Baseball fans arrive for the first game of a baseball double header between the Chicago White Sox and the Kansas City Royals Friday, May 14, 2021, at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago. | AP

The trial of Bruce Lee is playing out just as the Sox are about to enter the playoffs. The feds say Lee made $868,369 by selling 34,876 fraudulently obtained tickets during the 2016 through 2019 baseball seasons

A ticket broker accused of scamming the Chicago White Sox out of $1 million believed he legitimately paid for thousands of tickets he later sold on StubHub, and any crime against the South Siders took place “behind the booth,” his defense attorney said Friday.

Nishay Sanan put most of the responsibility for that scheme on James Costello, one of two ex-Sox employees who have admitted providing thousands of complimentary and discount tickets — without required vouchers — to Sanan’s client, Bruce Lee, for cash.

But the feds say Lee then made $868,369 by selling 34,876 fraudulently obtained tickets during the 2016 through 2019 baseball seasons, later using some of that money to invest in real estate and at a car dealership. A January 2020 indictment charged Lee with wire fraud and money laundering, and a jury heard opening statements in Lee’s trial Friday.

Laying out the scheme to the jury, Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider repeatedly told the jury, “the White Sox got nothing” out of the arrangement that allegedly began between Lee and Costello.

Meanwhile, the prosecutor said Lee told the FBI he offered Costello a deal, “and he took it.”

The case mostly revolves around complimentary voucher tickets, which go to friends and family of players, youth groups, commercial sponsors and others — and are not meant for sale, court records show.

The trial is playing out before U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennelly just as the Sox are about to enter the playoffs. The tickets at issue had a market value of between $1 million and $1.2 million, authorities said.

Sanan said Lee initially brought legitimate vouchers for the tickets to Costello, who later told him he no longer needed them. Sanan also told jurors Lee believed he was paying the White Sox for tickets, but also included a “tip” demanded by Costello.

“Jim Costello decided to keep the cash on his own,” Sanan said. “Without telling Bruce Lee. Whatever money Bruce Lee thought he was paying for those tickets, Costello put in his pocket.”

Lee will face evidence that includes testimony from Costello, who took the stand late Friday, and likely the other former Sox employee, William O’Neil. Both agreed to cooperate with prosecutors when they admitted to their role in the scam. Costello pleaded guilty to wire fraud and O’Neil pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI.

The feds also say they have a recording of a March 2019 conversation between Lee and Costello at a pizza restaurant near Sox park. In court filings, they allege that Lee told Costello the source of the tickets could not be traced.

“I just sold them on StubHub, so nobody could see, like, how much I paid for the tickets,” Lee allegedly said.

Prosecutors also claim Lee said he was prepared to lie to help cover up the ticket scheme.

But Sanan told jurors to “pay very close attention to who is saying what” during that conversation. The defense attorney acknowledged Lee paid Costello a “tip.”

However, he said, “at no time does Bruce Lee admit to stealing from the White Sox.”

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The Avalon Regal Theater, at 1641 E. 79th Street in South Shore. | Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

At the Regal Ballroom, we saw the Temptations, James Brown, Stevie Wonder and hundreds of others. As far as art, we had the Hyde Park Art Center.

I felt bad when I read in a Lynn Sweet column that Michelle Obama’s family, when she was growing up on the South Side, felt they had to head north to the Loop to find culture. My memories of shows at the Regal Theater on the South Side include the Temptations, James Brown, Stevie Wonder and hundreds of others. As far as art, we had the Hyde Park Art Center.

We had “happenings” and “be-ins.” We had the Arie Crown Theater, too, once McCormick place opened. There were always free classical music concerts at the University of Chicago, and students organized concerts by Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf and many others.

Most of my friends who lived on the North Side complained that all the good shows were on the South Side. I think Michelle has a selective memory.

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.

I don’t object to the Obama Presidential Center, but I do object to its location. It should have been located adjacent to Washington Park, as there is vast open space there for fairs and festivals. It would have expanded that park.

Ross Petersen, Lincoln Park

Get the lead pipes out

Sitting on the shores of Lake Michigan, it’s understandable how someone might take this vast natural resource of fresh water for granted. But this Sunday, Oct. 3, kicks off Chicago Water Week, an annual event that aims to bring attention to water’s important role in our lives and understand the varied and complex factors that ensure clean and reliable water delivery.

Though our region is blessed with a nearby resource of fresh water, not all of us can rely on safe water to come out of our taps. And, unfortunately, some of those people are here in Illinois.

For years, Illinois has had the dubious distinction of being the state with the most lead pipes in the country, largely due to the amount of lead pipes in the City of Chicago (the city with the most lead pipes in the country).

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.

At the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, our mission is to protect the water environment so that a source of clean and safe water is available for all. But the presence of lead in our drinking water is incredibly dangerous and we know that it doesn’t take much lead to have disastrous effects, particularly among children.

Fortunately, efforts at the federal and state levels are poised to make a real difference: President Biden’s infrastructure plan would eliminate 100% of lead service lines in the United States, and this summer the Illinois legislature passed the Lead Service Line Replacement Notification Act, which mandates that water suppliers develop plans to remove lead service lines across the state.

These investments and commitments in our water delivery infrastructure are crucial and cannot be delayed. Our water supply must be accessible to all Chicagoans because it is an essential component for a healthy life.

Join the MWRD as we partner with Current, an organization dedicated to being a catalyst for cleaner water. for Chicago Water Week. Learn more about this most important of natural resources at CurrentWater.org.

Mariyana Spyropoulos, commissioner, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District

Frats get foolish every fall

It happens about this same time every year. No, I’m not referring to the waning hours of sunlight or the brilliant autumnal color changes. I am referring to frat parties and initiation ceremonies that go terribly wrong.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m totally in favor of frivolous hijinx on campus. Heaven knows that immoral and unlawful conduct is a pleasant way to shake the monotonous pattern of attending classes and writing term papers.

But enough is enough, already. People are getting hurt and the scar tissue can linger well into adulthood. Co-eds are being drugged and molested and unwitting pledges are being forced to conduct themselves in a manner that is not only embarrassing but potentially dangerous.

Particularly disturbing is the fact that many of these events are occurring on the campuses of well-respected institutes of higher learning. Apparently SAT scores bear little or no relationship to a student’s level of common sense or maturity, especially when alcohol is introduced into the equation.

Has the time finally come to eliminate frat parties and initiations once and for all?

Bob Ory, Elgin

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Keyante Aytch, 24, is working with Grow Greater Englewood on building Englewood Village Plaza, one of the Biennial’s 15 projects across Chicago. The site was previously a vacant lot. | Jason Beeferman/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 sunny with a high near 83 degrees. Tonight will be partly cloudy with a low around 64. Tomorrow will be partly sunny with a high near 79 and a 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms.

Top story

Chicago Architecture Biennial helps create ‘oases’ on vacant lots on South, West sides

A vegetable garden in Englewood. A North Lawndale community pottery center, built by hand from bricks of soil. A colorful outdoor exhibition space in the heart of Woodlawn.

This year, all across Chicago, small architectural oases have popped up in perhaps the most unexpected of places: vacant city-owned lots.

The theme of the fourth installment of the Chicago Architecture Biennial is “The Available City,” and the event is reimagining 10,000-plus vacant lots on the South and West sides as community spaces.

“The city-owned vacant lots are about 13,000, and if you assume a standard lot, that’s about the size of the downtown area,” said David Brown, the Biennial’s artistic director. “That’s really something that can have a very large impact on the residents and the community organizations, but also on the city.”

The Biennial usually is held in the Loop at the Chicago Cultural Center. But with the pandemic still limiting indoor activities, it had to be restructured, Brown said.

Instead, it focused on outdoor spaces in underserved communities, where many vacant lots are located.

The results can be seen in 15 projects scattered around the city. Each site is designed by international architects and local organizers, who team up to transform those desolate lots. This year, in a first for the Biennial, whatever is built on each site is intended to be permanent.

Jason Beeferman has more on the initiative here.

More news you need

An Illinois State Police trooper was shot and wounded on the Dan Ryan Expressway this afternoon near 43rd Street on the South Side. David Struett has the latest on the situation.

The shooting of the trooper comes a day after state police said they would increase patrols in the Chicago area, citing a rise in shootings on area expressways as their motive. Highway shootings have more than doubled in 2021 compared to the same period last year, officials said.

Chicago Public Schools enrollment is down for the 10th consecutive year as the district grapples with the effects of the pandemic. CPS CEO Pedro Martinez said today that “frank conversations” with local families and communities about their ideas and concerns might lead to “hard choices.”
Mayor Lori Lightfoot is teaming up with Microsoft Corp. to help over 300,000 Chicagoans gain the digital skills necessary to find a job and succeed across various industries. The program will provide free online courses, skill certifications and career opportunities to Chicagoans looking to build their resumes and find employment.

Twenty-three Chicago nonprofits aimed at reducing violent crime in Chicago will receive grants of between $60,000 and $275,000 funded through the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority. Among the organizations is Girls Like Me Project, a group that works with Black girls ages 11 to 17 to critically examine social, cultural and political ideologies in media.

Construction is set to begin this month on the first building in the 55-acre Lincoln Yards development that straddles the river between Bucktown and Lincoln Park. The eight-story riverfront building will house medical research facilities and creative office space.

Lou Malnati’s is getting a new investor after a San Francisco-based investment firm hammered out a deal to take part ownership of the local pizza chain. But nothing is changing when it comes to pizza, said Marc Malnati, who with his brother, Rick, will maintain their stake in the company.

A bright one

Chicago entrepreneur creates ‘happy moments’ via South Loop’s Magic Selfie museum

Magic Selfies owner Zhazha Casanova says she takes pride in creating moments for customers they will remember for years to come.

“I just love creating experiences. I feel like life is all about experiencing moments,” said Casanova. “There are certain moments that stick with you like: ‘Man, that was a good time.’ “

Casanova, a Mather High School alumna and Miami native, opened the South Loop’s Magic Selfies in February amid the COVID-19 pandemic with the aim of creating “happy moments” for customers far and wide.

Mark Capapas/Sun-Times
Zhazha Casanova, owner of Magic Selfies, stands next to the main Magic Selfies sign in the South Loop.

The museum, which is located in the Roosevelt Collection Shops, has about 16,000 Instagram followers, and a steady customer base — an example of Casanova’s drive and promotion.

Each room includes powerful themes that change periodically such as a bathtub filled with rubber ducks, newspaper pages, a basketball motif, sunflowers, and a lifesize unicorn, among other backdrops.

“Some people come in here, and they’re so shy like: ‘Oh, I don’t know what to do.’ By the time they come back here, they’re a whole different person,” said Casanova said. “

In this space, you can be who you want to be. You can do TikTok [videos], and not feel stupid because everybody else around you is doing the same thing.”

Evan F. Moore has more on the experience. Also, check out more local attractions in our 2021 Fall/Winter Entertainment Guide.

From the press box

Who will be the Bears’ starting quarterback Sunday against the Lions? Matt Nagy said today it will be a game-time decision between Justin Fields and Andy Dalton.

Less than six hours after their Game 2 semifinal loss to the Connecticut Sun, the Sky needed to be up for a 3:30 a.m. departure to the airport. Annie Costabile has more on the WNBA’s inability to provide higher quality travel arrangements for its players, even in the postseason.

The former Blackhawks player accusing ex-coach Bradley Aldrich of sexual assault in 2010 says in new court docs that his life entered a “downward spiral” in which he suffered from depression and had marital issues that ended in divorce as a result of the assault.

Your daily question ?

You’ve just been made an alderperson for the day — what’s the first thing you’ll do for your ward?

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: It’s International Podcast Day, so we want to know — If you could create a Chicago-focused podcast, what would it be about? Here’s what some of you said…

“My Chicago-focused podcast would center on the active theater community in Chicago and the ‘burbs. I’d love to talk with actors, directors, costumers, set designers, music directors, and choreographers about their careers, helping increase excitement for the return of live theater!” — Paul Lockwood

“The daily lives of people with psychical disabilities.” — Steve Price

“The victims of the Eastland Disaster. I would love to do research on each victim and do a podcast on several at a time.” — Toni Bernotus

“A podcast about made up holidays.” — 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.

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Blackhawks defenseman Calvin de Haan is healthy again for his third Blackhawks season. | AP Photo/Mark Humphrey

De Haan fractured the head of his left tibia March 5 but played through it for much of last season, he revealed Friday.

Calvin de Haan has quietly become the most invincible Blackhawk.

The 30-year-old defenseman played through a broken leg for much of last season. He saw his name tossed around all summer in expansion draft and trade rumors. The Hawks did bring in several higher-profile defensemen, overshadowing his presence.

Yet as the 2021-22 season gets underway, de Haan is still in Chicago, still playing for the Hawks and still delivering his signature one-liners.

“Sorry fans — I’m still here,” he joked with a smile.

Back on March 5, De Haan blocked a ferocious one-timer by Lightning forward Alexander Volkov, then realized the impact had fractured the head of the tibia bone in his left leg.

He hobbled around to finish the shift, missed the March 7 rematch but then returned to the Hawks’ lineup as if nothing was wrong. He didn’t publicly reveal the injury until Friday.

“It was probably a good spot [to break it],” de Haan said. “It didn’t feel good for two or three weeks there, but skating was actually easier than walking around, to be honest. I know that sounds contradictory, but the motion of walking and pounding was a little different than the fluid motion of skating. [I needed] a lot of Advil, lot of Tylenol. It is what it is.”

“We knew right when it happened,” coach Jeremy Colliton added. “I don’t think we knew the damage, but he was hurting obviously for a while. To his credit, [he] played through it. That’s sometimes what makes our game special. We’re not the only sport where guys play through stuff, but there’s a hard-nosed quality to it, for sure.”

De Haan insisted the Hawks medical staff was aware of the situation and allowed him to continue playing because they knew it wouldn’t cause long-term problems. He didn’t need surgery or rehab, just time to let the fracture heal on its own.

But de Haan’s determination to stay healthy — or at least healthy enough to play — almost certainly contributed, too.

His career has long been plagued by shoulder issues, which cost him most of his final season with the Islanders (2017-18) and most of his first season with the Hawks (2019-20). He has scored exactly one goal in four consecutive seasons, and quipped last spring he simply hasn’t played enough games to ever get to two. But last year, he managed to appear in 44 of the team’s first 47 games before succumbing to a hip injury in the final weeks.

“In this day and age, I guess I’m old in hockey years, which kind of sucks,” he said. “Just trying to stay healthy obviously is the main thing for myself.”

The Hawks were widely expected to part ways with de Haan this offseason, but nothing ever materialized. His overpriced $4.55 million cap hit may have actually saved his Hawks tenure by diminishing his attractiveness to the Kraken and other ‘D’-hungry franchises.

After distracting himself during draft and free agency week — the busiest portion of the summer — by holding his wedding at the exact same time, de Haan resurfaced to find himself suddenly a very significant part of the Hawks’ revamped veteran defensive core.

“I knew I was going to have a job somewhere,” he said. “I’m really happy to be a Blackhawk, to be honest. My wife and I love it here, and it’s obviously a great organization.”

De Haan has spent much of training camp paired with Wyatt Kalynuk, and could conceivably move up alongside one of the right-handed stalwarts (Seth Jones and Connor Murphy) eventually, but will play Friday with Caleb Jones.

Seth Jones and Jake McCabe, meanwhile, will both make their Hawks preseason debuts — as will Marc-Andre Fleury, who will tend the net for the game’s first 30 minutes.

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The sport is making its triumphant return to Chicago thanks to XS Tennis, a 13-acre campus with 15 outdoor courts.Read More

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Riccardo Muti leads the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and violinist Leonidas Kavakos in performance of the Brahms Violin Concerto on Thursday night at Symphony Center. | (C) Todd Rosenberg Photography

Thursday’s line-up showcased two classic compositions embedded in the bedrock of the orchestral repertoire.

After last week’s opening of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s 2021-22 season with its high emotions and podium commentaries, the ensemble returned to a relative sense of normalcy with the first in its second set of concerts Thursday evening at Orchestra Hall.

And unlike that kick-off program, which included two almost unknown historical works getting their first Chicago Symphony hearings, Thursday’s line-up showcased two classic compositions embedded in the bedrock of the orchestral repertoire.

While novelty and variety are always desirable and welcome, it is also worthwhile to return to these pieces that never grow old and serve as touchstones that allow audiences to in some ways to take the measure of this venerable orchestra.

If these musicians were still shaking off a little rust after spending more than a year during the coronavirus shutdown playing only sporadically and mostly in small groups for on-line presentations before a return to full-blown live performances at the Ravinia Festival this past summer, it would be totally understandable.

But as Thursday’s concert made absolutely clear, that is not at all the case. In what is a tribute to the skills and professionalism of these world-class musicians, this orchestra sounds every bit at the top of its game.

Much the same could be said of music director Riccardo Muti, who drew the best from the musicians in these two works. As is always the case with this master conductor, nothing is impetuous, nothing is overdone, nothing is unconsidered. Yes, there is all the necessary punch and pop, but his is a refined, nuanced sensibility.

(C) Todd Rosenberg Photography
Violinist Leonidas Kavakos performs the Brahms Violin Concerto with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on Thursday night.

The evening opened with Johannes Brahms’ Violin Concerto in D major. Op. 77, one of the most frequently heard works in this form, although, surprisingly, nearly six years have passed since the Chicago Symphony last played it.

Muti and Greek violinist Leonidas Kavakos offered what might best be described as an understated take on this work, an approach that was especially apparent in the long first movement. It carries the tempo marking — allegro non troppo, which means fast, but not too much so.

They took the “not too much so” direction to heart, offering a gentle, unhurried and at times even surprisingly measured approach, but one that never sacrificed the section’s momentum and flow. Here and throughout the piece, Muti, the consummate accompanist, made sure the orchestra and the soloist were always balanced and in sync.

After the slow second movement, which begins with a lovely woodwind chorale led by a solo from principal oboist William Welter, the piece concluded with a fun, lively take on the third movement with is catchy folk rhythms that have been attributed to the Hungarian Roma.

Though this work certainly has it technical flourishes, it’s more about expression than technique, and Kavakos handled it all with a comfortable, straightforward interpretation that took full advantage of his pleasing, silken tone. He used an involved, sometimes inward-looking cadenza by the soloist for which the concerto was originally composed, Joseph Joachim, and made the most of it.

Kavakos earned an extended standing ovation, which probably came as much from his fine playing as it did from the audience’s sheer joy in hearing a soloist perform with the orchestra at Orchestra Hall for the first time in some 19 months.

Then came the evening’s apex — Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92. It is one of the most familiar works in the classical literature, but Muti and the orchestra offered an authoritative interpretation that was fresh and alive in every way.

After an appropriately spacious, relaxed take on the introduction, principal flutist Stefan Ragnar Hoskuldsson deftly introduced the movement’s buoyant main theme. The entire orchestra took it up with an appropriately light, agile touch — Muti setting a tempo that seemed just right.

A bit of darkness creeps into the slightly slower second movement which began with the rich, burnished sound of the low strings — a stand-out moment. The evening ended in stellar style, with Muti and the orchestra injecting abundant vim and verve into its take on the exhilarating finale, one of the best-known sections in all classical music with its snappy, propulsive theme powered by the soaring French horns.

It, too, drew a standing ovation from an audience clearly delighted to reconnect live with these timeless classical standbys.

Kyle MacMillan is a freelance writer.

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Khalil Mack is blocked by the Bengals last month. | Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Mack is making progress, practicing Friday for the first time all week.

Bears nose tackle Eddie Goldman is set to play his first real football in 658 days on Sunday.

He has no injury designation for the Lions game after practicing in full the last two days. Goldman had been limited or out ever since he hurt his knee the Monday before the season opener. The Bears presumed he’d return sooner than Week 4, but coach Matt Nagy said he’s eager to get him back.

Nagy wouldn’t say whether he’d be on a set snap count, though that seems likely. Before getting hurt in Week 1, Goldman sat out all of 2020 because of coronavirus concerns. In between, he appeared in one preseason game: the third one against the Titans.

“I think we’re going to see a player who’s going to come out and give it his all,” Nagy said. “I don’t like to put stat lines or anything like that on the guy, but I know this: He had a really, really good week of practice and now probably more than anything is his conditioning and just getting used to that game condition. I know he holds himself to play well and puts a lot of accountability on himself to help out. So he’s going to be anxious to get out there.”

Mack improving

After sitting out the first two practices of the week with a foot injury, star outside linebacker Khalil Mack was limited Friday. Nagy characterized that as a good first step toward playing Sunday.

“I think that’s important,” he said. “That’s a good start there.”

He injured his foot in the first quarter of Sunday’s game against the Browns, went to the locker room for X-rays and returned to play in the second half.

More injuries

Starting strong safety Tashaun Gipson, who missed last week’s game with a hamstring injury, is doubtful for Sunday after failing to practice all week.

Receiver Darnell Mooney is questionable with a groin injury but will play. So will tight end Jesse James after missing two days for personal reasons.

Inside linebacker Joel Iyiegbuniwe, who hurt his hamstring against the Browns, is out.

Cornerback Xavier Crawford (back) is questionable.

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California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks at a news conference to sign a number of housing bills at the Coliseum Connections apartment complex in Oakland, Calif., Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2021. Newsom signed seven new laws aimed at addressing the state’s homeless crisis during an event in Los Angeles, on Wednesday, Sept. 29. | AP

The state will require the COVID-19 vaccine for students in kindergarten through sixth grade only after the federal government has given final approval for anyone 5 to 11.

SAN FRANCISCO — California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday announced the nation’s first coronavirus vaccination mandate for schoolchildren, a plan that will have all elementary through high school students get the shots once the vaccine gains final approval from the U.S. government for different age groups.

The government has fully approved the COVID-19 vaccine for those 16 and over but only granted an emergency authorization for anyone 12 to 15. Once federal regulators fully approve the vaccine for that group, the state will require students in seventh through 12th grades to get vaccinated in both public and private schools, Newsom’s office said.

The state will require the COVID-19 vaccine for students in kindergarten through sixth grade only after the federal government has given final approval for anyone 5 to 11.

The announcement comes as infections in most of California have dropped markedly in the last month. But Newsom has been emboldened after easily defeating a recall effort last month following a campaign where he emphasized his commitment to vaccine mandates to end the pandemic.

In Los Angeles County — the nation’s largest, with more than 10 million residents — just 1.7% of people tested for the virus have it and daily infections are down by half in the last month, when most kids went back to school.

“These numbers are amazingly low given that 3,000-plus schools are now open countywide,” county Health Director Barbara Ferrer said Thursday.

She noted that though the number of outbreaks in schools has increased slightly in recent weeks, the overall number is small and largely related to youth sports.

The state’s vaccine mandate would take effect the semester after the federal government grants final approval. If it comes in January, then the mandate would take effect in July.

Students would be granted religious and medical exemptions, but the rules for how the state would apply those exemptions have not been written yet. Any student who refuses to take the vaccine would be forced to complete an independent study course at home.

Until now, Newsom had left the decision on student vaccine mandates to local school districts, leading to a variety of different orders across some of the state’s largest districts.

Los Angeles and Oakland Unified have mandated all students over 12 to be vaccinated, but Oakland’s order has not set a deadline for when students must comply. LA set a deadline of Jan. 20.

Earlier this week, the San Diego Unified school board approved a mandate that staff and students age 16 and older be fully vaccinated by Dec. 20.

Newsom has made it a point of pride to be the first in the nation to issue a variety of pandemic-related school mandates.

In August, California became the first state in the U.S. to require all teachers and staff in K-12 public and private schools to get vaccinated or undergo weekly COVID-19 testing. Newsom also issued a school mask mandate earlier in the summer for indoor classes that applies to all teachers and students.

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Former Blackhawks video coach Bradley Aldrich allegedly assaulted a player in May 2010. | Sun-Times file photo

In new court documents filed Thursday, a Georgia psychologist describes the “emotional distress” the player suffered as a result of the alleged assault.

The former Blackhawks player allegedly assaulted by former video coach Bradley Aldrich suffered anxiety, depression, severe sleep and anger problems, sexual dysfunction and marital problems resulting in divorce as a result of the assault, new court documents claim.

The player, identified anonymously as “John Doe 1,” is suing the Hawks for negligence in the matter, alleging they covered up Aldrich’s actions after the May 2010 assault.

New responses filed Thursday by Susan Loggans — the lawyer representing both Doe 1 and “John Doe 2,” a Michigan high school student whom Aldrich assaulted in 2013 — include an affidavit from Julie Medlin, a Georgia-based psychologist who evaluated Doe 1 in late 2020. The responses are the latest in a long series of motions and amendments by the Hawks and Loggans in both lawsuits.

Doe 1’s hockey career entered a “downward spiral” ending in an “emotional breakdown” while playing in Austria after the assault, Medlin said. Her evaluation revealed the aforementioned “emotional distress” symptoms.

On the night of the assault, Aldrich allegedly threatened Doe 1 physically with a baseball bat and rhetorically with claims he would ruin his hockey career before sexually touching and ejaculating on him, per earlier court documents.

The Hawks have motioned to dismiss Doe 1’s lawsuit, claiming the two-year statute of limitations should have expired long ago for a May 2010 event, since Doe 1 was an adult fully aware of the incident at the time.

In the new response, Doe 1 claims that awareness the incident was wrongful is also required to start to the statute of limitations, and since former Hawks skills coach James Gary allegedly convinced him at the time the assault was his own fault, he didn’t gain that awareness until learning in 2019 about Aldrich’s assault of the Michigan student.

Cup day equivalent to recommendation?

A new response also filed Thursday in the Doe 2 case, meanwhile, claims the Hawks letting Aldrich enjoy a day with the Stanley Cup in summer 2010 in Houghton, Michigan, was equivalent to a recommendation.

The issue of whether or not the Hawks recommended Aldrich to Houghton High School, where he was a volunteer hockey coach when he assaulted Doe 2 in 2013, has been central to the legitimacy of the Doe 2 lawsuit.

“Most definitely, there was communication between the Blackhawks and Houghton,” Loggans wrote in a letter to Hawks lawyers attached to the court filings. “At the very least, there was non-verbal communication. The Blackhawks gave Mr. Aldrich the actual Stanley Cup to take to Houghton to show it off. The Cup was inscribed with Mr. Aldrich’s name. Standing alone, this communication vouches for Mr. Aldrich’s suitability as a coach.”

All employees of the Cup-winning team traditionally receive one day with the Cup. Aldrich, however, did not receive his Cup day until September 2010, after he’d left the Hawks.

Loggans’ letter responds to a letter from Hawks lawyers, also attached to the filings, in which the Hawks threatened to pursue court sanctions to get “reimbursement of legal fees…incurred defending” the Hawks against the “demonstrably false” claim of a recommendation.

The original version of the Doe 2 lawsuit claimed the Hawks ”provided positive references to future employers for Bradley Aldrich. An amended version of the lawsuit was less specific in that realm, claiming only the Hawks provided a ”positive review and/or employment verification of Aldrich to Houghton.”

The Hawks strongly pushed back against those claims in their most recent motion to dismiss. Indeed, no evidence has surfaced yet of the Hawks sending any reference letter to Miami (Ohio) University — where Aldrich worked in 2012 — or Houghton High, but the lawsuit has not yet advanced to the discovery phase, when such a letter could surface.

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