Timothy Eiland was walking with his sister, joking and laughing after a surprise birthday party when sounds of gunfire pierced through the cool, evening air Saturday in West Pullman.

As people started to scramble, Elishama Wright, Eiland’s sister, found him “on the ground with blood squirting from his face.”

She ducked back into the building in the 300 block of East Kensington Avenue until the shooting stopped then rushed outside to see about her brother and her 15-year-old daughter, who were two of six people shot in the attack.

Police say the gunmen emerged from a dark gangway and opened fire around 9:30 p.m. and ran off.

Eiland, a Chicago firefighter and father of five, was shot in the face and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in critical condition. Wright’s daughter, Divine O’Neal, went to Comer Children’s Hospital in fair condition with a gunshot wound to the arm.

Wright said her daughter was released from the hospital but remains in a lot of pain, and her brother has been showing signs of improvement. He responds to his name and can move his fingers. He is still unable to speak but reacted to hearing his wife and family over the phone.

“He smiled yesterday,” said Wright, who works in payroll for the Chicago Police Department, “Just keep praying.”

Wright said her brother is “an awesome fireman, an awesome husband, an awesome friend” and is known for his sense of humor. His father was a firefighter too.

“He was always joking around,” she said. “That’s what he was doing when we were out there” at the site of the shooting, she said.

Contributing: David Struett

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Two weeks into a new school year during which Chicago Public Schools officials said they would be “committed to testing 100% of CPS students and staff each week” for COVID-19, only 3.3% of students and less than 20% of staff have signed up for the voluntary program, according to new data released by the district Tuesday.

The school system is also planning to administer tests at only one-third of its schools this week, for the second time delaying the full implementation of its testing plan until the end of September. Officials had originally said the program would be ready at the start of the school year in late August, then earlier this month pushed that date back to this week.

CPS spokeswoman Emily Bolton said the delay is partially due to the company handling testing for the district, Fisher Scientific Company LLC, hiring new employees who require background checks before they’re assigned to schools.

The district’s contract with Fisher Scientific wasn’t announced until the Friday before classes resumed.

“We are working diligently to expand testing capacity and, in the meantime, encourage all students and staff members to opt-in to the testing program,” Bolton said in an emailed statement.

As of this week, only 9,400 out of 290,000 eligible students were registered to be tested weekly, according to CPS records. Another 6,300 teachers and staff have signed up, or 15%. And tests will be administered at a total of 171 schools this week, about 33% of the 512 district-run buildings.

Testing is only mandatory for students who participate in sports and staff who aren’t yet vaccinated ahead of the Oct. 15 deadline.

Tests are optional for the remainder of students, whose parents have to fill out an online form to opt into the program. CPS has not widely advertised its testing plan and only emailed a sign-up link to parents after 9 p.m. the Friday before the start of the school year.

President Joe Biden last week called on districts to administer regular testing to keep schools safe and open for in-person learning. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said officials should receive parent consent before swabbing children but has stressed that tests can help catch early infections and keep positive cases out of schools.

CPS has been criticized for its strategy, particularly for not following the mandatory testing model used in Los Angeles public schools. In L.A., parent consent is sought for weekly tests regardless of vaccination status, but those who opt out can only attend remote learning. L.A. also tested students and staff before they returned to schools, helping detect thousands of cases before classes started. And last week that school board approved a vaccine requirement for eligible children.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot said this month that a student vaccine mandate would be “premature,” despite leading experts including Dr. Anthony Fauci backing such requirements.

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Year four of the Matt Nagy era isn’t off to a hot start for the Chicago Bears, falling to 0-1 with their 34-14 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. And while the offense wasn’t the biggest weakness on Sunday night, the Bears still only scored 14 points and scored on just two of their eight drives in the game.

With head coach Matt Nagy picking Andy Dalton over Justin Fields, he’s opened himself up to some criticism and that has continued here in Week 1. Now, with the Bears facing an 0-1 start to their season many think Nagy is on the hot seat and could be the first coach to be axed this season.

According to Sports Betting Dime, Nagy is the odds on favorite to be the first coach to be fired, sitting at +500 on the list. Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer isn’t far behind at +700 and Indianapolis Colts coach Frank Reich is at +750. Take a look at the full list below via Lester Wiltfong of Windy City Gridiron:

Here’s are @SBD‘s odds on the 1st #NFL coach to be fired/resign:

Nagy #Bears +500
Zimmer #Vikings +700
Reich #Colts +750
McCarthy #Cowboys +1100
LaFleur #Packers +1150
Fangio #Broncos +1500
Taylor #Bengals +1900
Judge #Giants +2400
Meyer – #Jaguars +2700
Campbell – #Lions +2800

— Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. (@wiltfongjr) September 14, 2021

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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 scattered thunderstorms and a high near 87 degrees. Tonight will be mostly cloudy with a low around 60. Tomorrow will be sunny with a high near 77.

Top story

City Council approves eight-year police contract with 20% percent pay raise

Chicago Police officers rose above their anger at Mayor Lori Lightfoot to ratify a new contract that gives them a 20% pay raise over eight years, more than half of it retroactive.

Today, the City Council did the same, rising above bitter disappointment that the city did not take greater advantage of its opportunity to demand police reform. The final vote was 40 to 8.

“It’s not where all of us would like to be, but it’s definitely far from where we are,” Ald. Jason Ervin (29th), chairman of the City Council’s Black Caucus said prior to the final vote.

Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th) was one of the eight aldermen who voted no.

He pointed specifically to fact that the contract does “little to nothing to ensure that there is accountability when false statements are made” by officers accused of misconduct or that they provide “accurate statements within 24 hours.”

“Have we forgotten the cases of Adam Toledo, of Anjanette Young or Laquan McDonald? Those are the cases that should be considered when we talk about this contract,” Sigcho-Lopez said.

Jim Franczek, the city’s longtime chief labor negotiator, acknowledged the city did not get the requirement it sought compelling officers to disclose secondary employment or hours worked at those second jobs. It also did not cap those moonlighting hours.

But, he argued, the city won “the most accountability reform measures that have ever been had” in an FOP contract.

Read the full story from Fran Spielman here.

More news you need

The family of a man beaten to death last Friday afternoon in Pilsen is appealing to the public for help to solve his murder. Juan Antonio Garcia Rios, 67, had just had a meal at a church soup kitchen when he was killed, his niece said.

Family and friends are mourning George F. Wendt, 73, who drowned last Saturday during his favorite swim event, the Big Shoulders race off Ohio Street Beach, officials said. An avid swimmer, Wendt participated in all 30 annual Big Shoulders swims since the event’s founding in 1991.

Mayor Lightfoot’s downtown marijuana “exclusion zone” would shrink to a narrow band under a plan to help people of color shut out of the legal pot industry. The proposal, which is poised for City Council approval, would also streamline zoning processes for weed businesses.

A federal judge handed an 18-month prison sentence today to a bar operator who pleaded guilty in 2019 to a drug crime — but who also admitted he gave more than $6,500 in bribes to public officials in Summit. Mariano “Mario” Martinez, 52, agreed when he pleaded guilty to cooperate with federal prosecutors, which they say has been “fruitful so far.”

The FBI and Chicago Police are seeking information on a man wanted for striking a person in a violent hate crime last month at a CTA station in Uptown. When the victim asked why he’d been assaulted, the man told him deserved it and used an ethnic slur against him and his partner, the FBI said.

Chicago’s James R. Thompson Center could become a waterpark, a “vertical Loop” of homes and commercial space with a rooftop vegetable garden, or a prototype public school based on winning submissions in a design contest. Organizers hope the results will influence public discussion over whether the Helmut Jahn-designed building can be saved from the wrecking ball.

A bright one

How Oooh Wee It Is discovered the pot roast cupcake

Diners at Oooh Wee It Is tend to stumble upon an unusual yet intriguing dish as they peruse the menu at Oooh Wee It Is soul food restaurant in Chatham: pot roast cupcakes.

If that’s not enough to get customers to commit to ordering the appetizer, then seeing serves walk through the bustling venue with a piping hot plate of a trio of these sweet-and-savory cupcakes usually tends to do the trick, co-owner Mark Walker said.

The appetizer is something people would usually see at a festival or out of a food truck — not necessarily at a sit-down restaurant. But the ingenuity of the dish and the balance of flavors makes it a perfect starter to set the tone for any meal at Oooh Wee It Is, which prides itself on serving “soul food with a twist.”

It’s one of the most popular bites, according to Mark’s wife, Shae Walker, the First Lady of Oooh Wee It Is. “It’s always trending; people love it,” she added.

But even Shae wasn’t necessarily sold on the idea of pot roast cupcakes when Mark first pitched it to her.

“I’m like, ‘Pot roast cupcakes?'” she questioned bewildered, before Mark confidently laid out the blueprints of the dish. “I’m like, ‘Oh my God… this man!

“But when we did it, it was really good,” she admitted. “He has that gift, you know, like that creative part of just doing things a little bit different.”

Madeline Kenney has the full back story in her latest installment of the Dishin’ on the Dish series here.

From the press box

Your daily question ?

What’s the best way to enjoy the remaining days of warm weather in Chicago before the temperatures drop?

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: If you could master a new language in 24 hours, which one would you choose? Why? Here’s what some of you said…

“I would like to learn Swedish. I really love the language and then once I know Swedish, it would make it easier for me to learn Norwegian and Danish.” — C. Thomas Lensegrav Jr.

“Italian because it’s close to Spanish, which is my first language — making it a little easier.” — Maria Malave-Gibson

“Polish, because my parents were both Polish and spoke it fluently, but with seven kids in our family, they said it was their only form of privacy, so we never learned the language.” — Linda Rose

“Hebrew because when my Dad passed two years ago he was the only immediate family member that spoke it.” — Lori Ellen

“Tagalog so I could understand what my families are talking about.” — Michael Roque

“Swahili because it is reflective of my ancestry.” — Catherine Webb

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

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Shoreline salmon/trout again lead this sprawling raw-file Midwest Fishing Report, but it also feels like the fall fishing bite is building on inland waters, though the return of hot weather might matter.

LAKEFRONT SHORELINE SALMON/TROUT

Jason “Special One” Le texted the photos at the top and the one below Tuesday morning from Montrose Harbor, and this:

15.5lbs

Almost spool me lol

They’re back

Three landed this morning

Sox fan lol

Even a Sox fan can do well for Chinook on the North Side of the Chicago lakefront.Provided by Jason “Special One” Le

Stacey Greene at Park Bait at Montrose Harbor texted:

The reports I’ve been getting is quite a few salmon scattered all around the area; Horseshoe, mouth of Montrose, Diversey, Belmont etc. All Kings from what I know haven’t had any trout reports yet. As far as I know they’re hitting all on spoons and crankbaits no baits yet.

. . .

I also wanted to bring up to you that you might want to mention about these parking meters down here. They start at 8 a.m. but if you get to it earlier in the morning before 5 and push the button it’s a little confusing because it makes you think that you have to pay but you don’t not till 8

Considering how many people are fishing before 8 a.m., this is useful info.

I was at Jackson Park Harbor over the weekend and saw Chinook caught and lots of people trying around the mouth.

Brian at Henry’s Sports and Bait said lots of reports of kings, including at least half a dozen Tuesday, from Diversey and Montrose. “I thought the heat wave would drive them out, but I guess not.”

Capt. Dan Leslie at the Salmon Stop in Waukegan said water remains warm, so action slowed. The bite remains mainly on spoons. “It is a holding pattern from shore.”

Capt. Scott Wolfe of School of Fish Charters emailed about Waukegan:

. . .

Kings and coho are moving into the harbor. The first wave came in Thursday and as is usual, they were very active at first. It seems like the hot water zaps them and they get lethargic in about a day. That occurred here and fishing was tough with the fish inactive over the weekend. West and Southwest winds will cool the water and get them active. That is the forecast for the coming weekend so I’m optimistic next weekend will be good for the shore guys.

Capt. Scott Wolfe

School of Fish Charters/Manipulator
schooloffishcharters.com
630-341-0550

Capt. Rich Sleziak at Slez’s Bait in Lake Station, Ind., texted:

A king here and there out of burns ditch what fish we did have out there has ran up the creeks.

Fishing the creeks you must cover a lot of water and find a hole with a few fish use spinners or use spawn sacks

Staff at Tackle Haven in Benton Harbor, Mich., said some kings and coho were caught Sunday in the turning basin at St. Joseph. Lots of coho and Chinook can be seen going up the Berrien Springs ladder. See what Paddle and Pole hosts with the Berrien Springs Fish Ladder Camera.

LAKEFRONT PARKING

Chicago Park District’s parking passes for the fisherman’s parking lots at DuSable and Burnham harbors are on sale at Henry’s Sports and Bait in Bridgeport and Park Bait at Montrose Harbor.

Readers suggest SpotHero app downtown. Otherwise, here are some basics: Foster (free street parking or pay lot); Montrose (now a mix of metered and free street parking); Belmont (pay lots on north and south sides); Diversey (pay lot or street parking); DuSable Harbor (pay lot or fisherman’s lot); Northerly Island/Burnham Harbor (meters, pay lot or fisherman’s lot); 31st/Burnham (meter parking between McCormick Place and 31st Street Harbor); Oakwood/39th (meters); 63rd Street/Casino Pier (pay lot); Steelworkers Park (free street parking at east end of 87th); Cal Park (free parking).

AREA LAKES

Dicky’s Bait Shop in Montgomery reported slabs of crappie and largemouth on extra large minnows are producing at local ponds.

Ken “Husker” O’Malley with a fall largemouth bass.Provided

Ken “Husker” O’Malley emailed the photos above and below:

Hey Dale,

Here is a recap of this past weeks fishing.

Area lakes-with the recent warmup, temps have been staying steady in the lower 70’s. Fish seem to be in-between right now awaiting fall patterns.

Bass have been decent but running on the smaller size. Top water baits at first light followed by senkos in the later morning and evening hours. Green pumpkin has been the best color. Work the outside and inside weedlines for the most active fish.

Here is the nature pic of the week. Time to admire the surroundings.

TTYL

—

Ken “Husker” O’Malley

Husker Outdoors
Waterwerks fishing team

“Time to admire the surroundings.”Ken “Husker” O’Malley

Pete Lamar emailed:

Hi Dale,

Pretty much the same report I’ve been providing for the past month. Lakes and ponds have cooled slightly (the smaller the pond/lake, the more it has cooled). Bass and some big bluegills have been hitting poppers in low light.

. . .

Pete

BRAIDWOOD LAKE

Brian at Henry’s Sports and Bait said catfish were doing well at Braidwood. Open daily 6 a.m. to sunset.

CHAIN O’LAKES AREA

Tucker at Triangle Sports and Marine in Antioch said white bass are running, both in the rivers and lakes; some walleye are shallow and some in the river, some big catfish are being caught at night; bluegill are in the 5-7 feet.

NOTE: Check updates on water conditions at foxwaterway.com or (847) 587-8540.

NOTE 2: The Stratton Lock and Dam is open 8 a.m. to midnight through Sept. 30.

CHICAGO RIVER

Shaun Murphy and others have called the river as “on fire” for multiple species.

Jeffrey Williams doubling on the Chicago River.Provided

Jeffrey Williams messaged the photo above and this on Friday:

doubled up on a crappie rig

DELAVAN LAKE, WISCONSIN

Dave Duwe emailed:

Delavan Lake Fishing Report 9/13/21 through 9/20/21

With the cooler nights, the water temperature is starting to drop. The fishing remains above average and the boat traffic is below average.

Largemouth bass are starting to move out of their tight summer schools and can be found throughout the weedline in 12-14 ft of water. In the early morning, the top water bite is available and you can also find them casting medium diving crankbaits. The best patterns are chrome/blue or perch for the crankbaits. The best location has been just west of the Yacht Club or by the Browns Channel weedline.

Northern pike action is starting to improve. With the cooler water, the fish are moving into the 12-14 ft depth range. They can be caught on Thill slip bobbers fished with medium suckers or casting white spinner baits. The best location is the Viewcrest Bay or the weed flat by Browns Channel. As the fall progresses, the northern pike action will continue to improve.

Walleye fishing has been slow. There is some action coming from chrome/blue jigging Rapalas in 20-22 ft of water, or lindy rigging jumbo leeches. The best location has been by the concrete point or by Willow point. The walleye bite is always best in the fall, so the cooler nights will help improve the bite in the coming weeks.

Crappie fishing has been above average in the 30-35 ft depth range. They can be caught on slip bobbers and fat head minnows. The fish are in the main lake basin. Look for them by Willow Point or in front of Assembly Park. They are typically soft this time of year, so you want to get them on ice quickly.

Bluegill fishing has been average. The best bite is in the 12-15 ft depth range. The fish are biting on small leaf worms or wax worms fished on an ice jig. The best color is chartreuse or orange. I’ve been catching most of my fish by Del Mar subdivision.

Good luck and I hope to see you on the water. For guide parties, please call Dave Duwe at 608-883-2050

DOWNSTATE

POWERTON: Hours are 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. through Sept. 30.

EMIQUON: Access permits and liability waivers are again required. They are available Tuesday to Saturday at Dickson Mounts Museum, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

HENNEPIN-HOPPER: Closed for the season. Check regulations at http://www.wetlands-initiative.org/dixon-paddling-fishing.

SHELBYVILLE: Check with Ken Wilson of Lithia Guide Service. SOUTHERN ILLINOIS: Check with Jason Johns of Boneyard Fishing.

FOX RIVER

Dicky’s Bait Shop in Montgomery reported water as low as it has been in years; catfish picking up on suckers.

Here’s how Pete Lamar described the levels:

Hi Dale,

. . . Every time I go to the Fox or one of its tribs, I think to myself that the water couldn’t possibly get any lower. Yet every week it does. I found some big smallmouths in a slow and deep (deep being a relative term). They weren’t the least bit interested in eating. I think they were more concerned with avoiding overhead predators in the clear water. The fish I caught all came out of fast, broken water.

Pete

GENEVA LAKE, WISCONSIN

Dave Duwe emailed:

Lake Geneva 9/13/21 through 9/20/21

School is back in session for both kids and the bass. The bass bite has improved dramatically with the cooler water temperature and the decreased fishing pressure. It’s a great time to be able to fish.

Smallmouth bass fishing has been good. The fish are positioned on main lake weed points in 20-25 ft of water. They are aggressively hitting lindy rigged nightcrawlers and small perch caught in Lake Geneva. The biggest fish I caught last week was almost 21 inches. The fish are very schooled up now, so if you catch one, you’ll catch a bunch. The best locations have been by Black Point, the Military Academy or by Belvidere Park.

The bluegill action has also been fantastic. The bluegills are suspended in 25-30 ft of water. The best location has been by the Yacht Club or by the Military Academy. I’ve been using a split shot rig with a 1/2 of a nightcrawler right beneath the boat. Some of the bluegills have been in excess of 10 inches, with the average size being about 7 inches.

Perch fishing has been good however , the size has been very small. Most of the fish I’ve been catching have an average size of 6 inches. They make nice bait but not a great fish fry. The best location has been by Knollwood or by Rainbow Point. The best presentation is a slip bobber rig with a small minnow. Work a depth of 10-12 ft of water. The perch fishing will be improving as fall wears on.

Northern Pike action still remains kind of slow. The fish are still deep and still scattered. I think we will see a major improvement as the water cools and the fish move up into the weeds. Look for the fish by Fontana Beach or the North shore of the narrows. The best approach continues to be lindy rigging suckers.

Good luck and I hope to see you on the water. For guide parties, please call Dave Duwe at 608-883-2050

GREEN LAKE AREA, WISCONSIN

Guide Mike Norris emailed:

Fishing Report – 09/09/2021

Mike Norris

Big Green Lake – Water temp on Big Green dropped from 77 to 72 degrees last week following a cold front. The cooler water temperature altered the bluegill bite somewhat. The massive schools of bluegills I graphed the last few weeks were thinned out and the size of the gills were slightly smaller. But this bite is far from over and should continue through the remainder of September. October will bring fewer bluegills, but it’s a great time for jumbo gills over 9 inches. Perch fishing also pick up. Work inside and along the edge of weedbeds with a drop shot rig and redworm for perch running from 9 to 12 inches. Lake trout can be caught vertical jigging hair jigs tipped with cisco meat.

Fox Lake – Largemouth bass fishing has improved with the onset of cooler water temps. They are eating square billed crankbaits worked along rocky shorelines. Northern pike and walleyes are falling for deep diving crankbaits trolled outside the weed line in 12 to 15 feet of water.

To book a guide trip reach out to me via my Facebook page at mike.norris.7773 or email me through my website at www.comecatchsmallmouth.com

GREEN/STURGEON BAYS, WISCONSIN

Click here for the Wisconsin DNR weekly report.

HEIDECKE LAKE

Open 6 a.m. (6:30 bank fishing) to sunset.

ILLINOIS RIVER

Brian at Henry’s Sports and Bait said white bass are being caught at Started Rock

KANKAKEE RIVER

Bob Johnson shows the fall bass bite seems to be underway on the Kankakee River.Provided

Bob Johnson emailed the photo above and below, and this:

Hi Dale – River was on this morning with some good action using a variety of lures. The temp was 69 and just a slight stain and at normal pool. I caught several bass including my personal best largemouth out of the river,(4.37). Surface lures worked early this morning along with soft plastics bouncing plastics off structure of any kind. The fall bite seems to be picking up as temps slowly drop. Walleye was at 4 lbs and also released.

Bob Johnson with a good mix of fish from the Kankakee River, including a walleye.Provided

LAKE ERIE

Click here for the Ohio DNR Report.

LAKEFRONT

NOTE: Salmon snagging is NOT open, yet.

Brian at Henry’s Sports and Bait said lots of reports of kings, including at least half a dozen Tuesday, from Diversey and Montrose. “I thought the heat wave would drive them out, but I guess not.” Pike are very active around the harbors; smallmouth bass slowed a bit.

Stacey Greene at Park Bait at Montrose Harbor texted:

The reports I’ve been getting is quite a few salmon scattered all around the area; Horseshoe, mouth of Montrose, Diversey, Belmont etc. All Kings from what I know haven’t had any trout reports yet. As far as I know they’re hitting all on spoons and crankbaits no baits yet.Smallmouth still hitting scattered around here and there.

I also wanted to bring up to you that you might want to mention about these parking meters down here. They start at 8 a.m. but if you get to it earlier in the morning before 5 and push the button it’s a little confusing because it makes you think that you have to pay but you don’t not till 8

Capt. Bob Poteshman of Confusion Charters said that out of North Point, really good deep (200-300) for steelhead and a few smaller coho in the top 100; out of Chicago, in 100-160, plenty of lakers with the occasional steelhead, coho and Chinook.

Capt. Dan Leslie at the Salmon Stop in Waukegan said water remains warm, so action slowed. The bite remains mainly on spoons. “It is a holding pattern from shore.” Boaters are cleaning up on lakers and steelhead, too.

Capt. Scott Wolfe of School of Fish Charters emailed:

The offshore lake trout fishing was again outstanding with limit catches every trip. 110-140 feet using smoke or silver Luhr-Jensen Dodgers and Jimmy Fly Laker Takers near the bottom, Green/Silver and Green/Orange were the best. 300 coppers with Magnum Warrior Spoons in UV Green patterns like Green Menace and Psycho Perch Ultraglow also took lakers, some big steelhead and smaller salmon, both Chinook and Coho.

For more non-lakers some boats did OK in 160 to 200 to the North of the harbor. Riggers from 50 to 100 down and 200 plus leadcores with green and blue/green combos like Warrior Green Menace and Hey Babe were best. Some action on wire divers way out, 200 to 350 feet with NBK flashers and Green or Aqua flies with some black in them. Steelhead and smaller salmon with a few smaller lakers were taken.

Kings and coho are moving into the harbor. The first wave came in Thursday and as is usual, they were very active at first. It seems like the hot water zaps them and they get lethargic in about a day. That occurred here and fishing was tough with the fish inactive over the weekend. West and Southwest winds will cool the water and get them active. That is the forecast for the coming weekend so I’m optimistic next weekend will be good for the shore guys.

Capt. Scott Wolfe

School of Fish Charters/Manipulator
schooloffishcharters.com
630-341-0550

LaSALLE LAKE

Open daily 6 a.m. to sunset.

MADISON LAKES, WISCONSIN

Click here for the update from D&S Bait.

MAZONIA

Both units are open for fishing.

MILWAUKEE

Arden Katz boated two of three big kings (both heavier than 20 pounds) over the weekend and saw many others caught.

MINNESOTA

Nash Pratt with a Mille Lacs walleye.Provided by McQuoid’s Inn

Justin Lederer emailed from McQuoid’s Inn in Isle, Minn.:

Justin Lederer checking in from McQuoids Inn Lake Mille Lacs. The fall bite It is turning on with the smallmouth drag suckers on jigs over the rocks 10-18′ feet of water. Nash join us on a launch boat trip on Sunday with hope kids and got a nice walleye. Here is a little bit about what this group does.We are just a group of people that call ourselves the big hearts group. I am the director in charge of planning, Logistics and volunteers. No one gets paid. As of now we are working in conjunction with the Hope kids organization. We put on two events for the kids and Families involved with hope kids. These are kids and their families who are affected by life-changing and debilitating childhood diseases and illnesses. The great thing about the organization is they have events throughout the year for both the kids and their families. Most of these kids spend a lot of time in the hospital it’s a great way to get both the kids and their families Minds off of things and helps the families network with other families who are going through the same thing as them. If you are interested in helping them out any way look them up and give them a hand. Thanks

NORTHERN WISCONSIN

Kurt Justice at Kurt’s Island Sport Shop in Minocqua emailed:

The hot fall fishing can’t come soon enough for those of us looking at warmer than usual mid-September lake temps and some finicky fish of late.

Even early fall patterns have yet to kick in fully, leaving some anglers frustrated at the level of activity. Some, on the other hand, are seeing good action based on the reports of anglers targeting Musky and large Smallmouth!

Musky: Good-Very Good – Top-water action has been picking up as anglers are finding shallow water fish eager to take tail baits (Whopper Ploppers, Tally Wackers and Top Raiders) fished from just inside weed lines to just outside. Smity’s Flaptails have also been a good “throwback” bait on short sighted fish.

Smallmouth Bass: Good-Very Good – Don’t tell that to deep gravel anglers as only smaller fish seem to be out there. But outside weed edges are holding average fish, while the real brutes (19″+) are hanging in weeds (inside edges) hitting #90 Whopper Ploppers and buzz baits.

Northern Pike: Fair-Good – A few reports of decent Pike action on spinner baits and 4″ swim baits. Live bait seems to have been a better choice for the “windows” when the bite was good.

Bluegill: Fair-Good – Interestingly, another flying ant hatch (usually about the third week of August) appeared this past weekend. Saw signs of small Gills feeding, but not as much from larger Gills. Weed beds without wiltering (yellowing) weeds best.

Largemouth Bass: Fair-Good – Best in heavy, green cabbage on jig/creature combos or wacky worming. Some top-water action on warming evenings.

Yellow Perch: Fair – Loosely mixed into green cabbage of 8-12″ on some lakes taking crawlers. Not many reports.

Walleye: Fair – Anglers finding some migration to rock humps on lakes the further north you go. 1/8 – 1/4 oz jigs tipped with large fatheads best.

Crappie: Fair – Very few reports but some anglers using medium fatheads caught some scattered fish. Best bet to start at weed edges in 16′ with fish suspended 6′ off the bottom.

Lake surface temps range 64-69 degrees still! Rising in afternoons. Seems the flat, clear days were tough but wind created opportunity for anglers to find action by Saturday. Doesn’t look like temps will drop very fast, highs in mid-70’s will see to that. Trees just starting to show a little color in the Lakeland Area.

Kurt Justice

Kurt’s Island Sport Shop
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NORTHWEST INDIANA

A graph with what perch can look like in the Indiana waters of southern Lake Michigan when the weather is right.Provided by Shaun Murphy

Shaun Murphy sent the photo above from perch fishing in Indiana and a saga of perch tales with a classic line:

Yes but they moved out.

Started off of Portage, moved to Michigan city.

Water warmed up and they disappeared, graph was filled Saturday [Sept. 4], gone on Sunday [Sept. 5]. Water temp rose to 78?

He added:

All perch on the bottom.

We clutch at hope.

Capt. Rich Sleziak at Slez’s Bait in Lake Station texted:

A king here and there out of burns ditch what fish we did have out there has ran up the creeks.

Fishing the creeks you must cover a lot of water and find a hole with a few fish use spinners or use spawn sacks

Not much perch fishing going on around the ditch and Michigan city but I have groups going to New Buffalo most mornings doing ok using baby golden roaches fishing 35 to 45 ft of water.

Crappie on lake George in Hobart doing ok in the evening using minnows around the bridges.

Christina Petrites at Stan’s Bait & Tackle Center in Hammond emailed:

Hi, Dale! This late heat is a monster! On the bright side, fishing has remained pretty awesome all-around, with a slight let-up for certain species.

Trolling on Lake Michigan was much slower last week due to the storms, but the Perch anglers had some nice luck when they were able to get out fishing, specifically in depths of 55-65 FOW

Coho have started running the rivers with anglers having their best luck around the creek mouths. Due to the warmer weather as of late, the Salmon have gone to shallower rivers and areas of lakes.

Bluegill & Bass fishing on the inland lakes is still steady.

Walleye fishing has been good; Catfishing has been even better. Leeches for the former, nightcrawlers for both, & Skipjack & Sonny’s for the latter.

ROOT RIVER, WISCONSIN

Click here for the Wisconsin DNR’s report, usually on Tuesday or Wednesday.

SHABBONA LAKE

Josh Oman at Boondocks reported few trying, but some striped bass and some catfish caught over the weekend, water holding around 80.

Concessions are going. Site hours through Oct. 31 are 6 a.m.-10 p.m. daily

SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN LAKEFRONT

Click here for the southern Lake Michigan reports from the Wisconsin DNR.

SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN

Staff at Tackle Haven in Benton Harbor said some kings and coho were caught Sunday in the turning basin at St. Joseph. Lots of coho and Chinook can be seen going up the Berrien Springs. See what Paddle and Pole hosts with the Berrien Springs Fish Ladder Camera.

WISCONSIN DELLS

Hook-and-line sturgeon season in Wisconsin runs through Sept. 30. Click here for the details. Click here for the harvest areas. Check with River’s Edge, which has not registered any keepers yet, but reported lots of sturgeon are being caught. Water levels are down a bit. Smallmouth and white bass are going.

WOLF RIVER, WISCONSIN

Guide Bill Stoeger in Fremont texted:

Water levels are dropping, although with warm weather moving in, the water temperature is holding in the mid 60’s. White bass have slowed down. Crappie are doing better with slowing current. Some walleye action on crawlers and minnows

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Whether you loved Charles Leno or hated him, the Bears miss him — already.

Leno was an overachiever in his seven seasons with the Bears — a seventh-round draft pick in 2014 who ended up starting for six seasons. But at a critical position, he never was consistently good enough to reach “anchor” status.

Leno probably didn’t make that many more egregious mistakes that most of the more-respected tackles in the league, but in generally subpar Bears offenses, every error seemed to stand out like a beacon. He was good. But with the Bears, he needed to be great.

And, as the Bears and general manager Ryan Pace are finding out already, there’s something to be said for Leno’s dependability. He made 95 consecutive starts — and played 6,213-of-6,221 snaps (99.9%) — since replacing veteran Jermon Bushrod in the second half against the Seahawks in Week 4 in 2015.

The only eight snaps Leno missed came against the Vikings in Week 17 of the 2018 season, when coach Matt Nagy pulled many starters in anticipation of the playoffs. In fact, Leno played 6,257 snaps without getting injured in his seven seasons with the Bears. By the fourth quarter of their first game without him, the Bears already were on their fourth replacement.

Rookie Teven Jenkins is on injured reserve after undergoing back surgery on Aug. 18. His replacement, 39-year-old Jason Peters, lasted 32 snaps against the Rams before suffering a quad injury. Peters’ replacement, rookie Larry Borom, lasted all of 15 snaps before he suffered an ankle injury. Borom’s replacement, Elijah Wilkinson, played the final 22 snaps against the Rams without incident.

The Bears’ predicament at left tackle epitomizes Pace’s struggle to build a playoff-caliber offensive line. Upgrading at tackle was a wise move. But upgrading both tackles in the same year — Leno and Bobby Massie — has proven to be too much too soon.

Pace took a chance on a quality tackle prospect whose college season ended because of a back injury in Jenkins and already has been burned — Jenkins did not participate at all in training camp because of another back injury. Peters rushed to camp in mid-August and not that surprisingly couldn’t make it through a game.

Pace has his hits and misses, but the situation at left tackle reeks of poor management, with a heightened element of risk in every move. Pace cut Leno in a salary cap move (Leno signed with Washington, and is starting at left tackle). The initial candidates to replace Leno had little to no experience on the left side. Jenkins (Oklahoma State) and Borom (Missouri) were primarily right tackles in college. Wilkinson’s 26 NFL starts with the Broncos all are on the right side — seven at guard and 19 at tackle. Peters is 39, was injured twice last season and was literally fishing in Texas when he got the call from the Bears. This was his third injury in his last nine NFL games.

(Not everybody does it this way. When the 49ers had to replace left tackle Joe Staley, they traded for Washington holdout Trent Williams, a seven-time Pro Bowl tackle still in his prime. When the Chiefs looked to replace injured left tackle Eric Fisher, they traded for Orlando Brown, who made the Pro Bowl playing mostly left tackle with the Ravens last season.)

It might turn out that Jenkins and Borom eventually become offensive line anchors at left and right tackle. But Pace’s luck has to change quickly for that to happen under his watch.

2. The hole at left tackle is particularly unfortunate because the Bears’ ability to run against a quality defense was arguably the best sign for the Bears’ offense in the opener.

The Bears rushed for 134 yards on 26 carries (5.2 avg.) and two touchdowns against the Rams, who ranked No. 1 in total defense and No. 3 in rushing defense last season. In three games against the top three rushing defenses last season — the Colts, Buccaneers and Rams — the Bears gained 112 rushing yards on 47 carries (2.4 avg.), with one touchdown.

3. Talk about bad luck … Nagy got cute twice with rookie Justin Fields against the Rams, both with negative results.

Wide receiver Marquise Goodwin lost two yards on an end around. And Borom suffered his ankle injury on a shovel pass to Allen Robinson that gained two yards.

The Borom injured brought back bad memories. Guard Kyle Long also suffered an ankle injury on a shovel pass — a failed attempt to fullback Paul Lasike — against the Buccaneers in 2016. Long, who had made the Pro Bowl the three previous seasons at the time, missed the rest of the 2016 season, and was never the same — playing in just 22 of 56 games before he “retired” after the 2019 season.

4. It seems like everything Matt Nagy does is off kilter these days. When Fields made his NFL debut with a nine-yard pass on second-and-10 on the Bears’ first possession, it seemed to make sense for Fields to build on the momentum and continue with a third-and-one situation at the Rams 3-yard line that was tailor-made for him.

Instead, Nagy went back to Andy Dalton and the Bears imploded — a false start by tight end Cole Kmet, a time out, and a Dalton pass that was tipped and intercepted in the end zone.

Using Fields intermittently at all seems fraught with danger, but especially one play at a time. It’s a constant battle for Nagy. The reason these devices — shovel passes, end arounds, Taysom Hill, etc. — work elsewhere is because they’re being used in offenses that already are established. Emulating them in a fledgling offense is often problematic and risky.

5. The Bears’ defense in Sean Desai’s debut as defensive coordinator was discombobulated from the start. Matthew Stafford’s 156.1 passer rating (20-of-26, 321 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions) was the highest against the Bears for a passer with 20 or more attempts in franchise history.

Stafford’s 12.3 yards per pass attempt was the highest for a passer with more than 20 attempts since the Lions’ Eric Hipple’s 13.4 yards per attempt in 1981 (14-for-25, 336 yards, four touchdowns, no interceptions, 140.4).

6. The Bears’ defense had one sack (shared by Akiem Hicks and Robert Quinn), no tackles-for-loss and four quarterback hits against the Rams. In fact, the Bears had a combined six “impact plays” per the NFL’s stat sheet (sacks, TFLs, quarterback hits, interceptions, pass defenses, forced fumbles and fumble recoveries). They averaged 17.9 per game last year — with at least 12 in every game except the Packers at Lambeau (4) — and 23.9 in 2018.

7. The List: The Bears’ top six players in salary-cap figures, combining for 38.8% of the cap, per spotrac.com: Allen Robinson ($17.98M), Robert Quinn ($14.7M), Khalil Mack ($14.64M), Akiem Hicks ($12.0M), Eddie Goldman ($7.8M) and Nick Foles ($6.66M).

Those six players combined for six receptions for 35 yards, five tackles, one sack and four pressures against the Rams — though Goldman (injured) and Foles (inactive) did not play.

8. Bits & Pieces: Dalton has a career 122.6 passer rating against the Bengals. … David Montgomery’s 100-yard game against the Rams (16 carries, 108 yards) was only the fourth in a Bears season opener since 1990 (Raymont Harris, Matt Forte twice). … Jimmy Graham played 14 snaps against the Rams. … The Bears are 5-14 against playoff teams under Nagy — not including the Rams game — averaging 15.1 offensive points. … The Bears defense has allowed a passer rating of 98.6 or higher in 11 of their last 12 games — that had happened just three times in the previous 38 games. … Former Bears defensive coaches Vic Fangio, Brandon Staley, Ed Donatell and Jay Rodgers are 1-0.

9. Josh McCown Ex-Bears Player of the Week: Kicker Robbie Gould kicked field goals of 52 and 40 yards and was 5-for-5 on PATs in the 49ers’ 41-33 victory over the Lions at Ford Field. Gould’s 11 points moved him past Norm Johnson into 14th place on the NFL’s all-time scoring list (1,742 points).

10. Bear-ometer: 7-10 — vs. Bengals (W); at Browns (L); vs. Lions (W); at Raiders (L); vs. Packers (W); at Buccaneers (L); vs. 49ers (L); at Steelers (L); vs. Ravens (L); at Lions (W); vs. Cardinals (L); at Packers (L); vs. Vikings (W); at Seahawks (L); vs. Giants (W); at Vikings (W).

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Welcome to our highlights of events and entertainment in Chicago at our city’s best museums and galleries. Bookmark this page and check back for updates on the latest activities.

The Neon and Light Museum

When: Through Oct. 31

Where: 325 W. Huron

What: This pop-up features an immersive exhibition of nearly 70 neon and light-based sculptures. Among the highlights are John Bannon’s 14-foot-tall neon sculpture “Breathe,” Monika Wulfer’s installation “Circle’s Edge” and an iconic neon self-portrait by John Lennon. Other artists include feminist neon artist Zoelle Nagib, pop sign artist Jason Pickleman, projected light specialist Gary Justis, abstract artist sculptor Michael Young and more. Tickets: $40+, reservations required.

More information: For vaccination and/or mask policies, visit neonandlightmuseum.com.

‘Frida Kahlo: Timeless’

(C) 2020 Banco de Mexico Diego Rivera Frida Kahlo Museums Trust, Mexico, D.F. Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

When: Through Oct. 15

Where: https://theccma.org/ticket-information

What: Though it closed Sept. 12, the not-too-miss art exhibit of the summer can still be seen on a virtual tour. Dolores Olmedo’s collection of paintings and works on paper by Kahlo were on view at the newly expanded Cleve Carney Museum of Art in Glen Ellyn. Curator Justin Witte and executive director Diana Martinez offer commentary during the virtual tour. Also featured are a multimedia timeline that offered a framework of Kahlo’s life, more than 100 photographs, a Kahlo-inspired garden and a family-friendly children’s area featuring a replica of Kahlo’s Casa Azul in Coyoacan, Mexico. Tickets: $18.

‘Dias de Muertos: A Time to Grieve & Remember’

George Rodriguez, “Mictlantecuhtli Offering,” 2020, ceramic installation, is featured in the exhibit “Dias de Muertos: A Time to Grieve & Remember.”Courtesy of the artist

When: Sept. 10-Dec. 12

Where: 1852 W. 19th

What: This year’s Day of the Dead exhibition at the National Museum of Mexican Art pays tribute to and remembers the many individuals from Mexico and the U.S. who have died from COVID-19. An annual time-honored tradition in Mexico, the Day of the Dead offers a way to join together to grieve and celebrate the lives of loved ones. The exhibit is a way to contemplate this moment via artworks and installations by artists from both sides of the border. Among those creating installations are Sandra Cisneros, Hector Duarte, Alejandro Garcia Nelo, Enrique Garcia and the Yollacalli Arts Center. These colorful displays sit alongside artwork by a long list of Mexican and Mexican American artists. Admission is free.

More information: For vaccination and/or mask policies, visit nationalmuseumofmexicanart.org.

‘American Epidemic: Guns in the United States’

“Untitled (Death by Gun),” by Felix Gonzalez-Torres (1990)Provided

When: Sept. 10-Feb. 20

Where: 600 S. Michigan

What: The Museum of Contemporary Photography presents an exhibit that brings together work by nine artists who examine the past three decades of gun culture in the United States. Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Carolyn Drake, Zora J Murff, Stephen Foster, Renee Stout, Hank Willis Thomas, Kambui Olujimi, Nancy Floyd and Andres Gonzalez use photography to approach the topic from a wide range of perspectives. “We hope this exhibition lays bare the persistent epidemic of gun violence in this country,” said Karen Irvine, MoCP chief curator and deputy director. “These artists point us towards nuanced ways of reckoning with this tragic — and uniquely American — plight.” Admission is free.

More information: For vaccination and/or mask policies, visit mocp.org.

Future Fossils: SUM

A “Future Fossils: SUM” piece by Lan TuazonCourtesy of the artist

When: Sept. 7-Nov. 13

Where: 5020 S. Cornell

What: This is the final sculpture installation in Lan Tuazon’s decade-long trilogy of work that visualizes the lifespan of our material goods. The Chicago artist calls her process “documentary sculpture.” Common packaged goods, tchotchkes and household items are accumulated, dissected and layered to give an accounting of the unseen byproduct of consumption. Tuazon offers visitors an encounter with a future house — one constructed solely with recovered materials — built to scale and exhibited from inside the two-story gallery at the Hyde Park Art Center. Admission is free.

More information: For vaccination and/or mask policies, visit hydeparkart.org.

‘Bani Abidi: The Man Who Talked Until He Disappeared’

Bani Abidi’s watercolor “The Man Who Talked Until He Disappeared.”Courtesy of Kiran Nadar Museum of Art

When: Sept. 4-June 5

Where: Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago

What: Two decades of the work of multidisciplinary Pakistani artist Bani Abidi are brought together for this exhibition. Informed by her upbringing in Karachi and experiences in cities including Chicago, where she studied at the School of the Art Institute, Abidi, a master storyteller, uses video, photography, sound and installation to uncover the influence of cultural and political power struggles on everyday life. Admission: $15.

More information: For vaccination and/or mask policies, visit mcachicago.org.

‘Chicago Works: Caroline Kent’

The Museum of Contemporary Art presents “Chicago Works: Caroline Kent,” the first solo museum exhibition of work by the multidisciplinary Chicago-based artist. Nathan Keay, (C) MCA Chicago

When: To April 3

Where: 220 E. Chicago

What: The Museum of Contemporary Art presents the first solo museum exhibition of work by the multidisciplinary Chicago-based artist. In this site-specific installation, Kent explores the abbreviated forms of communication that develop in intimate relationships such as those between sisters. Inspired by the experience of communicating with her own twin, she transfers her visual language to painting, sculpture and installation. Admission: $15.

More information: mcachicago.org

‘Origins’

Paul Nicklen, “Face to Face,” Svalbard, Norway, 2008.Courtesy the artist

When: Aug. 27-Oct. 2

Where: Hilton/Asmus Contemporary, Morgan Arts Complex, 3622 S. Morgan

What: The work of National Geographic photographers, filmmakers and marine biologists Paul Nicklen and Cristina Mittermeier are featured in this new exhibit. Nicklen, one of the world’s prominent nature photographers, has spent the last 20 years documenting the beauty and the plight of our planet. Mittermeier, whose work documents the conservation movement, is globally recognized as an influential wildlife writer and conservationist. Admission is free.

More information: Hilton-asmus.com

‘The Art of Banksy’

Banksy’s “Flower Thrower”The Art of Banksy

When: To Oct. 31

Where: 360 N. State

What: The identity of the artist known as Banksy has for years been the art world’s most intriguing mystery. But while we don’t know the man, we do know the art. The English-based street artist has created some of the most iconic images of the past few decades. A new exhibit brings more than 80 of these original works to Chicago. World-famous pieces from private collections including “Flower Thrower,” “Rude Copper” and “Girl with Balloon” will sit alongside other works rarely seen by the general public. As the artist-provocateur Banksy says: “Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.” Tickets: $40, $30 for 16 and younger.

More information: banksyexhibit.com

‘Helmut Jahn: Life + Architecture’

“Helmut Jahn – Life + Architecture”Chicago Architecture Center

When: To Oct. 31

Where: 111 E. Wacker

What: Chicago Architecture Center presents a new exhibit honoring the late Chicago architect, which highlights his designs ranging from signature early projects like the Michigan City Public Library (1977) and the James R. Thompson Center (1985) to the Sony Center in Berlin (2000) and the Pritzker Military Archives Center, currently under construction in Somers, Wisconsin. Photography, models and sketches illuminate each project and explore the collaborative design and engineering process, while personal imagery, video and recollections by those who knew and worked with Jahn underscore his flair for the dramatic and zest for life. Admission is $15.

More information: architecture.org

‘Van Gogh for All’

“Van Gogh for All”Lou Bank

When: To Sept. 26

Where: 333 N. Michigan Ave.

What: The immersive art experience that debuted in Chicago in 2019 returns for a limited run. The exhibit allows attendees to step into many of the artist’s works and learn about them in a whole new way. Fly through the Starry Night or step behind the shutters of his iconic Yellow House and walk through a re-creation of his studio. Open seven days a week 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Tickets: $20, $10 for 12 and under.

More information:vangoghforall.org

‘Mimi Cherono Ng’ok: Closer to the Earth, Closer to My Own Body’

“Untitled” by Mimi Cherono Ng’ok(C) Mimi Cherono Ng’ok

When: To Feb. 7

Where: Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan

What: This new exhibit features the work of a photographer who travels extensively across the tropical climates on a mission to understand how natural environments, botanical cultures and human subjects coexist and evolve together. In this solo exhibit, she presents photographs and a film in which she tracked flowers and floral imagery across varied contexts and a range of hidden associations. Admission: $14-$22.

More information: artic.edu

Hyde Park Art Center

Mel Chin’s Fundred Dollar Bill ProjectProvided/Courtesy of the artist

When: July 25-Oct. 24

Where: 5020 S. Cornell

What: Mel Chin’s Fundred Dollar Bill Project as well as works by LaToya Ruby Frazier and Fazal Sheikh are on display at the Hyde Park museum as part of “Toward Common Cause: Art, Social Change and the MacArthur Fellows Program at 40.” Chin’s 13-year-project, here titled “Chicago Fundred Initiative: A Bill for IL,” invites people to create their own “Fundred,” a form of currency that affirms the right of each maker to equal protection against lead contamination; Frazier’s film “Flint is Family” uses her photographs and voiceover by Flint, Michigan, resident Shea Cobb to understand the Flint water crisis; Sheikh’s landscape photography examines the connection between desertification, colonialism, and the displacement of Bedouin communities from ancestral lands in Israel’s Negev desert. Admission is free.

More information: hydeparkart.org

Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum

When: Ongoing

Where: 2430 N. Cannon Dr.

What: The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, where children of all ages can connect to nature and science, reopened July 8. Exhibits include “Without a Trace,” selections of photographs by Zbigniew Bzdak; “Patterns in Nature: A Bridge between Art and the Natural World,” mixed media work by artist Katherine Lampert; “Judy Istock Butterfly Haven,” “Birds of Chicago” and many more. Admission: $6-$9, children under 3 free.

More information: naturemuseum.org

‘Toward Common Cause: Art, Social Change and the MacArthur Fellows Program at 40’

Toba Khedoori’s “Untitled” at the Smart Museum of Art.Courtesy the artist and David Zwirner and Regen Projects, Los Angeles (C) Toba Khedoori.

“Toward Common Cause — Art, Social Change and the MacArthur Fellows Program at 40” is a multi-museum venture organized by the Smart Museum of Art that explores the current sociopolitical moment, challenging questions of inclusion, exclusion, ownership and rights of access. In its gallery, the Smart Museum features works by Mark Bradford, Mel Chin, Nicole Eisenman, LaToya Ruby Frazier, Jeffrey Gibson, Toba Khedoori, Inigo Manglano-Ovalle, Julie Mehretu, Fazal Sheikh and Xu Bing. From July 15-Dec. 19 at Smart Museum, University of Chicago, 5550 S. Greenwood. Admission is free. Visit smartmuseum.uchciago.edu; for a list of participating museums visit towardcommoncause.org.

Stony Island Arts Bank reopens with its contribution to “Towards Common Cause.” The group show features work by Carrie Mae Weems, Kerry James Marshall, Gary Hill, Whitfield Lovell, Trevor Paglen, Deborah Willis, Dawoud Bey, Fred Wilson and Nicole Eisenman. From July 18-Dec. 19 at Stony Island Arts Bank, 6760 S. Stony Island. Admission is free. Visit rebuild-foundation.org.
The reopened DuSable Museum of African American History, 740 E. 56th Pl., participates with an exhibit of “Presenting Negro Scenes Drawn Upon My Passage through the South and Reconfigured for the Benefit of Enlightened Audiences Wherever Such May Be Found, By Myself, Missus K.E.B Walker, Colored,” a signature black silhouette installation from the artist Kara Walker. Admission: $3-$10 (Sundays free), children under 5 free. Visit: dusablemuseum.org.

‘Chicago: Where Comics Come to Life (1880-1960)’

A 1954 “Brenda Starr” panel at the Chicago Cultural Center exhibit.DCASE

When: To Oct. 3

Where: Chicago Cultural Center, 77 E. Randolph

What: This exhibit looks at Chicago’s significant role in the development of the early comic strip. Curated by artist-author Chris Ware and the City of Chicago’s cultural historian emeritus, Tim Samuelson, it focuses on comics in popular publishing, African American cartoonists, the first women cartoonists, the first daily comic strip and more. Admission is free. (The exhibit is a historical companion to “Chicago Comics: 1960s to Now,” the survey of contemporary Chicago comics at the Museum of Contemporary Art.)

Visit: chicagoculturalcenter.org

National Museum of Mexican Art

“We the People” by Chaz BojorquezNational Museum of Mexican Art Permanent Collection, gift of Chaz and Christina Bojorquez

When: Ongoing

Where: National Museum of Mexican Art, 1852 W. 19th street

What: After being closed for 15 months, the museum has reopened with a handful of exhibits. “Spotlight on Chaz Bojorquez and Enrique Alferez” features the museum’s newest acquisition, “We the People,” a painting by Bojorquez, and Alferez’s iconic bronze sculpture “La Soldadera.” Plus “Adlateres and the Unexpected Journey: Works by Carmen Chami” features paintings inspired by Mexican Baroque painting and figurative style. Admission is free.

More information: nationalmuseumofmexicanart.org

‘Toward Common Cause’

“Mother and Child,” Njideka Akunyili Crosby (2016). Courtesy the artist, Victoria Miro and David Zwirner.(C) Njideka Akunyili Crosby

When: To Nov. 21

Where: National Public Housing Museum, 625 N. Kingsbury, and at the Minnie Riperton Apartments, 4250 S. Princeton

What: The National Public Housing Museum partners with the Chicago Housing Authority to display artwork by MacArthur Fellow Njideka Akunyili Crosby as part of “Toward Common Cause,” a multi-site exhibition organized by the Smart Museum of Art at the University of Chicago in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of the MacArthur Fellows Program. Crosby uses acrylic, colored pencil and photo collages to create her distinctive portraits of African American life. “I almost want people to feel like the door is open and they’re walking by a scene into someone else’s life,” she says, “because that really is what I’m doing… mining my life to tell a story that is global but really wanting people to feel like they’re getting a glimpse into my world.” Crosby’s artwork installation is displayed on 70-foot banners on the sides of two buildings.

More information: nphm.org

‘Drawn to Combat: Bill Mauldin & the Art of War’

Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Bill MauldinCopyright the Pritzker Military Museum & Library

When: Through spring 2022

Where: 104 S. Michigan

What: Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Bill Mauldin, who studied at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts and was a cartoonist for the Chicago Sun-Times, is the subject of a retrospective at the Pritzker Military Museum & Library. “Drawn to Combat” covers Mauldin’s career as a wartime cartoonist focusing on soldiers’ experiences and as a political cartoonist. The exhibit draws from more than 5,000 cartoons and objects donated to the museum by the Mauldin family. Tickets: $8, $10, children under 12 free.

More information: pritzkermilitary.org

‘Chicago Comics: 1960s to Now’

Nick Drnaso’s painting for the cover of his graphic novel “Sabrina” in “Chicago Comics.”Provided

When: To Oct. 3

Where: Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago

What: A new exhibit celebrates Chicago’s pivotal role as a national and innovative center for comics and cartooning. With a focus on rediscovering the work of women and BIPOC comic artists, this major exhibition presents the last 60 years of the city’s artful cartooning history, showing how comic art is a democratic medium that allows artists to speak directly to people in relatable ways. Over 40 cartoonists are featured including Lynda Barry, Lilli Carre, Daniel Clowes, Nick Drnaso, Edie Fake, Emil Ferris, Nicole Hollander, Charles Johnson, Kerry James Marshall and Chris Ware. On display are comics, graphic novels, zines, original drawings, dioramas, commissioned films, installations, rare ephemera and books. Admission: $8, $15.

More information: mcachicago.org

‘Vivian Maier: In Color’

Vivian Maier, “Three Highland Park firemen,” Highland Park, August 1964, inkjet print. Gift of Jeffrey Goldstein/(C) The Estate of Vivian Maier

When: To May 8, 2023

Where: Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark

What: Much has been heralded about street photographer Vivian Maier’s black-and-white photographs in exhibits, books and films. Now this multimedia exhibit features 65 color images made during her time as a suburban Chicago nanny from the 1950s to 1970s, many of which have never been seen before. Maier, who died in 2009, was a bit of a character and always had a Roloflex camera around her neck as she walked the streets snapping images of women, children, the old, the poor, the abstract. While her motives remain elusive, her photographs continue to speak volumes. Tickets: $17, $19.

More information: chicagohistory.org

Polish Museum of America

The Paderewki Collection at Polish Museum of America.Courtesy Polish Museum of America

When: Ongoing

Where: 984 N. Milwaukee

What: The museum, since 1935 a repository for a wide variety of materials pertaining to Poland and the Polish-American community, has reopened after being shuttered for more than a year. Among the many permanent exhibits are “Polish Chicago 1850-1939,” “Folk Art Collection” and “The Paderewski Collection,” which documents the life of Polish pianist and composer Ignacy Jan Paderewski. Tickets: $6-$10.

More information: polishmuseumofamerica.org

The Hartwell Memorial Window

The Hartwell Memorial Window bears a design attributed to Agnes F. Northrop of Tiffany Studios.The Art Institute of Chicago

When: Permanent

Where: Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan

What: A magnificent stained glass window made by Tiffany Studios in 1917 is now on permanent display at the Art Institute. The Hartwell Memorial Window, attributed to Agnes F. Northrop, Tiffany’s leading landscape window designer, was originally commissioned for a church as the gift of Mary L. Hartwell in memory of her husband Frederick W. Hartwell. It consists of 48 different panels, and is a scenic view of Mount Chocorua, a peak in New Hampshire’s White Mountains. The window, located near the museum’s entrance, is one of the most ambitious landscape window projects produced by Tiffany. Museum admission: $14-$25.

More information: artic.edu

McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum

Gears that open the bridge.Friends of the Chicago River

When: Ongoing

Where: 99 Chicago Riverwalk

What: This five-story museum celebrates the Chicago River and its world-famous movable bridges. Visitors explore a historic bridgehouse, watch the massive gears of a moving bridge and learn about the history of the Chicago River. Plus from the top floor, there’s a 360-degree view of the city and river. Find the museum at 99 Chicago Riverwalk. Admission: $5, $6; children 5 and under free.

More information: bridgehousemuseum.org

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It’s been 25 years since Chicago last hosted a national political convention. In 1996, the Democrats gathered in the United Center to nominate Bill Clinton for a second term as president. Clinton’s campaign against the elderly Bob Dole was the least dramatic, least controversial election of modern times, and thus perfect for making the whole world forget about how Chicago had handled its previous Democratic National Convention — in 1968. Mayor Richard M. Daley, who was trying to use the convention to showcase Chicago’s emergence as a global city, went on a beautification spree. The city erected black wrought iron fences around vacant lots, lined curbs with flower boxes, and installed antique street lamps. The Dan Ryan overpasses were adorned with fences resembling the Chicago flag.

The only reminder of the riots in Grant Park was a t-shirt on sale in cop neighborhoods: “We kicked your father’s ass in 1968…Wait ’til you see what we do to you.”

Chicago still has the antique street lamps, but we haven’t held a political convention since. It’s been a long drought for the city that’s been the site of more conventions than any other: 25 in all since 1860, when Abraham Lincoln was nominated for president in the Wigwam at Lake Street and Wacker Drive. The reason has less to do with the violence in ’68 than with the calculus of modern politics.

According to the book Inside the Wigwam: Chicago Presidential Conventions 1860-1996 by R. Craig Sautter and (alderman and amateur historian) Edward M. Burke, Chicago became “the mecca of political conventions” in the 19th Century. “Because of its central location and excellent transportation system, the rapidly growing prairie giant attracted both major parties, and many of the third parties, over the decades. Delegates by the thousands rolled into the dynamic metropolis on the iron tracks that converged in the city’s hub. Also, Chicago’s location suggested political neutrality to both the East and the West.”

Indeed, Chicago won its first convention because Illinois was one of the Midwestern swing states the Republicans needed to win the presidency in 1860. In late 1859, attorney Norman Judd and publisher Joseph Medill, two allies of Lincoln, persuaded the Republican National Committee that the party risked “losing the West” if it did not convene in Chicago — especially if its candidate was New York’s abolitionist Sen. William Seward, then the favorite for the nomination. Judd and Medill were really trying to boost the chances of Lincoln, who was such a dark horse that no one worried a Chicago convention would give him home-state advantage. Lincoln’s local supporters packed the Wigwam, helping create an unstoppable bandwagon for their candidate.

Illinois remained a must-win state for both parties. Of all the states that entered the Union before 1900, Illinois has the best record of voting for presidential candidates. At our peak, in the early 20th Century, we had 29 electoral votes — third only to New York and Pennsylvania. If the nation went as went Illinois, it made sense to meet here.

In the years to follow, Chicago would be the site of some of the nation’s most historic conventions. In 1896, William Jennings Bryan delivered his “Cross of Gold” speech in the Chicago Coliseum, next to Jackson Park. The phrase “smoke-filled room” originated at the 1920 Republican National Convention, when Republican senators gathered at the Blackstone Hotel to select Warren G. Harding as a compromise candidate to break a deadlocked floor vote. In 1932, Franklin D. Roosevelt flew from New York to Chicago to become the first presidential candidate to accept his nomination in person, at the Chicago Stadium. Roosevelt returned to the stadium in 1940 and in 1944 — dumping Vice President Henry Wallace on the latter visit in favor of Missouri Sen. Harry Truman. The Republicans made an equally momentous vice presidential choice at the International Amphitheatre in 1952, when they selected Sen. Richard M. Nixon of California to run with Dwight D. Eisenhower. Nixon accepted his first presidential nomination in 1960 — also at the Amphitheatre.

After Lincoln, nine more winning candidates were nominated in Chicago: Ulysses S. Grant, James A. Garfield, Grover Cleveland, Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, Harding, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Eisenhower and Clinton. 

In the 21st Century, though, Chicago has gone from the Mecca of political conventions to the muck. Rail travel is no longer the delegates’ transportation choice, so being the nation’s railroad hub isn’t the advantage it used to be. Perhaps more importantly, Illinois isn’t the political prize it once was. Parties prefer holding their conventions in swing states to give themselves a little extra edge in November — just as the Republicans did when they chose Chicago in 1860. The last four Republican conventions were in St. Paul, Tampa, Cleveland and Charlotte. The last four Democratic conventions were in Denver, Charlotte, Philadelphia and Milwaukee. 

Yes — last year, Chicago was bypassed in favor of our much smaller neighbor on Lake Michigan. That’s because Wisconsin voted for Trump in 2016 and the Democrats hoped to win it back. (They did.) Illinois, on the other hand, is a staunchly blue state. The Democrats don’t need to hold a convention in Chicago to win here. And a Chicago convention wouldn’t help the Republicans.

 So we won’t be seeing crowds of delegates in styrofoam boaters milling around the United Center again. But we’ll always have those Chicago flag fences.

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A man is facing charges in connection with an incident in which shots were fired at police officers Sunday in Little Village.

Derrick Williams, 31, is charged with one felony count of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, Chicago police said.

The incident unfolded about 1:40 a.m. when officers responded to a call of shots fired in the 2700 block of West 25th Street, police said.

Officers allegedly saw Williams drinking on the sidewalk and approached him, that’s when he allegedly pulled out a gun and opened fire, police said.

Williams attempted to flee but was taken into custody, police said. A weapon was allegedly recovered at the scene. No injuries were reported.

Williams was also issued a citation for littering, police said.

He was ordered held without bail Monday and is expected back in court Sept. 20.

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Navy Pier is celebrating the return of live performances next weekend with a free, two-day outdoor festival.

“Chicago LIVE Again!” will include a jam-packed lineup featuring performances from Broadway in Chicago, Chicago Children’s Choir, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Puerto Rican Arts Alliance, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, The Joffrey Ballet, Black Ensemble Theatre among many others.

“Never before have so many of Chicago’s greatest institutions shared the stage,” Navy Pier President and CEO Marilynn Gardner said Tuesday at a news conference at the Lake Stage in Polk Bros Park.

The show, billed as a “first-of-its-kind” event, will run Sept. 24-25 on the Lake and East End stages of the Pier. Organizers believe it’ll be a watershed moment for the performing arts industry after a difficult 18 months.

In March 2020, theaters darkened; opera houses and symphonies fell silent; and many performers found themselves without work amid the pandemic.

While theaters, dance companies and choirs found creative ways to entertain online during the city’s shutdowns, performers have been itching to get back in front of a live in-person audience.

After a long 1 1/2 years, that desire is finally coming to fruition, with many entertainment venues gearing up for a busy fall.

“This is a day most of us thought may never happen,” said Barbara Gaines, artistic director of Chicago Shakespeare Theater. “And so everyone today is so emotional, so happy and so incredibly grateful.”

The Blue Man Group made a surprise appearance Tuesday, shooting ribbons all over the Lake Stage and into the crowd.Mark Capapas/Sun-Times

Judy Hanson, senior director of Chicago Children’s Choir, emphasized the importance of embracing the arts, especially after a truly challenging year.

“Our communities need the arts more than ever,” she said. “It’s that which brings us all together, it’s that which allows us to understand ourselves, each other and the world and really connect.”

The organization’s top youth ensemble, which consists of close to 100 singers, will perform on one of the two days. Hanson said the kids are dying to perform in front of a live audience.

“We were out at Maggie Daley Park the other day for a rehearsal and you could tell they were just getting fired up again,” she said. “It’s going to be magnificent for them, I know it’s going to be something they’ll talk about for the rest of their lives.”

Performances will run from 5 to 9 p.m. Sept. 24 and noon to 9:30 p.m. Sept. 25. The event will be capped off with a special fireworks show.

Guests will be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test within the previous 48 hours to attend. Alternatively, free rapid testing will be available on-site.

There are no seats at the Lake and East End stages; spectators are welcome to bring their own lawn chairs or blankets.

While this will be one of the first big events for local artists, many entertainment venues will be debuting new performances and shows in the next month or two.

Irene Ricardo, vice president of Broadway in Chicago, offered a word of advice to anyone interested in supporting theater: “Buy a ticket, get vaxxed and mask up and enjoy the show.”

“There are theater seats waiting for each and every one of you all over the city of Chicago, and they will provide memories that last a lifetime,” she said.

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