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Michelle Rashad is executive director of Imagine Englewood if, one of six Chicago organizations benefiting from the $5 million “PREP by PepsiCo | Stronger Together” initiative being launched Monday. “Young people can’t be what they can’t see, aspire to careers they don’t know,” she says of the effort to create career pathways for 3,000 young people on the South and West Sides. | Shondell Rashad Photography

Partnering with six Chicago organizations, PepsiCo on Monday launches its $5 million “PREP by PepsiCo | Stronger Together” initiative, seeking to create career pathways for 3,000 young people on the South and West Sides over the next five years.

Born and raised in Englewood, 21-year-old Joshua Barker has seen the streets snare young people who graduate high school without skills, resources or job options.

After graduating Urban Prep Academy in 2018, Barker was fortunate to be hired by the Southwest Organizing Project (SWOP) — one of six organizations PepsiCo has joined with in an effort to create career pathways for 3,000 young people on the South and West Sides over the next five years.

“I was blessed to get this job. It keeps me busy. This new program is really important because a job keeps you motivated. Helping them work and put money in their pockets will keep a kid out of the street,” said Barker, a public health ambassador with SWOP.

In the Fortune 100 company’s shift to an equity-centered model of community engagement, the $5 million “PREP by PepsiCo | Stronger Together” initiative launching Monday is result of months of roundtables with Chicago community organizations on how best to uplift Black and Brown youth in disinvested areas.

Some 12 percent of African American youth ages 16-19 were neither in school nor working, compared to 8 percent of Latinos and 5 percent of whites in that age group, according to a December 2019 report by the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Great Cities Institute, based on U.S. Census figures.

Within the age 20-24 population, 38 percent of African Americans were neither employed nor in school, compared with 20 percent of Latinos and 7 percent of white peers.

PREP aims to boost workforce readiness within those age groups, helping organizations now doing that work to provide skills training, career exposure, paid work experiences and career-track jobs to the young people they serve.

Besides SWOP, other program partners include Imagine Englewood if, North Lawndale Community Coordinating Council (NLCCC), UCAN, Chicago Jesuit Academy, and the Cubs Scholars program of Chicago Cubs Charities.

“We recognized that addressing systemic barriers to career opportunities is probably the single greatest challenge Chicago — and certainly the South and West Side — faces. It is critical to address that,” Neil Pryor, president of PepsiCo Beverages North America Central Division, told the Chicago Sun-Times.

“Then came the realization that we needed to listen, to learn the best way to do that. Culminating many months of work, this is critical not only to level the playing field, but also for our business, because we have such a large foot print here. We need the talent pipeline,” Pryor said. “The scale of this is unparalleled, as we’re working across our entire business.”

The investment by the $214.5 billion company is to be made over the next five years. PepsiCo hopes to hire many of the young people who will be served by the organizations.

In Chicago, century-old home of its Quaker Oats subsidiary, PepsiCo has 5,000 employees spread through its corporate headquarters; its regional headquarters for Quaker, Tropicana and Gatorade here; several suburban manufacturing, research and development facilities; and Chicago’s only remaining beverage manufacturing plant, in Canaryville.

Following the murder of George Floyd, a Black man, under the knee of a white police officer, PepsiCo was among the wave of corporate entities promising to combat the racial and economic inequity highlighted in the reckoning that followed.

Its June 2020 Racial Equality Journey outlined a $570 million commitment to creating opportunities for African Americans and Latinos in the company’s hiring and promotion and business contracts, as well as investments in impoverished communities nationwide.

Michelle Rashad, executive director of Imagine Englewood if, said allowing the groups to weigh in, and then tailoring PREP to the individual needs of each, was a game-changer.

“I feel like the community’s voice was centered. They were interested in seeing through the lens of those of us already investing in young people,” said Rashad, whose 24-year-old organization offers after-school, summer and mentoring programs for youth ages 6-18.

Through PREP, it will now offer career exploration workshops led by PepsiCo employees.

“Considering all that our young people in Englewood face, whether it’s issues at home or at school or whether it’s the community violence, we do our best to make sure the imagination of our children stays alive and well,” she said.

Provided
Joel Rodriguez (l), a community organizer with Southwest Organizing Project (SWOP), here with some youth organizers, says the new “PREP by PepsiCo | Stronger Together” initiative will help SWOP expand skills training and job opportunities for young people ages 16-25 it serves in Gage Park, West Lawn, Brighton Park and Ashburn.

“The best way you can do that is through opportunities and experiences expanding their world view. Young people can’t be what they can’t see, or aspire to careers they don’t know.”

At SWOP, a collaboration of 45 community groups, schools and churches in Chicago Lawn, advocating in the arenas of education, workforce development and violence prevention, PREP will expand skills training and job opportunities for the young people ages 16-25 in its service area, including Gage Park, West Lawn, Brighton Park and Ashburn.

“The conversations have been fascinating, as PepsiCo sat down with us to listen to what is going on in the community, what work is being done, and ultimately, what are the gaps that exist in some of that work,” SWOP community organizer Joel Rodriguez said.

“We have young people in high school or who have transitioned out of high school, in need of employment. But some of them do not have the skills or capacity to be ready for that employment. Through PREP, we’ll be able to engage them, to train them, to get them ready to transition into those opportunities. We’re excited to hopefully do impactful work.”

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Three men were wounded in a shooting Monday morning on the South Side. | Sun-Times file

Three men were standing in a street about 2:35 a.m. in the 8800 block of South Parnell Avenue when they were struck by gunfire, Chicago police said.

Three people were wounded in a shooting Monday morning in Gresham on the South Side.

The men were standing in a street about 2:35 a.m. in the 8800 block of South Parnell Avenue when they were struck by gunfire, Chicago police said.

A 27-year-old was struck in his ankles, a 28-year-old in his right leg and a 33-year-old in his left leg and back, police said.

The oldest man was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was in serious condition, police said.

The 28-year-old self-transported to Trinity Hospital and was transferred to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was in fair condition, police said.

The youngest man self-transported to Jackson Park Hospital & Medical Center, where he was in good condition, police said.

No one was in custody.

About a day earlier, three people were shot in Gold Coast on the Near North Side.

About 3:35 a.m., two men, 23 and 46, and a 29-year-old woman were in the 1200 block of North Dearborn Street when gunfire erupted, police said.

The 46-year-old was struck in his head, the 23-year-old in his foot and the 29-year-old shot in the foot and grazed in the leg, police said.

The two men were taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where the older man was in critical condition, police said. The younger man was in good condition, police said.

The woman was taken to Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where she was in fair condition, authorities said.

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Tom Brady leapfrogged Drew Brees to become the NFL’s all-time leading passer with a 28-yard completion to Mike Evans in the first quarter against his former team. | Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

Brady rallied the Buccaneers to a 19-17 victory over the Patriots on a rainy Sunday night, with Ryan Succop hitting the winning 48-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Playing as a visitor at Gillette Stadium wasn’t the only big change for Tom Brady on Sunday night.

The seven-time Super Bowl champion, six with the Patriots, struggled in the rainy conditions much of the evening. He was booed — often.

Being Brady, he also won.

Brady took Tampa Bay on a 45-yard drive aided by a 31-yard pass interference penalty, and Ryan Succop made a 48-yard field goal for a 19-17 victory. While most of the game was not a classic for the 44-year-old quarterback, the march to victory seemed fitting in a place Brady has won 135 of 158 games.

Brady threw for 269 yards, but the Bucs (3-1) scored only one touchdown, on an eight-yard run by Ronald Jones. With the game in the balance, he watched from an unfamiliar sideline as Patriots kicker Nick Folk had a 56-yard field goal hit the left upright in the final minute.

Brady then hugged dozens of his former teammates and coaches at midfield — a quick one with Bill Belichick — as the rain intensified and Gillette Stadium emptied in silence.

Even when he set the record for yards passing in a career on a 28-yard completion to Mike Evans in the first quarter, there was a mixture of cheers and applause along with the jeers.

Brady, 44, reached 80,359 yards through the air and then called a timeout before the next play — though no announcement had been made about setting the mark. That came during the timeout.

Ryan Succop’s field goal a few plays later — after Brady misfired on a couple of throws — gave Tampa Bay a 3-0 lead. By halftime in a steady rain, Brady looked ordinary in the highly charged atmosphere, and the Buccaneers trailed 7-6. Brady was 15-for-27 for 182 yards, with a few pinpoint completions and just as many overthrows.

Patriots rookie Mac Jones finished 31 of 40 for 275 yards and two touchdowns.

The Patriots are 1-3 for the first time since 2001.

The Buccaneers were hurt by multiple mistakes on defense as well as spotty special teams play — marked by poor punts, a missed early field goal and costly penalties.

But Tampa was able to come up with timely plays to stay in the game, including Antoine Winfield Jr. forcing a fumble by J.J. Taylor that was recovered by Richard Sherman to thwart a promising drive early in the third quarter.

With Tampa Bay down 17-16, Brady and the Buccaneers took over on their own 25 and needed just seven plays drive to the Patriots 30.

After Antonio Brown failed to hang onto a pass in the end zone Succop calmly connected on a 48-yarder with 2:02 left.

Leading 7-6, the Patriots punted and Matt Slater appeared to recover a fumble by Jaydon Mickens. But an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Slater negated the play.

The Bucs took over and finished an eight-play, 52-yard drive with an eight-yard scoring run by Ronald Jones.

The Patriots responded on their next possession, using six straight completions by Jones to drive to the Bucs’ 1. Jones then found Jonnu Smith in back of the end zone for to put the Patriots back in front 14-13.

Tampa marched all the way to the Patriots’ 8 on their ensuing drive before being forced to settle for Ryan Succop’s third field goal of the game to make it 16-14. New England took back over with 7:58 left in the game and quickly moved down the field, getting into the red zone on a trick play that ended with receiver Jakobi Meyers throwing a 30-yard pass to Nelson Agholor. The drive stalled there and the Patriots nudged back in front 17-16 on Nick Folk’s 27-yard field goal.

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Bears quarterback Justin Fields looks to throw the ball during the second quarter against the Detroit Lions at Soldier Field on Sunday. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

Now, should Justin Fields start against the Raiders next week?

Patrick Finley, Jason Lieser and Mark Potash talk about the Bears winning their must-win game, stump for Justin Fields starting against the Raiders and wonder why Matt Nagy still seems to be acting weird about this whole play-caller situation. Plus: Potsie’s game balls!

New episodes of “Halas Intrigue” will be published regularly with accompanying stories collected on the podcast’s hub page. You can also listen to “Halas Intrigue” wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Luminary, Spotify, and Stitcher.

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Bears coach Matt Nagy (right, with quarterback Justin Fields) said play calling is a team game. ‘Whatever happens, it goes through me. We’ve done it together.” | Nam Y. Huh/AP

The Bears’ head coach gave up play-calling to offensive coordinator Bill Lazor — and the offense responded in a 24-14 victory over the Lions. “I felt good out there as a head coach,” Nagy said.

There was no update on Akiem Hicks’ groin or David Montgomery’s knee after the Bears’ 24-14 victory over the Lions at Soldier Field, but Matt Nagy’s bruised ego should recover in time for next week’s game against the Raiders.

How difficult it must be for the Bears’ head coach to relinquish play-calling duties in his fourth season, and for the second time in the last two. Getting Nagy to address the issue directly the last seven days has been like a trip to the dentist’s office — for him and for us.

It was pretty clear from the Bears’ first two offensive plays against the Lions on Sunday that Nagy had ceded play calling responsibilities to offensive coordinator Bill Lazor. The Bears used three tight ends on their first play from scrimmage — a clean nine-yard run up the middle by David Montgomery. And on the second play, Montgomery ran right behind tight end/blocking back J.P. Holtz for a four-yard gain and a first down. And the Bears’ offense was off and running.

But after the game, the subject was as painful as ever.

“Did you delegate play calling?” Nagy was asked.

“That goes back to what we talked about internally through the whole week — whatever I can do,” Nagy said. “Ultimately it goes through me. Everything we do, regardless of everything else — who’s calling this; who’s calling that — it goes through me.

“I thought our coaches did a great job today. I thought our coaches executed. Again, with all due respect — I understand the questions, but that’s what it is and that’s what it’s gonna be the rest of the year, is just knowing that whatever happens, it goes through me. And we’ve done it together.”

Nagy’s reticence to address the play calling subject is a little mystifying. Unlike the quarterback decision, there’s little to no value in being secretive about who your play caller is. As Nagy is finding out, it’s detrimental in the big picture — the exact distraction he’s trying to avoid.

Simply, it must just be a huge blow to his pride. He came here as a 21st-century offensive guru and prized protege of Andy Reid — a year after Sean McVay worked wonders for the Rams. To give up play calling must be torture. Even when relenting after being pressed on identifying the play caller in Sunday’s game, Nagy was indirect.

“In regards to the play calling, Bill did a great job,” Nagy said in his first acknowledgement that Lazor called the plays. “At the same time, it’s important that we understand that I felt good out there as a head coach. That’s real, you know?

“But we all get together — and we do that when I’m calling plays, too. I think that’s important for everybody to know. When we build a game plan … we do it together. Then in the end, I have a great opportunity to say, ‘Yes, I like this.’ Or, ‘No, I don’t’ as head coach, right? [I’m] in charge of all that.

“Whatever I need to do to try to be the best head coach for the Chicago Bears — whatever that is, I don’t care. I just want us to have the best opportunity to win.”

Actually, it sound like Nagy is having a tough time coming to that reality. When he gave up play calling to Lazor last year, he was much more direct and clear. Now, it’s a sore subject.

“I feel like Bill did a great job today,” Nagy said. “Our players did a great job. Our coaching staff did a great job. Everybody. And when you have that, it’s a good feeling. So we’ll continue to just keep talking. But with all due respect, it’s going to be the last time I talk about [the play-caller].”

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Bears receiver Darnell Mooney catches a pass Sunday. | David Banks/AP

Justin Fields might be the best thing to ever happen to Darnell Mooney.

Rookie quarterback Justin Fields might be the best thing to happen to receiver Darnell Mooney.

With Fields at the helm Sunday, Mooney posted 125 receiving yards, 32 more than his previous career high. His 135 all-purpose yards — Mooney also had a 10-yard run — were the most of his career. His 64-yard catch in the first quarter was the longest of his career, too.

”Me and Mooney, we stay almost every day after practice to throw at least a few extra routes,” Fields said after the Bears’ 24-14 victory. ”So me and him are pretty much always on the same page. He had a great day. He balled out.”

Mooney said practice during the Bears’ trying week was ”amazing to be a part of.” That included the extra work he got in with Fields.

”Just getting some reps in,” he said. ”Being more defined in the reps, locking in and not being so tight. And just having fun.”

Mooney was averaging 7.7 yards per catch entering the game but averaged 25 on Sunday. The Bears’ blocking gave him time to go deep. After giving up nine sacks against the Browns — the second-most in franchise history — the Bears allowed only one.

”They played their butts off,” coach Matt Nagy said.

Hicks hurt

Defensive lineman Akiem Hicks injured his groin on the Lions’ first play and was taken to the locker room shortly thereafter. The Bears ruled Hicks, who landed awkwardly while trying to make a tackle, out at the start of the second half.

”It’s tough when you lose a soldier and a vocal leader like Akiem,” inside linebacker Roquan Smith said. ”But it’s the next-man-up mentality, and I know he’s going to do everything in his power to get himself back in the best situation for himself and the team.”

Getting their takeaways

The Bears’ two takeaways came inside their own 10. From the Bears’ 8 in the first quarter, Lions quarterback Jared Goff watched the shotgun snap bounce off his thigh and bicep and land in defensive lineman Bilal Nichols’ arms.

From the Bears’ 3 in the second quarter, Goff dropped back and was sacked by Robert Quinn, who poked the ball loose. Fellow outside linebacker Khalil Mack recovered it and ran, though was flagged for lateraling the ball forward to safety Eddie Jackson. It was Quinn’s fifth sack of the season.

”You need time to get there, so coverage had their people locked down,” Quinn said. “Got an extra second or two to get to the quarterback.”

This and that

In his first regular-season game since Dec. 15, 2019, nose tackle Eddie Goldman started but wasn’t credited with a tackle. He sat out last season because of coronavirus concerns and missed the first three games of this season with a knee injury.

o Quarterback Andy Dalton, who was ruled doubtful late Saturday, didn’t dress. Nick Foles served as the backup.

o Strong safety Tashaun Gipson missed his second consecutive game with a hamstring injury.

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People sit on the street near the 1200 block of North Mason Avenue in the Austin neighborhood, where a person was fatally shot and two were injured, Friday morning, Oct. 1, 2021. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

The suspects are members of two warring factions of the Four Corner Hustlers street gang who allegedly shot it out Friday morning in the 1200 block of North Mason Avenue, where more than 70 shell casings were found.

Five men linked to a deadly gang-related shootout Friday in Austin were released from custody after prosecutors declined to charge each of them with a pair of felonies, including first-degree murder, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned.

The brazen mid-morning gunfight, which left one shooter dead and two of the suspects wounded, stemmed from an internal dispute between two factions of the Four Corner Hustlers street gang, according to an internal police report and a law enforcement source with knowledge of the investigation.

The source said police sought to charge all five suspects with murder and aggravated battery. By Sunday morning, a Chicago police spokeswoman acknowledged the suspects had “been released without charges.”

In a statement later Sunday, Cristina Villareal, a spokeswoman for the Cook County state’s attorney’s office, explained that prosecutors had “determined that the evidence was insufficient to meet our burden of proof to approve felony charges.” Police officials agreed with the decision, Villareal added.

While she wouldn’t specify what other evidence prosecutors needed to file charges, the police report acknowledged that victims of the shootout weren’t cooperating with investigators.

But the report also framed the state’s attorney’s office’s decision to decline charges in a different light: “Mutual combatants was cited as the reason for the rejection.” Mutual combat is a legal term used to define a fight or struggle that two parties willingly engage in.

Last week, Cook County prosecutors came under fire after reportedly making a similar argument after a teenager was stabbed to death during a fight in suburban Schaumburg. The family of the victim, 18-year-old Manuel Porties Jr., later told WGN that prosecutors specifically said they weren’t charging the 17-year-old suspect with murder because the fatal fight amounted to mutual combat.

Meanwhile, as the city grapples with a spate of rolling shootouts that have erupted over the past week, the law enforcement source raised concerns that the rejection could encourage more brash violence. Much like those shootouts, the narrative of Saturday’s gun battle in Austin was reminiscent of an action movie scene.

“It’s just like the Wild West,” the source said of the exchange of gunfire in the violence-plagued neighborhood on the West Side.

Over 70 shell casings, a torched car and a SWAT situation

About 10:30 a.m., two Dodge Chargers driven by members of the Body Snatchers faction of the Four Corner Hustlers drove to the 1200 block of North Mason Avenue and exchanged words with members of the gang’s Jack Boys set, according to the source and the police report.

After circling the block and coming back, at least three individuals jumped out of the Chargers and began to shoot into a brick house using handguns equipped with “switches” that made the weapons fully automatic, noted the source and report. Members of the Jack Boys who were inside the home then began firing back.

Two of the Body Snatchers were left wounded, including an unidentified 32-year-old man who was later pronounced dead at a hospital, according to the report and the Cook County medical examiner’s office. A 29-year-old man aligned with the Jack Boys was also struck.

While the source confirmed over 70 shell casings were found outside the home, that likely doesn’t reflect the number of shots that were fired from inside.

The gunfight, which was caught on a police POD camera, came to a halt when a police cruiser pulled up to the block, according to the report and the source. The Body Snatchers then fled in the Chargers, leaving their fatally wounded accomplice behind.

One of the cars was later “found engulfed in flames nearby,” the report states. The other was used to drop off the non-fatal gunshot victim at West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park, where it was later spotted by local police.

During a brief chase, the 20-year-old driver crashed and he was taken into custody, according to the source and the report. An AK-47 assault rifle was found in the car, though police don’t believe it was used in the shooting.

Both Chargers were likely stolen, according to the source, who said one car had a “dealer plate” and the other had no license plates at all.

Those affiliated with the Jack Boys, meanwhile, refused to leave the home on Mason, causing a standoff that required a SWAT team to respond, the source said.

Police looked to charge three Jack Boys who were eventually taken into custody, including the man who was shot, the source said. Investigators also sought charges against two members of the Body Snatchers — the driver who crashed the Charger and the 20-year-old man he took to West Suburban.

The Sun-Times isn’t naming the suspects because they haven’t been charged with any crime.

Detectives wanted to charge the Body Snatchers affiliates with the killing of their slain accomplice under Illinois’ controversial felony murder rule, which allows a defendant to be convicted of first-degree murder if they commit certain felonies that ultimately lead to another person’s death.

The rule was recently curtailed in the sweeping criminal justice reform bill signed in February by Gov. J.B. Pritzker, but attorneys on Sunday agreed the gang members could still potentially be charged under the revised language.

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The Arlington International Racecourse in Arlington Heights | John Starks/Daily Herald file via AP

Around the country, professional sports team owners keep pulling money out of the pockets of taxpayers. Enough of that.

It’s still early in the game, but we’re going to shout this to the top of Soldier Field right now:

Nobody should even think about picking the pockets of the taxpayers for a single dollar to build the Chicago Bears a new stadium in Arlington Heights.

The Bears are looking at building a new stadium on the site of the old Arlington International Racecourse. The team just this last week signed an agreement to buy the site for $197 million.

We’ve seen this play before, here and across the country. A professional sports team wants a new or refurbished stadium, it persuades the taxpayers to pick up an unreasonable share of the cost and then it walks away before you know it, leaving behind a white elephant.

Less than 20 years ago, Chicago — meaning Chicago taxpayers — committed $432 million to renovate Soldier Field for the Bears, money the taxpayers are still forking over. And now, already, the team is angling to leave or strike a better deal. But enough. The city should not further burden the taxpayers to support a privately owned football team worth $4 billion.

And the suburb of Arlington Heights, the State of Illinois and any other governmental entity should send the same message — if the the Bears want to move, they must foot the bill themselves.

Public largess for stadiums comes in all sorts of forms. A government might sell bonds that must be backed by property or sales taxes. Or it might create a tax increment financing district. Or offer property tax rebates. Or give a team a share of the amusement taxes. Or steer to a team revenues from a publicly financed stadium.

If the Bears move to Arlington Heights, what are the chances the team will pay for the new roads and other infrastructure needed to make the stadium work? About zero. You, the taxpayer, will pay those costs, directly or indirectly.

Sports teams always justify such public investment by claiming their new stadiums will produce all sorts of new benefits for the people of a town. Revenue will flow into municipal budgets! But when it comes to football stadiums that host just 10 or so games a year, studies show that does not happen. Stadiums are not reliable builders of local economies.

Arlington Heights has dodged this bullet before. In the 1970s, the Bears wanted the village to issue general obligation bonds to build a stadium possibly patterned after the Pontiac Silverdome in Michigan. Fortunately, the Bears deal fell through. The Detroit Pistons moved out of the Silverdome 10 years after it was completed in 1975 and the Detroit Lions pulled up stakes 13 years later. Pontiac sold the stadium for less than 1% of the cost to build it. It was razed in 2017.

Before the Bears come calling, elected leaders such as Arlington Heights Mayor Thomas Hayes and Gov. J.B. Pritzker should tell the Bears that every dollar of taxpayer money is in a lockbox. And they should tell them now.

Send letters to [email protected].

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