire the stone she and her twin sister bought after the 2005 World Series.

Before every game, she explains, she taps the stone that reads, in part, “Thx 05 White Sox Sharon & Sheryl.”

Bresnahan said her late sister, Sheryl, who died of a brain aneurysm in 2006, will be at the game in spirit.

“We’ve been lifelong White Sox fans, I brought her with me,” said Bresnahan, who pulled a photo of her twin out of her red purse. “We were here Sunday, we’re going to win again tonight.”

It wasn’t quite the ideal “taking in a ballgame” conditions as Sunday night — with overcast skies and chillier temperatures — but that didn’t deter White Sox fans from flocking by the thousands to Guaranteed Rate Field to cheer on their beloved team facing elimination.

Many took off work or skipped school to be at or near the ballpark, including Christian Pera, who said Tuesday’s game was “the most important part of the day.”

“We’re ready to have fun and bring home the win,” Pera, 28, said as he casually sipped on a beer.

Though he took off work, he and his colleague had to take a conference call from the tailgate.

“They said, ‘Maybe you guys should get off and we’ll talk later,'” said Pera, who works in real estate.

Pera said he’s prepared to take off Wednesday, too, if the Sox force a Game 5 in Houston.

“If they win, I’m going tomorrow,” said Pera, who’s prepared to book a flight to Texas. “Sox in five.”

Brad Neubauer, a high school teacher from Oswego, took a personal day for the Sox.

“It’s exciting. We’re pumped,” Neubauer said at a tailgate with a few other teachers who skipped school. “It’s been 13 years since we got to do this. We’re ready to see them come back and stick it to the Astros.”

Pat Nabong/Sun-Times
White Sox fans boo a person wearing a Houston Astros jersey while tailgating outside Guaranteed Rate Field on Tuesday.

Many were hoping Guaranteed Rate Field will be as electric as it was Sunday night when the Sox came back and beat the Astros 12-6. The parking lots, where people were tailgating before the game, were certainly setting the tone for another exhilarating crowd.

Sox flags blew in the wind as people threw back a few beers before entering the ballpark. Children threw a foam football between rows of cars.

A loud roar of boos erupted from the back of Lot B at one point when a man, donning the jersey of Astros second basement Jose Altuve, walked through.

Christine Dziedzic was tailgating with her family, which included a half dozen grandchildren. Her husband took a few swigs out of a champagne bottle as she sipped on a seltzer.

“It’s my birthday, I’m 74 today and there’s no place I’d rather be than here and have the Sox give us a celebratory win,” said Dziedzic, of Bloomingdale.

Dziedzic said she’s a Sox fan thanks to her father. She’s married a die-hard fan and passed their love of the South Siders to her children.

“It’s just generational for us, so it’s just really exciting,” Dziedzic said. “It’s a family affair. Go White Sox and bring me a birthday win!”

Read More

The Park Grill in Millennium Park. | Sun-Times file

City Hall picks Eleven North Hospitality as Millennium Park’s concessionaire, with renovations already underway at the 140-seat restaurant behind the skating rink.

Visitors to Millennium Park — the Midwest’s No. 1 tourist attraction — will have more food and beverage choices, thanks to a $2.5 million investment that will reopen and re-brand the clout-heavy Park Grill restaurant.

The city’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events said Tuesday it has chosen Eleven North Hospitality to serve as Millennium Park’s concessionaire, with renovations already underway at the 140-seat restaurant behind the skating rink.

The joint venture also plans to offer a “broad range of food and beverage options” that include:

A cafe serving Mexican food across from the wildly-popular Cloud Gate sculpture — better known as “The Bean” — that has emerged as one of Chicago’s favorite meeting places.
A coffee bar and tearoom operated by Momentum Coffee. It will be located in the Park Cafe space just south of the restaurant.
Two new kiosks — one serving “grab-and-go” food, the other selling Chicago-themed items and sundries.

Sun-Times file
The Bean (official name: Cloud Gate) in Millennium Park is a popular photo stop for residents and tourists. The city on Tuesday announced it had reached an agreement to upgrade the concessions in the park.

The Park Grill was managed by James Horan, owned of Blue Plate Catering, and Michael O’Malley, owner of the Chicago Firehouse restaurant. They were backed by a group of clout-heavy investors with close ties to then-Mayor Richard M. Daley.

But the investors wanted to bail out of the sweetheart deal because the restaurant’s losses were mounting after it was forced to close because of COVID-19 and years of litigation with City Hall during the administration of former Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

They sold out to a restaurant group headed by John Wrenn, brother of Emanuel’s former chief of staff Eileen Mitchell. Wrenn operates the popular Theater on the Lake restaurant under a deal he received from the Emanuel administration.

Emanuel lost a court battle in 2015 to break the Park Grill concession deal Daley had awarded Horan and O’Malley, who originally landed the deal while O’Malley was having an affair with a park district official he has since married.

Emanuel agreed to drop the litigation in August 2016 as the Park Grill agreed to start paying for garbage collection, natural gas and water and to accelerate rent payments.

The city’s law department estimated the settlement would ultimately save the city $5.7 million. The city had spent $6.9 million in legal fees battling the restaurant.

Daley never testified at the trial, but, in a deposition, the former mayor said he couldn’t remember anything about the restaurant, not even attending the grand opening in November 2003, which was documented by photographers.

As Daley was leaving office in 2011, Horan and O’Malley sought to sell their management stake to Levy restaurants for $8 million, a deal the Chicago Park District refused to approve.

It’s unclear whether City Hall had to approve the sale to Wrenn’s restaurant group, or whether any other companies wanted to operate the restaurant.

The city’s announcement said principals at Millennium Park Joint Venture are “transferring their concession agreement, subject to the consent of the city, pursuant to assignment rights set forth in the agreement.”

“The actual assignment of the concession (and sale of the restaurant’s equipment and other assets) is expected to be finalized later this month,” the written statement says.

Wrenn’s partners in the joint venture include Nicholas Hynes, Luke Cholodecki, Michael and Dennis Chookaszian.

Hynes and Cholodecki renovated the Dock at Montrose Beach and Caffe Oliva at Ohio Street Beach. Joint-venture partners also own or operate: Lizzie McNeill’s Irish Pub on Chicago’s North Side, Napolita Pizzeria and Wine Bar in Wilmette; Pescadero Seafood & Oyster Bar in Lakeview and Wilmette and Double Clutch Brewing Company in Evanston.

“When visitors and Chicagoans alike come out to enjoy all that Millennium Park has to offer, they should expect that the restaurants, cafes and concession kiosks are as compelling and inspiring as all the other features of the park,” the press release quoted Wrenn as saying.

“It’s our mission to make that expectation a reality.”

Mark Kelly, the retiring city culturual affairs and special events commissioner, said he was “thrilled about the additional capital, time and dedication” Eleven North has “already put” into Millennium Park.

Kelly said he “couldn’t have asked for a better partner” with a more “proven track record.” The commissioner said he is certain the investment will “help Millennium Park grow even stronger than before the pandemic.”

Millennium Park has been Chicago’s quirky town square almost since the moment it opened in 2004 after construction delays and cost overruns more than tripled the original cost — to $475 million.

In 2016, City Hall finally got the statistics to prove its popularity, showing nearly 12.9 million visitors in the last six months of 2016.

That made the 23-acre expansion of Grant Park, built over a railroad right-of-way, the top tourist attraction in the Midwest and among the Top 10 in the country. It’s right up there with New York’s Central Park and the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

According to City Hall, the new count was conducted by a “third-party vendor using passive electronic sensors” in people’s cellphones.

The six-month count was conducted during the surge of tourism generated by the Cubs’ march to their first World Series championship since 1908.

Read More

Two years after a fire shut it down, Solazo returns with a more upscale menu and new agave program.Read More

Read More

In this Feb. 9, 2020, file photo, Kanye West arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in Beverly Hills. | Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

The West Ranch, formerly known as Monster Lake Ranch, went on the market Monday for $11 million.

CODY, Wyo. — Rapper, music producer and clothing entrepreneur Kanye West has put his ranch and business properties in northwestern Wyoming up for sale.

The West Ranch, formerly known as Monster Lake Ranch, went on the market Monday for $11 million. The property sprawls across six square miles of open land and tree-studded hills and outcrops about six miles south of Cody.

The property features lakes, a lodge, commercial kitchen, equipment sheds, horse facility, corrals and go-kart track, according to the DBW Realty listing.

The listing came days after West listed his seven commercial properties in Cody for more than $3.2 million, the Cody Enterprise reported.

The ranch, which leases additional land owned by the U.S. government, listed for $13.3 million before West bought it in 2019 though it’s unknown how much he paid for the property. Wyoming law does not provide for public disclosure of real estate sale amounts.

West moved from California to Wyoming in 2019 and set about basing at least some of his clothing business in Cody, a city of about 10,000 on the eastern approach to Yellowstone National Park.

It wasn’t clear if the property sales mean West is leaving Wyoming or just reorganizing his business there. Has has no listed contact information or publicist with contact information.

West, 44, filed this year to legally change his name to his nickname, Ye, and for divorce from Kim Kardashian West. The couple have four children.

Read More