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Things to do in Chicago for movie fansMary Houlihan – For the Sun-Timeson August 26, 2021 at 8:16 pm

Welcome to our roundup of movie screenings and events in Chicago. Bookmark this page and check back for updates on shows and activities.

‘Noir Across the Atlantic’

“Le Cercle Rouge” Provided

When: Aug. 27-Sept. 2

Where: Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport

What: Fans of film noir will want to check out a mini-fest of five dark, stylized European-made films all newly restored. In Jean-Pierre Melville’s “Le Cercle Rouge,” Alain Delon’s just-out-of-jail criminal and Yves Montand’s alcoholic cop plan a jewel heist. Backed by a Miles Davis score, Louis Malle’s “Elevator to the Gallows” stars Jeanne Moreau as a woman who along with her lover plans to kill her husband. Alec Guinness stars in Alexander Mackendrick’s “The Ladykillers,” Joseph Cotton and Orson Welles play a game of cat and mouse in Carol Reed’s “The Third Man,” and two aging criminals Jean Gabin and Rene Dary attempt to retire in Jacques Becker’s “Touchez Pas Au Grishi.” Tickets: $11.

More information: musicbox.com

‘Without Getting Killed or Caught’

A scene from the documentary “Without Getting Killed or Caught” featuring Townes Van Zandt, Susanna Clark and Guy Clark.Photo by Al Clayton

When: Aug. 27-29

Where: Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State

What: Tamara Saviano and Paul Whitfield’s documentary is the story of Guy Clark, the dean of Texas songwriters, who over a more than 40-year career wrote poetic, indelible songs (“L.A. Freeway,” “Desperados Waiting for a Train”) that painted indelible portraits of the people, places and experiences that shaped him. The film revolves around the close relationship of Clark, his wife Susanna and his best friend and fellow songwriter Townes Van Zandt. Tickets: $12.

More information: siskelfilmcenter.org

‘Unapologetic’

Janae Bonsu in “Unapologetic.”Kartemquin Films/The Film Collaborative

When: Aug. 20-Sept. 2

Where: Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State

What: Chicago director Ashley O’Shay’s documentary follows the story of Janae Bonsu and Bella Bahhs, whose upbringing and experiences shape their activism and views on Black liberation. The film provides an inside look into the ongoing movement work that transformed Chicago, from the police killing of Rekia Boyd to the election of Mayor Lori Lightfoot. Tickets: $12.

More information: siskelfilmcenter.org

‘Movies in the Parks’

When: To Sept. 14

Where: In parks throughout Chicago

What: The Chicago Park District’s series returns with films ranging from Hollywood classics to retro childhood favorites and family-friendly offerings from recent years. Admission is free.

More information: For a complete list of films and parks, visit chicagoparkdistrict.com/movies.

Garden Movies

Music Box Theatre’s Garden Movies features films screened in the theatre’s expanded courtyard under the stars.Music Box Theatre

When: All summer long

Where: 3733 N. Southport

What: The Music Box Theatre is screening films in its expanded courtyard under the stars. Tickets: $9.

More information: musicboxtheatre.com

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Things to do in Chicago for movie fansMary Houlihan – For the Sun-Timeson August 26, 2021 at 8:16 pm Read More »

Radio analyst Martin O’Donnell carrying the flag for Illini footballJeff Agreston August 26, 2021 at 8:31 pm

Growing up as a White Sox fan in Downers Grove, Martin O’Donnell loved listening to “Hawk” Harrelson call games on TV. Like most Sox fans, O’Donnell enjoyed Harrelson’s homerish style.

As the radio analyst for Illini football, O’Donnell doesn’t try to emulate Harrelson. But perhaps Hawk’s influence is deep in O’Donnell’s subconscious because he’s unabashed about his allegiance.

“I’m not naive enough to say that I want Illinois football to be successful more than the coaching staff and the players,” O’Donnell said. “But I think I’m next in line after the families.”

O’Donnell will begin his seventh season alongside play-by-play voice Brian Barnhart on Saturday, when the Illini host Nebraska in the first game of the college football season (12:20 p.m., Fox-32, 890-AM). O’Donnell was the starting left guard for the Illini in 2007, when they beat No. 1 Ohio State, went to the Rose Bowl (lost to USC) and finished 9-4.

O’Donnell, 36, lives with his wife and three kids just outside of Champaign in Savoy, and he said there’s a buzz around town with coach Bret Bielema taking the reins and a national spotlight on the university.

“The Illinois fan base has really been reinvigorated with the hiring of Bret Bielema,” O’Donnell said. “He’s done everything right. Hired a fantastic staff. They’ve had success on the recruiting trail. I’m expecting a good crowd here Saturday. Now, you gotta perform on the field.”

That has been a problem for the Illini, who have finished above .500 seven times in the last 30 seasons, the most recent in 2011. O’Donnell thinks a plan is in place to at least give the program more consistent success.

“What Illinois football needs to do is to form an identity and be consistent with it,” he said. “When you decide what our identity is gonna be as a football program, it allows you to instill that identity within the players that are on your roster, and when you’re able to identify what your plan is for every position that you’re trying to recruit, you can exploit inefficiencies within the recruiting marketplace.”

O’Donnell said Bielema is the right man for the job, given his success at Wisconsin (68-24 from 2006 to ’12) and his Illinois and Big Ten roots. Bielema grew up in Prophetstown and played at Iowa. The Illini are banking on that familiarity with the terrain paying off on the recruiting trail.

Chicago is a challenging recruiting environment, you have all these competing priorities,” O’Donnell said. “But outside of the Chicagoland area, especially south of I-80, you can’t lose those recruiting battles. Those are communities that are very pro-Illini, and what was troubling for me over the past five, 10 years is you got kids from Springfield going to the SEC.

“I think Bret and his staff have done a really nice job, and I know they’ll be consistent because he’s got a plan and they’re being methodical.”

O’Donnell’s outgoing nature and success with the Illini paved his way to the radio booth. He was a four-year starter and earned first-team All-America honors as a senior in 2007. That made him a popular interview request and put him among the team representatives at Big Ten media days.

He didn’t enter the NFL Draft because injuries had taken their toll. While figuring out what to do next, O’Donnell was approached by longtime Illini show host Steve Kelly, who asked if he would be interested in co-hosting a postgame call-in show.

A regular listener of The Score back home, O’Donnell was interested in sports radio. The call-in show amounted to his only training for the analyst job, though he filled in for former analyst and Illini quarterback Kurt Kittner on one game and enjoyed it.

When Kittner decided to step away before the 2015 season, O’Donnell expressed his interest in taking over.

“I’m sure they talked to a variety of people,” he said. “But I was able to bamboozle them into giving it to me.”

O’Donnell put a lot of effort into film study as a player, and he continues to in preparation for games. He strives to be concise and impactful with his words, skills he learned on the call-in show. He has a great rapport with Barnhart and wears his emotions on his sleeve, making for an entertaining broadcast.

Still, he sometimes marvels at others, such as Bears radio analyst Tom Thayer.

“He does an unbelievable job. He and [play-by-play voice] Jeff Joniak are the best in the business,” O’Donnell said. “I always try to listen to the Bears games as much as I can. If you just listen to the amount of information and analysis that Tom Thayer can get into like 15 seconds, it’s great.”

O’Donnell is plenty busy off the air. He’s an executive vice president at Busey Bank, a board member for the United Way of Champaign, a part of the Champaign County Economic Development Corporation and a committee member at Carle Foundation Hospital.

“I’m lucky. My wife [Emily] is nice enough to indulge me in this little side gig,” O’Donnell said. “Obviously, I’ve been on a quest to be the No. 1 Illinois homer in the world.”

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Radio analyst Martin O’Donnell carrying the flag for Illini footballJeff Agreston August 26, 2021 at 8:31 pm Read More »

U.S. evacuation effort from Afghanistan might prove to be best of bad choicesGene Lyonson August 26, 2021 at 8:41 pm

Regarding the national news media’s freakout over President Joe Biden’s role in the Taliban’s seizure of Afghanistan, we haven’t seen such passionate unanimity among the Washington commentariat since they went all-in on invading Iraq back in 2003.

They sold the war like an action-adventure film. The New York Times and Washington Post were particularly gung-ho. Even NPR covered the push into Baghdad like the world’s largest Boy Scout Jamboree. CNN presented the U.S. “shock and awe” bombing campaign like a July 4th fireworks show.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan got put on the back burner. Despite our NATO allies — Britain, France, Germany and the Dutch sent troops — that’s basically where it stayed for 20 long years.

In my experience, the more Washington pundits agree, the more they’re apt to be wrong. For most, it’s a TV show. Dramatic shots of panicky Afghan youth trying to climb aboard departing USAF transport planes drives the coverage. File footage of Wolf Blitzer and Lester Holt wearing soldier costumes in Afghanistan only makes them look foolish.

As for all the retired generals and think-tank commandos, how about we wait to see how the Pentagon’s massive evacuation from the Kabul airport goes before making a judgment?

So I have more questions than answers.

First, can anybody imagine Trump overseeing the orderly evacuation of thousands of Afghan Muslims into the U.S.?

To ask the question is to answer it.

As Max Boot points out, “As recently as April 18, Trump said: ‘Getting out of Afghanistan is a wonderful and positive thing to do. I planned to withdraw on May 1, and we should keep as close to that schedule as possible.”‘ And on June 26, Trump asked, “Twenty-one years is enough, don’t we think?”

Yeah, most people do.

So should President Biden have stuck to something pretty close to the timetable Mike Pompeo negotiated, or not?

It was either that or double down on a war he, too, vowed to end. Whatever they may say, no European leaders are about to send troops; their citizens wouldn’t let them.

Also, it wasn’t Biden who ramrodded the release of 5,000 Taliban fighters last October. It was Trump and Pompeo.

Biden made a tough, you might say a ruthless, decision to cut our losses and get out.

But shouldn’t he have anticipated the sudden surrender of Afghanistan’s papier-mache government? Maybe so, although hardly anybody else did. That State Department cable that The Wall Street Journal reported on concerned the period after, not before, U.S. troops departed. That is, after Aug. 31.

That’s not how critics played it, but it’s a fact.

But shouldn’t Biden have evacuated U.S. personnel and Afghan dependents before the military pulled out?

Not unless he wanted to bring the Afghan government down even sooner. The first day of any evacuation would have been the last day that government existed. The terrible scenes of last week would have happened sooner. As the president has said, it’s on him either way.

So could the United States ever have turned Afghanistan into a democratic country?

Almost certainly not.

Way back in 1976, I observed to my wife that Russians invading Afghanistan would end up “sorry they ever heard of that place.” My skepticism was based on three things: Rudyard Kipling’s accounts of the British experience there; my own experience in neighboring Iran; and a knowledgeable friend’s explanation that Afghanistan isn’t a nation, but rather eight or 10 tribal regions more or less permanently in conflict with all the others.

Hardly anybody there thinks all men are created equal, nor believes in one man, one vote. Pretending that a Kabul government could govern the territory as Paris governs France was a delusion. So of course the imaginary nation’s make-believe army fell apart. Former Marine Captain Lucas Kunce, a Democratic Senate candidate who did two tours there, wrote this in The Kansas City Star:

“The truth is that the Afghan National Security Forces was a jobs program for Afghans, propped up by U.S. taxpayer dollars … populated by nonmilitary people or ‘paper’ forces (that didn’t really exist) and a bevy of elites grabbing what they could when they could.”

A boondoggle and a folly.

If Biden can get the U.S. out without a catastrophic slaughter, he’ll have done all right.

Send letters to [email protected].

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U.S. evacuation effort from Afghanistan might prove to be best of bad choicesGene Lyonson August 26, 2021 at 8:41 pm Read More »

Ebertfest film festival postponed to 2022 due to COVID pandemicMiriam Di Nunzioon August 26, 2021 at 6:55 pm

The annual Ebertfest film festival slated for next month in downstate Champaign has been postponed to 2022 due to the surge in COVID-19 across the state.

The announcement was made via YouTube from festival founder/organizer Chaz Ebert, the widow of Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert, for whom the festival is named.

The new date for the annual festival of films and filmmakers is now April 20-23, 2022.

“It is truly difficult to come to terms with this decision after everyone at Ebertfest has put in so much effort to come back from the shutdown,” Chaz Ebert said in the announcement. “However, we find it easier to make the decision to reschedule knowing that everyone’s health and safety comes first.”

The festival’s 2020 iteration had already been postponed because of COVID, to Sept. 8-11 this year. As Ebert noted in her message, she never thought another postponement would have to be implemented due once gain to the pandemic.

“Perhaps we were destined to keep our springtime slot afterall,” Ebert mused, citing hesitation on the park of filmmakers, sponsors and audience members to attend the festival amid current rising COVID infection rates.

The Virginia Theatre in Champaign, the venue for the festival, is transferring 2021 passes and seat reservations to the 2022 dates. Refunds will be issued if requested by calling the theater box office at (217) 356-9063.

“An April festival will bring back our special guests and keep the dialogue with filmmakers central to the experience of the festival,” Ebert said. “The Champaign Park District will have completed the installation of a new HVAC system at the Virginia Theatre with the very latest ventilation technology to kill pathogens in the auditorium space.”

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Ebertfest film festival postponed to 2022 due to COVID pandemicMiriam Di Nunzioon August 26, 2021 at 6:55 pm Read More »

Cheer Justin Fields on Saturday — but don’t lose sight of what mattersPatrick Finleyon August 26, 2021 at 7:13 pm

Enjoy Justin Fields on TV on Saturday night, Bears fans. Wear your No. 1 jersey and marvel at his athleticism and relish this last piece of quarterbacking excitement for a while.

But don’t lose fact of what matters — Fields walking out of the stadium feeling no pain.

The Bears will play their rookie behind a starting offensive line and pull him at halftime, but the rest of Saturday’s game against the Titans will be a cavalcade of second- and third-stringers fighting for final roster spots.

The Bears will evaluate Fields, but in context. Coach Matt Nagy will call plays that give Fields the best chance of avoiding injury.

As he should.

“To be completely honest with you, there’s some of that in there,” Nagy said before the Bears’ final training camp practice Thursday. “And we’ve got to know who’s in there and who he’s playing with and all that. There’s the evaluation part too. But we feel good about where Justin is and how he’s played the amount of snaps he’s gotten.”

It only makes sense to play the B-team against the Titans. Let the starters worry about Week 1.

The only hiccup, of course, is that the long-term health of the Bears’ franchise hinges on someone who’s not a starter.

“The biggest difference between games and practice is the actual D-line coming to hit you,” Fields said this week. “In practice, the D-line is told not to be around the quarterback, but actually facing that in-game pressure and having to throw with pressure in your face is the biggest difference between a game and practice.”

That’s a scary thought for a quarterback whose helmet flew five yards in the air after a sack against the Bills. And it’s a risk the Bears are taking by not letting Nick Foles take every snap in Nashville.

Nagy vowed to play his starters more this preseason than he did in 2019, when his team was flatter than a day-old soda in its 10-3 primetime season-opening loss to the Packers. The team’s rash of injuries in August changed those plans in the first two exhibitions. Receiver Allen Robinson hasn’t played. Tight end Jimmy Graham and receiver Darnell Mooney have six snaps apiece. David Montgomery has been on the field for one snap.

Instead, the Bears have preached for weeks that their starters merely need to be ready for Week 1.

“I mean that’s when those things count — that’s what matters,” tight end Cole Kmet said. “So we’re gearing up towards that. I know guys are banged up from camp a little bit, from the past couple of weeks.”

When the NFL switched from four preseason games to three this offseason, they altered the formula that some coaching purists hung onto long after others chose rest: a dress rehearsal in Week 3 and a B-team game in Week 4.

“There’s always been a recipe …” Nagy said. “Well now I think you’re probably gonna see half the coaches are probably going to play their starters for a quarter, quarter and a half. The other guys are going to pull their starters and no one is going to play.”

The Chargers decided that quarterback Justin Herbert, the reigning NFL Rookie of the Year, would not play in any preseason games. Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady, last year’s Super Bowl combatants, have. The Bills’ Josh Allen hasn’t — but will appear in the finale against the Packers.

“What’s going to happen in Week 1 is, when the teams that win, every one of them is going to be geniuses because they sat their guys or because they played their guys — because they looked good,” Nagy said. “That’s just how it goes.”

Nagy chose to be conservative by benching starter Andy Dalton on Saturday — but didn’t do the same with Fields. His genius will be measured by how gingerly Fields walks off the field after his last snap.

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Cheer Justin Fields on Saturday — but don’t lose sight of what mattersPatrick Finleyon August 26, 2021 at 7:13 pm Read More »

Things to do with kids in and around ChicagoMary Houlihan – For the Sun-Timeson August 26, 2021 at 7:39 pm

Welcome to our highlights of events and entertainment in Chicago for kids and families to enjoy. Bookmark this page and check back for updates on the latest activities.

Yuri “The Human Beatbox” Lane performs for kids at the Chicago Children’s Theatre.Charles Osgood

End of Summer Celebration

When: 10 a.m.-noon Aug. 28

Where: 100 S. Racine

What: Chicago Children’s Theatre hosts a celebration featuring previews of fall classes in puppet making, tumbling and storytelling. Plus, there’s a screening room with CCT’s virtual productions, a green screen photo station, dancing, games and a popsicle station. Live music is provided by Yuri “The Human Beatbox” Lane with Time Brickey leading the dancing.

More information: chicagochildrenstheatre.org

Neighborhood festivals

Taste of GreektownDimitri Kandalepas

Taste of Greektown returns with the city’s largest celebration of Hellenic cuisine and culture. Highlights are food from the neighborhood’s Greek restaurants (gyro eating contest, anyone?), music (traditional Greek songs form Hellas 2000 plus DJs and bands) and dancing. From 4-10 p.m. Aug. 27, noon-10 p.m. Aug. 28-29. On Halsted from Adams to Van Buren. Admission: $5 donation. Visit greektownchicago.org. … Edgewater Arts Festival features 75 artists, a family activities and live music. From 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Aug. 28-29 on 1030-1140 W. Granville. Admission: $5 donation. Visit edgewaterartists.com. … The Tom Petty tribute band Southern Accents, Hairbangers Ball and Mr. Blotto with a tribute to the Allman Brothers Band headline the Palatine Street Fest Aug. 27-29 at Brockway and Slade, Palatine. Visit palatinestreetfest.com. … More than 200 juried artists showcase their work at the Port Clinton Art Festival from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Aug. 28-29 in downtown Highland Park. Admission: $5 donation. Visit amdurproductions.com.

Chicago SummerDance in the Parks

Chicago SummerDance in the Parks.DCASE

When: Aug. 18-Sept. 15

Where: Parks throughout the city

What: Dancers of all ages and skill levels are invited to take part in introductory dance lessons by professional instructors followed by live music and dancing. Lessons begin at 4:30 p.m. followed by dancing from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

More information: chicagosummerdance.org.

Loop Mural Walk

“Make It Good” by Shawnimals on the Loop Mural Walk.Chicago Loop Alliance

When: Through Sept. 6

Where: Online

What: As part of an initiative to encourage people to return to downtown Chicago, the Chicago Loop Alliance has created a free self-guided tour of the colorful artwork tucked into alleys and side streets. A mural guide, which features three different routes of artwork by both well-known and emerging artists, can be accessed on smartphones.

More information: loopchicago.com

Chicago Fireboat Tours

Chicago Fireboat Tours offer great views of Chicago’s waterways.Courtesy Chicago Fireboat Tours

When: Ongoing

Where: DuSable Harbors, 111 N. Lake Shore Dr.

What: Built in 1936, the Fred A. Busse was the largest, diesel-powered fireboat in the world at the time and served the Chicago Fire Department from 1937-1981. The current owners renovated the retired fireboat, which is now in its second season cruising Chicago waterways. Tickets: $35-$40, $19.50 ages 4-12.

More information: fireboattours.com

Merit School of Music

Merit School of Music is hosting summer pop-up performances beginning July 24. Courtesy of Merit School of Music

When: To Aug. 28

Where: Various locations

What: In July and August, the music school hosts a family-friendly series of interactive pop-up events throughout Chicago neighborhoods from Pilsen to Lincoln Park. “Pop-ups in the Parks” offers free instrument tunings, demos and performances by students and faculty, “Music at the Markets” features performances and giveaways at outdoor markets and “Musical Storytimes” is filled with stories and activities.

More information: meritmusic.org

Adler Planetarium

“Imagine the Moon”Adler Planetarium

When: Ongoing

Where: 1300 S. Lake Shore Dr.

What: The planetarium has partially reopened with a selection of its award-winning sky shows. On weekends in July and August two shows will play twice daily: “Imagine the Moon” (10:30 a.m., 12:15 p.m.) and “Skywatch Live” (11:30 am., 1:15 p.m.). The full museum won’t reopen until March 2022. Tickets: $15.

More information: adlerplanetarium.org

Tempel Lipizzans’ stallions

A Tempel Lippizan stallion performs “Airs Above the Ground.”Courtesy Tempel Lipizzans

When: Ongoing

Where: Tempel Farms, 17000 Wadsworth, Old Mill Creek.

What: The stallions return for a new season of equestrian dressage along with interactive, educational events. Performances feature synchronized movements set to classical music that show off the strength, beauty and intelligence of the Lipizzan horse. Following each event, there are self-guided tours through the stables to meet and pet the equine stars and ask questions of riders and trainers about how the Lipizzans are raised, trained and taught to “dance.” Tickets: $35, $25 for ages 4-14.

More information: tempelfarms.com

‘Par Excellence Redux’

When: “The Front 9” (to Sept. 16) and “The Back Nine” (Oct. 13-Jan. 2)

Where: Tee off at the Elmhurst Art Museum, 150 S. Cottage Hill, Elmhurst

What: A fun new exhibit features a fully playable 18-hole mini-golf course created by more than 20 artists, designers and architects from Chicago and beyond. The family-friendly course pays homage to the School of the Art Institute’s wildly popular 1988 exhibition “Par Excellence.” Course themes range from social justice to the occult and include a fortune-telling hole that has the power to dramatically change scores as well as a hole that challenges players with an optical illusion. Admission is $5-$10 (online timed reservations); children 4 and under free.

More information: elmhurstartmuseum.org

Chicago Children’s Museum

Where: Navy Pier, 700 E. Grand

When: Ongoing

What: Fun and learning are on the agenda at the popular family gathering spot, offering a wide variety of exhibits aimed at improving children’s lives by creating a community where play and learning connect. Babies and toddlers can enjoy “Treehouse Trails” and “Kids Town” while “Tinker Lab” and “Dinosaur Expedition” will enthrall older children. Admission: $19.

More information: chicagochildrensmuseum.org.

‘Becoming Jane’

A new exhibit at the Field Museum, “Becoming Jane: The Evolution of Jane Goodall,” follows her journey from her childhood in England to a career as a passionate scientist studying chimpanzees in Africa. Hugo van Lawick/National Geographic

When: To Sept. 6

Where: Field Museum, 1400 S. Lake Shore Dr.

What: Generations have been inspired by the work of primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall who has not only shown the urgent need to protect chimpanzees but also redefined species conservation to include the needs of local people and the environments. A new exhibit at the Field Museum, “Becoming Jane: The Evolution of Jane Goodall,” follows her journey from a curious young child in England to a passionate scientist studying chimpanzees in Africa. Included in the exhibit are a recreation of her field research tent, a hologram-like projection of Goodall who shares her fieldwork memories, augmented reality activities and a projection of Tanzania’s Gombe Stream National Park.

Tickets: Admission: $18-$32

More information: fieldmuseum.org

‘Hello Helios: The warming suns of Chicago’s Greektown’

Detail view of James Mesple’s Sun and Moon Image featured in the “Hello Helios” exhibit in GreektownCourtesy Greektown Chicago

When: Through spring 2022

Where: Halsted from Monroe to Van Buren

What: Welcome summer with a new outdoor exhibit celebrating the start of summer with 24 artworks inspired by the sun and related mythologies from Greek, Aztec, Yoruba, Japanese and Native American cultures.

More information: greektownchicago.org

Kayak for Conservation

The Shedd Aquarium’s popular “Kayak for Conservation” program.Shedd Aquarium

When: Ongoing

Where: Kayak Chicago: 1220 W LeMoyne,

What: Get close to nature via the Shedd Aquarium’s popular Kayak for Conservation program, which features a variety of socially distant kayaking experiences on the Chicago River. Participants learn about the river’s environmental history and discover wildlife living in its ecosystem. Sessions are open to all levels of kayakers (including newbies) and are led by Shedd’s wildlife conservation experts. The cost is pay-what-you-can ranging from $20-$100 per participant, with a recommended $40, the base cost of the program.

More information: sheddaquarium.org/kayak

‘Take Flight’

The Boeing 747 at “Take Flight.”Museum of Science and Industry

When: Permanent

Where: Museum of Science and Industry, 5700 S. Lake Shore Dr.

What: The MSI’s Boeing 747 reopens with a reimagined exhibit that explores modern aviation and the science of flight. The plane’s interior has been restored and new interactive elements have been added. Tickets: $12.95, $21.95.

More information: msichicago.org

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Things to do with kids in and around ChicagoMary Houlihan – For the Sun-Timeson August 26, 2021 at 7:39 pm Read More »

How Nebraska-Illinois became college football’s game of the weekJeff Agreston August 26, 2021 at 7:40 pm

So how does a football game between Illinois and Nebraska gain a national audience Saturday on Fox as the only game between Power Five teams?

The game originally was scheduled to be played Saturday in Dublin, but the pandemic scrapped those plans and moved it back to Champaign. Before the teams agreed to play in Ireland, it was an Illinois home game scheduled for Nov. 13.

Illinois kept that week open, but Nebraska filled it with FCS team Southeastern Louisiana. The schools received approval to keep the game in Week 0 – the week before the vast majority of teams begin their seasons – and Fox jumped at the chance to air it. Only four other FBS games are scheduled.

“Knowing the game was on a Week 0, there’s a lot of firsts in this game,” said Derek Crocker, Fox’s vice president of college sports. “The biggest thing for us is that this is the first time fans will be allowed back into Big Ten football stadiums since 2019.

“So together with all of the other firsts – literally the first college football game of the season, and it’s the first game for Bret Bielema back in the Big Ten versus a brand like Scott Frost and Nebraska – we thought it was important to have a really strong start to the season.”

Fox gave the game a fine crew in play-by-play voice Joe Davis, analyst Brock Huard and reporter Bruce Feldman. The broadcast will begin at noon, and kickoff is scheduled for 12:20.

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How Nebraska-Illinois became college football’s game of the weekJeff Agreston August 26, 2021 at 7:40 pm Read More »

Blackhawks hire Colby Cohen as TV studio analystJeff Agreston August 26, 2021 at 6:12 pm

The Blackhawks announced the hiring of Colby Cohen as a TV studio analyst on NBC Sports Chicago. Jamal Mayers and Steve Konroyd will not return next season, and other analysts likely will be added.

While discussions continue about potential successors for play-by-play voice Pat Foley, the Hawks brought aboard Cohen, 32, as a content analyst. The former NHL player and ESPN broadcaster will appear on all of the Hawks’ platforms, including social media, podcasts and the team’s website.

Cohen also figures to fill in for game analyst Eddie Olczyk when he’s working for TNT. Cohen filled in for Olczyk on one game last season. He has been an analyst for ESPN since 2016 and provided color for the NCAA men’s Frozen Four this year.

“I am incredibly honored to join the Blackhawks family and can’t wait to connect with the most passionate, knowledgeable and electric fans in hockey on a daily basis,” Cohen said in a statement. “Their enthusiasm and dedication to such a storied franchise is what makes the prospects of this position so exciting. I look forward to working with the many talented individuals at the Blackhawks and NBC Sports Chicago whose job it is to bring the fans the best coverage possible.”

Cohen worked for NBC Sports Philadelphia as a studio analyst for Flyers games from 2017 to 2020. He also has worked for CBS Sports, NESN and the American Sports Network.

“Chicago Blackhawks fans will appreciate Cohen’s deep and comprehensive knowledge,” said John Schippman, vice president of content for NBC Sports Chicago. “He’s quick with insight and a witty analyst. We saw firsthand his talent earlier this year, and we look forward to the experience he brings from on the ice and in the booth.”

A native of Villanova, Pennsylvania, Cohen was a second-round pick by the Avalanche in 2007 and made his NHL debut in November 2010. Cohen also played in the AHL and overseas. He was teammates with Hawks forward Patrick Kane on the USNTDP team during the 2005-06 season.

Cohen played three years at Boston University and scored the winning goal in overtime in the 2009 national championship. He also won the tournament’s MVP award.

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Blackhawks hire Colby Cohen as TV studio analystJeff Agreston August 26, 2021 at 6:12 pm Read More »

2 killed in shooting near Kankakee County Courthouse, two people under arrestDavid Struetton August 26, 2021 at 6:18 pm

Two men were killed and another was injured in a shooting at the Kankakee County Courthouse Thursday morning, according to the Kankakee Police Department.

Two people were arrested after the attack at the south side entrance of the courthouse near the detention center, Police Chief Robin Passwater said in an afternoon news conference. He said there was no longer a threat to the community.

Officers responded to a call of gunfire around 9:15 a.m. near the courthouse, Passwater said. As police arrived, an officer arrested one person who was armed with a weapon, he said. A second person was arrested by sheriff’s deputies while leaving the scene.

The two people killed in the shooting were men in their 20s, Passwater said. A third man was undergoing surgery at a hospital.

“Multiple firearms” were recovered from the scene, including one “long gun,” Passwater said.

Several law enforcement agencies were offering support in the investigation, including Illinois State Police, the FBI and U.S. Marshals Service, he said.

Passwater said the shooting happened during a busy time of the day when many people were entering and exiting the courthouse, which will remain closed for the rest of the day. He encouraged witnesses to come forward with information as police investigated the circumstances of the shooting.

Buildings near the shooting were on lockdown as a precaution, the city said, but later reported that the area was secure.

Passwater did not take questions from reporters and said another update would be provided later Thursday.

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