Teven Jenkins is having back surgery. Justin Fields has a groin injury. And, oh yeah, Akiem Hicks is back after a mysterious absence. Jason LIeser, Patrick Finley and Mark Potash break down a bizarre day at Halas Hall.

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

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SPRINGFIELD — Democrats touted their leadership and unity Wednesday in their return to the state’s capitol city for Governor’s Day at the Illinois State Fair.

But the absence of the state’s top executive from a brunch pep rally cast doubt on that solidarity even as the head of the Democratic organization hosting the event tried to downplay any suggestion of discord within the party’s ranks.

“Whatever you may read in the press, Democrats in Illinois are united,” said Kristina Zahorik, the president of the Illinois Democratic County Chairs’ Association. “There’s too much at stake to be divided.”

U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, the chair of the Illinois Democratic Party, stumped for the entire Democratic ticket — including herself, Gov. J.B. Pritzker and other elected Democrats — during the brunch.

Kelly, who beat out Pritzker’s chosen candidate to take the state party reins, downplayed the governor’s absence, even though the Chicago Democrat hosted his own event later in the day.

“That’s Pritzker’s choice,” the south suburban congresswoman said. “Everybody makes their own decisions on what they want to do.”

U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, the chair of the Illinois Democratic Party, speaks at the Illinois Democratic County Chairs’ Association’s brunch on Wednesday.Blue Room Stream

Democrats did all seem to agree that there was a lot on the line in next year’s midterm elections, which often see the party of the president lose in contests across the country.

Baking in the heat, politicos and their supporters fanned themselves with paper fans that bore the words “I’m a fan of the Illinois Democratic County Chairs Association” at the brunch.

The county chairs’ Wednesday brunch is designed to kick off Governor’s Day events at the fair, even though it was held under a tent outside a hotel off the fairgrounds this year in deference to Pritzker’s safety concerns — only for him to opt to send a video rather than attend in person.

Forging ahead anyway, Democrats billed themselves as the only party with the vision to move the state — and the country — forward ahead of next year’s midterm election.

“Who better to build back this country than Democrats?” Zahorik asked. “We believe in the promise of America, and in good government, we use facts and science to dictate our policy … we Democrats welcome the chance to build a more perfect union and we Democrats have the vision to do just that.”

The Democrats are the party who “fought” former GOP Gov. Bruce Rauner and former President Donald Trump and won, Zahorik said. But to keep passing legislation such as the infrastructure package that passed the Senate recently and see funds continue to trickle to families thanks to the child tax credit, Democrats must hold onto Congress and other offices, Zahorik and others said.

Pritzker chose to skip the morning’s events in favor of family plans in Chicago, but made it back to Springfield to throw his own rally on the Director’s Lawn on the fairgrounds Wednesday afternoon. His event featured the state’s constitutional officers and was largely a reprisal of the morning’s events — but with Pritzker in attendance.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker gets a “Pritzer Rocks” sign from Peter Janko, Democratic state central committeeman for 14th Congressional District of Illinois, during Governor’s Day at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield on Wednesday.Justin L. Fowler/The State Journal-Register via AP

At that event, a band played funk and soul music before Pritzker pitched Democrats and their policies saying “over and over, it’s Democrats who deliver for the people of Illinois.”

Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, Illinois Treasurer Mike Frerichs, Comptroller Susana Mendoza, Attorney General Kwame Raoul and Secretary of State Jesse White all spoke at Pritzker’s event, focusing their time at the mic on urging the election of more Democrats.

Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White gets a standing ovation after delivering his remarks during Governor’s Day at the Illinois State Fair on the Director’s Lawn in Springfield on Wednesday.Justin L. Fowler/The State Journal-Register via AP

Kelly attended Pritzker’s event, but did not speak or sit on the stage with the statewide elected officials who did address the crowd.

Surrounded by reporters after the party on the lawn, Pritzker brushed off questions about not attending the morning’s event.

“Lots of people had lots of things to do,” Pritzker said. “I’m excited about the fact that we had so many Democrats here, and the people who could make it did — I’m excited about that.

“There’s some people who try to write that people are boycotting or not going to something because they don’t want to — they don’t want to be there. The truth is that we’re all very busy … I try to get to everything that I can and I support every Democrat that was at the IDCCA event this morning.”

Gov. J.B. Pritzker speaks during Governor’s Day at the Illinois State Fair on the Director’s Lawn on Wednesday. Justin L. Fowler/The State Journal-Register via AP

The governor committed to supporting his own campaign fund, Blue Wave Illinois, to help support down-ballot candidates and political organizations, but didn’t give a clear answer about whether or not he’ll contribute to the Democratic Party of Illinois’s coffers now that its party structure has been clarified.

As a federal officeholder, Kelly — who beat Pritzker’s pick, Ald. Michelle Harris, to lead the state party in March — is prohibited from raising “soft money,” which goes toward state elections.

The governor tried to portray the party as unified behind a common goal.

“As you know we’re all working together to make sure we elect Democrats up and down the ticket,” Pritzker said. “I did that in 2018, continued to support Democrats everywhere in our state and I’m going to do that in 2021.”

Last year’s cancellation of the Illinois State Fair — and Democrat Day and Republican Day events — was the first since 1945, when World War II pushed the festivities into a hiatus.

The fair is famous for its corndogs and lemon shake-ups, but Pritzker offered his own shake up last week when he said he would not attend the county chairs’ brunch due to COVID concerns.

The association moved their event outside shortly after Pritzker expressed those concerns, but the governor had already made plans in Chicago and said he’d still miss the event.

That didn’t deter the politicking Wednesday.

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul points to Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker as he speaks during Governor’s Day at the Illinois State Fair on Wednesday.Justin L. Fowler/The State Journal-Register via AP

Declaring his expected candidacy for reelection at the brunch, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul reprised a campaign slogan from four years ago, calling his work in the office “the work of my life — and I’m just getting started.”

Candidates vying to succeed Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White gave brief speeches at the morning’s brunch. Later Wednesday, White said he expects to make a decision on who to support in the race in January.

Illinois Republicans will host their own festivities Thursday on the Director’s Lawn.

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Before the traffic stop in West Englewood that killed his partner and left him fighting for his own life, Carlos Yanez Jr. had considered moving his young family to the neighborhood.

“My son’s heart was so gentle that I had to stop him from buying a property there to move in there with his son and his wife because he felt so much compassion for the community and the people,” said Carlos Yanez Sr., a retired Chicago police officer.

“He said, ‘Dad, there’s so many good people there, but they’re scared. They live in fear. They can’t come out at night. Now, they can’t come out during the day. They’re killed in their homes. Through the windows. Through the walls. And nothing happens.'”

The Chicago Sun-Times is identifying the officer critically wounded during the traffic stop that killed his partner, Ella French, with the consent of the officer and his father.

Carlos Yanez Jr. and his wife, Brenda. Photo courtesy of Carlos Yanez Sr.

During a lengthy and emotional interview, the elder Yanez shared details on his son’s condition and the difficult recovery ahead.

That will include living with two bullets in his brain; doctors did not remove them because, as his father put it: “They can’t.”

Yanez Jr.’s sister, Nicole Christina, a doctor, is coordinating her brother’s medical care team and sending written updates.

According to her latest messages, her brother lost an eye, is out of the intensive care unit and has some “sensation,” but “no movement on left side of his body or right leg.” He has made “some intentional twitches of movement in three limbs he is not able to move,” she wrote.

“Junior’s sentences are getting longer. Sometimes, his voice gets a little louder. Mood improves when he can twitch a leg muscle. There was a twitch in his left shoulder,” the sister wrote in her 11th update.

A neurosurgeon who is a family friend also weighed in, Yanez’s sister said, and noted “the fact that this speech is advancing is a really great sign. No one can know for sure until we are a couple months into therapy.”

A GoFundMe effort for Yanez Jr.’s continuing medical care had brought in about $167,000 from about 2,400 donors by Wednesday afternoon.

Carlos Yanez Jr., his wife, Brenda, and their son, Carlos Yanez III. Photo courtesy of Carlos Yanez Sr.

In an update earlier this week, Nicole Christina said her brother’s body is “still adjusting to eating and digesting again,” she wrote. But she noted the “shock is wearing off and his mood drastically sank. It’s heartbreaking to see him so sad.”

“We were talking about what a miracle it is that he can move his right arm, and he said, ‘And my right leg,'” she wrote. “We pulled the sheets back and he did make his right foot do the tiniest movement. At first, because of the hospital socks, we weren’t sure anything was happening. But then, we could see a twitch. We were screaming, crying and thanking God. … He has not had that feeling of being able to move on the left. We are focusing on the positive and every win never feels small.”

Yanez Sr. told the Sun-Times his son is “talking and regaining his memory. And that’s both good and bad.”

It was days before his father could tell his son that French had been killed.

“I’ve been keeping him in the dark about that and telling him she was OK up until [Monday]. He does know, now. He’s quite depressed and sad, but he’s getting better, I hope. I don’t know. I just told him for some reason God spared him and has a plan for him and that we don’t know why, but to accept it,” Yanez Sr. said.

How is Yanez Jr. handling the news while fighting for his own life?

“Like anybody else would handle the loss of a family member. Great pain and agony and sorrow. He’s sad and depressed. We’re trying to get him to think positively that he’ll be OK. But he’s just sad. Extremely sad. And that’s not good for his health,” Yanez Sr. said, though he added his son “doesn’t feel any” survivor’s guilt.

Nicole Christina wrote that her brother “thinks about Ella French and, in waves, it hits him.” And she added, he has said he must “get better for both of us.’

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Mayor Lori Lightfoot laid the groundwork for the West Englewood traffic stop that resulted in the fatal shooting of Officer Ella French and left her partner fighting for his life with a string of reforms and policy changes that tied the hands of Chicago police officers, the wounded officer’s father told the Sun-Times.

Carlos Yanez Sr. said he twice told the mayor’s staff his son was “not a fan of Lori Lightfoot, to put it mildly” and the family did not want her on the floor of the University of Chicago Medical Center where Yanez Jr. was being treated the night of the shooting.

But Lightfoot still made an appearance and got a tongue-lashing in return.

“I said that the actions by her administration and her rhetoric of saying how police need to be reconditioned or retrained or whatever was causing them to be in danger. That it was not allowing the officers to take the instinctive action necessary to protect themselves,” Yanez Sr. said.

“All the officers are told now that, if you draw your weapon and it’s not a situation that warrants it, unless you have guaranteed proof, there’ll be consequences. They didn’t do that when I was on the job. They let us be the police. There wasn’t a day that I didn’t draw my weapon, have it behind my leg or behind my thigh . . . It’s not about race. It’s about survival of the officer. But they don’t have that now. They don’t have that confidence that someone’s gonna back them up.”

Carlos Yanez Jr. (left) with his parents at his swearing-in ceremony on Navy Pier. Photo courtesy of Carlos Yanez Sr.

The mayor’s office declined to respond to Yanez Sr.’s remarks.

Prosecutors have said French and Carlos Yanez Jr. both had their weapons holstered when Emonte Morgan allegedly opened fire at close range. She died of a single gunshot wound to the head and will be buried Thursday.

Yanez Jr., 39, was struck in the brain, eye and shoulder. The Chicago Sun-Times is identifying him with the consent of the officer and his father.

Yanez Sr. said his son had little choice but to keep his weapon holstered, calling it one of many policy changes emboldening criminals and rendering police sitting ducks.

“When they show up, the bad guys are ready for them. They know they can’t draw their weapons. They know they can’t be chased. You can’t put hands on them without getting sued. Everybody’s got a camera and they’re always challenging them, provoking them. It’s a no-win situation for them,” he said.

“She’s tied the hands of the police. She wants ’em to police with one hand behind their back, and you can’t fight evil crime, brute force, with one hand tied behind their backs.”

Yanez Sr. accused the mayor of “using the race card or the violent police card just to get votes and play both sides of the fence.”

“She shows up to say remorse for the police officer shot. But what have you done to promote police in the eyes of the public and say, ‘We need our police’? [Instead, she says], ‘We’ve got to stop this police violence.’ It’s not police violence. It’s one officer that committed a crime . . . Even doctors make mistakes and they’re sued. But they’re not all washed with the same brush that they’re all bad. You don’t teach the children to fear the police like they do now . . . She’s creating an environment where people are starting to question if the police are good or not,” he said.

“It’s not pro-police or pro-people. It’s about pro-right and wrong, good and evil. But she demonstrates by her actions that she doesn’t really have any consideration for the safety of the officers. They’re expendable. They’re replaceable. Hire new ones. Train ’em differently. But they’re gonna get killed. You can’t change survival tactics that are in place for years to protect the officers as well as the citizens to pacify some voters. It’s not gonna work.”

Yanez Sr. demanded that Lightfoot stop telling Supt. David Brown and his top brass how to run the Chicago Police Department and “let the police be the police.”

“Mayor Lightfoot, you’re not a police officer. … The law enforcement you did was prosecution. It’s a totally different arena. We catch the lions and the evil monsters for you in a cage. Then you prosecute them,” he said.

“Let the people hunting down evil and catching the monsters — let them do it the way they have to do it to catch ’em, not the way you feel is politically correct.”

Yanez Sr. said he told the mayor to her face that if she doesn’t change course, it will be worse than just the public snub of officers turning their backs to her at the hospital.

“That’s just a physical protest . . . But God forbid their mindset changes and they stop being the police. They stop rushing to help people. Stop overextending above and beyond to be there when they’re called. They’ll just eventually say, ‘I’m gonna go to work, punch in and not risk my life because I’ll get fired,” he said.

“Someone calls for help, I’ll take it easy. Drive, but make sure I don’t offend anybody by running a red light with the blue lights on or go too fast. God forbid I get in an accident rushing to help somebody and get sued, put in jail or fired. . . . Society has to make a decision. Are they gonna let these [bad] guys run rampant and only get bigger and bolder until they’re at their doorstep in the Gold Coast, Lincoln Park, Lake View, the South Side — everywhere? They’re gonna go everywhere because there’s no credible threat to them.”

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After losing its 2020 edition due to the pandemic, Ruido Fest is roaring back for its annual three-day run in Chicago.

“Ruido” means “noise” in English, and there will be plenty of musical exuberance Friday through Sunday at Union Park, once again the site for this alternative Latin music festival, with appearances by powerhouses such as Cafe Tacuba, Caifanes, Ivy Queen and Panteon Rococo.

The three locally based promoters of Ruido Fest — Metronome Chicago, Riot Fest Presents and Star Events — have scaled down the event this year due to COVID-19. Instead of the usual 50-plus acts on three stages, there will be 31 acts on two stages. Attendees will need to provide proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test (within 72 hours prior) for admittance. Masks will be encouraged at enclosed spaces, such as the VIP tent. “As usual at Ruido, we make sure the area is safe and clean,” said Max Wagner of Metronome Chicago. “We’re trying to produce the best possible customer experience.”

The pandemic caused one headliner, Argentina’s Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, to drop out because of travel and logistical issues. But the group promises to return for Ruido 2022. “I’m really excited by the headliners, but also by our local artists, such as Rosalba Valdez or Evil Empire,” Wagner said. “If we’re not trying to grow the scene here, then we’re not doing our job.”

So let’s bring noise — here are 10 must-see acts at Ruido 2021, in chronological order:

Los Amigos Invisibles attends the 20th annual Latin Grammy Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on November 14, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. They are scheduled to perform Friday night at Ruido Fest.Getty Images

Los Amigos Invisibles, 6:15-7:15 p.m. Friday, Ruido Stage: Now celebrating its 30th anniversary, the Venezuelan alternative Latin trio leans heavily on funk and other dance-based genres, declaring, “We’re a party band, first and foremost.”

Silverio, 7:15-8 p.m. Friday, Tecate Stage: Known for his showmanship and flamboyant lucha libre attire, the Mexican rocker likes to “bring something new to the table.” Silverio performed at the first Ruido Fest in 2015 (where he stole the show, according to the site Remezcla, “with his bonkers mix of sequins, dirty electronica and a vocabulary that would make a sailor blush”); he’s returned for every event since, and in the process, has become Ruido’s mascot, like GWAR has been for Riot Fest.

Caifanes, 8-9:45 p.m., Friday, Ruido Stage: The godfathers of Latin rock, the Mexican band emerged in the mid-’80s and never looked back. In 1995, the group morphed into the equally acclaimed Jaguares, and 16 years later, reclaimed the mantle of Caifanes. By any name, expect excellence.

Camilo Lara attends Disney Pixar’s “Coco” premiere at El Capitan Theatre in 2017 in Los Angeles.Getty Images

Mexican Institute of Sound, 3:45-4:30 p.m. Saturday, Tecate Stage: Fronted by DJ and producer Camilo Lara, this electro-cumbia project creates “irresistible beats for the global dance floor.” Between gigs, Lara juggles myriad assignments, including a stint as a musical consultant for Disney-Pixar’s “Coco” (2017). Ed O’Brien of Radiohead calls him “The Mexican Herb Alpert,” and Lara himself on his bio page remarks in wry understatement: “He stays busy.”

Enjambre, 5:15-6 p.m. Saturday. Tecate Stage: Originally from Orange County, California, this band of three brothers and two friends moved to Mexico City shortly after they formed their group in 2007. “Classic rock is always in the back of our minds — part Beatles, Stones, Zeppelin,” said guitarist Javier Mejia. “Plus, romantic songs reminiscent of the ’60s and ’70s. We like to mix our sounds.”

Ivy Queen, 6-7 p.m. Saturday, Ruido Stage: Hailed as “The Queen of Reggaeton” ever since she emerged on the scene in late ’90s, the Puerto Rican-born, New York-reared diva stands tall (even without her trademark stilettos) in a male-dominated genre. She also hosts the recently launched, 10-episode podcast “Loud: The History of Reggaeton,” produced by Spotify and Futuro Studios.

Moenia, 7-8 p.m. Saturday, Tecate Stage: Formed in 1991, the influential Mexican synth-pop group draws its inspiration from ’80s British bands such as the Cure and New Order.

Panteon Rococo, 8-9:45 p.m., Saturday, Ruido Stage: The Mexican ska band, founded in 1995, has called itself “the guacamole of Latin music … smooth and tasty.” And speaking of smooth, how many bands could negotiate the intricacies of “Sobrevivire,” Panteon Rococo’s 2020 reworking of the 1970s anthem “I Will Survive,” which segues from ska, cumbia, disco, norteno to arena rock, all without a false step. “Yo vivire, yo vivire!”

Ambar Lucid — shown during the SXSW Presents Wednesday Night at Stubb’s showcase in 2019 in Austin, Texas — performs Sunday night at Ruido Fest. Getty Images for SXSW

Ambar Lucid, 6:15-7 p.m. Sunday, Ruido Stage: Born in New Jersey to Dominican and Mexican parents, the singer-songwriter has arrived like a comet, with Pitchfork, Rolling Stone and the New York Times singing her praises. Now just 20, she displays a wisdom beyond her years on her newly released EP “Get Lost in the Music.”

Cafe Tacuba, 8-9:45 p.m. Sunday, Ruido Stage: Over its 32-year run, the Mexican quartet Cafe Tacuba has thrown virtually every traditional Mexican style — son, norteno, ranchera, bolero, cumbia — into its alt-Latin mix, layered over a foundation of guitar rock. If Caifanes is the godfather of Latin rock, then Cafe Tacuba is the Goodfellas, not in the Martin Scorsese sense, but more for its antic spirit that pervades every performance.

Laura Emerick is a local freelance writer.

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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 partly sunny with a slim chance of thunderstorms and a high near 85 degrees. Tonight will be partly cloudy with a low around 70. Tomorrow will be mostly sunny with a high near 85 and a chance of showers and thunderstorms in the late afternoon.

Top story

Evergreen Park special ed teacher killed in Dan Ryan Expy. shooting

An Evergreen Park special education teacher shot and killed last night on the Dan Ryan Expressway is being remembered for her dedication to her students.

Denise M. Huguelet, 67, was shot around 10 p.m. in the southbound lanes near 63rd Street, according to Illinois State Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

A state trooper nearby heard the gunshots and pursued a vehicle speeding from the area, state police said. With the help of a police helicopter, troopers arrested two people from the car and recovered a handgun.

Huguelet, of Orland Park, was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead. A spokeswoman for the state police said additional details would be released later.

Huguelet worked for 24 years as a special education teacher at Central Middle School, according to a Facebook post from Evergreen Park Elementary School District 124.

“Her passion for students and her dedication to the community showed in all aspects of her work,” the school district said in the post.

David Struett has more on Huguelet and what happened last night here.

More news you need

Chicago Teachers Union leaders today said they were at an “impasse” with city officials in talks over additional safety precautions to protect children and staff from the Delta variant. Students are preparing to return to classrooms in less than two weeks.

With the release of new census data, House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch is said to be gauging Democrats’ “availability for return to session” — and potentially to the map-drawing board. Depending on what a review of new population figures reveals, House Dems could be asked to return to the state capital in about two weeks.

U.S. health officials recommended today that everyone get COVID-19 booster shots to shore up their protection amid the surging Delta variant. The plan calls for an extra dose eight months after people get their second shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.

The Obama Foundation yesterday revealed nearly $830 million is needed to build and operate the Obama Presidential Center in its first year. This comes days after City Hall signed legal papers to clear the way to build the center in Jackson Park.

Chicago’s own Kanye West announced today that he will hold another public listening event for his yet-to-be-released album “Donda” — this time at Soldier Field on Aug. 26. Fans attending previous listening sessions heard pieces of the album but it has remained unreleased.

A bright one

With Logan Square mural ‘Prima,’ Matthew Mederer aims to inspire new beginnings

Artist Matthew Mederer left New Jersey for Chicago 10 years ago in search of a new beginning.

Last winter, as he and his wife stayed inside because of the coronavirus pandemic, Mederer, 37, came up with an idea for a mural reflecting another new start as he looked forward to spring and a hoped-for waning of the coronavirus pandemic.

Once Mederer started drawing, he knew he wanted to paint this mural in the spring. His wife titled it for him: “Prima,” short for primavera — Spanish for spring.

He painted the 28-feet-by-30-feet mural in April on the alley side of a building at Fullerton and Milwaukee avenues not far from where he lives in Logan Square.

Matthew Mederer’s mural “Prima” in Logan Square.Provided

It features an image of a woman in bright colors to represent fertility and the vibrant hues of springtime. She’s figuratively staring into the future through a prism and letting a blanket fall off her shoulders as she steps into the new season.

Mederer says being inside so much because of the pandemic made him “hungrier” to start new projects as soon as possible.

He says he hopes the mural will inspire people to find strength in new beginnings — much as he tried to do after a breakup 10 years ago when he loaded all of his belongings in his car and set off for Chicago, a city where he’d never been. He says he figured: It’s a day’s drive away; that should work.

Lu Calzada has more on the story behind the mural here.

From the press box

The Bears held Justin Fields out of practice today as a precaution due to a groin injury, but coach Matt Nagy was quick to note that he’s optimistic the quarterback will be ready to play Saturday in the team’s next preseason game.
The team’s other top draft pick, second-rounder Teven Jenkins, will undergo back surgery soon to address an injury he’s been dealing with since last year at Oklahoma State. Nagy said he’s hopeful Jenkins won’t miss the whole 2021 season.
And while the excitement around Fields keeps building, the veteran QB at the top of the depth chart, Andy Dalton, says the rookie is going to have a great career, he’s not ready to give up his role: “Right now it’s my time.”
The White Sox announced their 2022 spring training schedule today.
The Cubs’ Keegan Thompson will get a shot at a spot in the club’s rotation this weekend as the expected Saturday starter against the Royals.

Your daily question ?

What is the best TV show set in Chicago? Tell us why.

Reply to this email (please include your first name and where you live) and we might feature your answer in the next Afternoon Edition.

Yesterday, we asked you: When you think back to some of your hardest days during the pandemic, what’s something that got you through? Here’s what some of you said…

“Believe it or not, it was my focus on losing weight. I used a weight loss program that delivered small meals to my door once a month. Since we couldn’t go out to restaurants anyway, it was a good time to get serious. I lost 40 pounds in 6 months. Working now to keep it off. Inspired others to do the same.” — Jackie Flinchum

“My patients! we were so short-handed that nurses and techs from specialty areas were asked to help out on the floor. We called ourselves the “Spa Girls” and bathed, groomed and just talked to them. Patients were very lonely, not being able to have visitors. The smiles and hugs we got were truly a blessing!” — Eva Cortez

“My fur babies. I didn’t have to say goodbye every morning and think about them all day.” — Cyndie O’Brien

“I hate to say it, but I watched more TV than I care to admit. But everyone was in quarantine, so we talked on the phone and talked on Facebook. Talking to family and friends helped the most.” — Marion McLaughlin

“Family. Even though we were social distancing at home, just knowing they were there was extremely comforting and uplifting. Hearing my grandkids laughing and enjoying themselves was music to my ears.” — Sue Shannon Whelan

“Fishing. Being alone out in nature with a pole in my hand and catching a few nice bass fish among other things.” — Bradley Nawara

“Cartoons and comic book movies ie Marvel Cinematic Universe and DC Extended Universe. I just want to escape from reality and enjoy a predictable happy ending.” — Robert Sanders

“My husband makes wine, need I say more?” — Wanda Freeman

“Houseparty calls with my family. And knowing I got to spend more time with my young adult kids because they weren’t out and about with friends.” — Stephanie Burns

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

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NEW YORK — A newspaper editor friend of former President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner was hit Wednesday with state cyberstalking charges in New York, seven months after Trump pardoned him in a similar federal case just before leaving office.

Manhattan prosecutors accused Ken Kurson, a former Chicago musician, of hacking his wife’s online accounts and sending threatening, harassing messages to several people amid heated divorce proceedings in 2015.

Kurson, of South Orange, New Jersey, is charged with eavesdropping and computer trespass, both felonies. At times, prosecutors said, Kurson was monitoring his now ex-wife’s computer activity from his desk at the Manhattan offices of the New York Observer. Kurson was the Observer’s editor when it was owned by Kushner,

Kurson did not enter a plea at his arraignment Wednesday. He was released on his own recognizance.

The allegations mirror federal charges filed last October against Kurson — a case that went away when Trump pardoned him in January in the final hours of his White House term.

Presidential pardons apply only to federal crimes, not state offenses.

“We will not accept presidential pardons as get-out-of-jail-free cards for the well-connected in New York,” Vance said in a statement.

A message seeking comment was left with Kurson’s lawyer.

Speaking about the federal charges last year, Kurson lawyer Marc Mukasey said: “The conduct alleged is hardly worthy of a federal criminal prosecution. Ken will get past it.”

Kurson is the first person in Trump’s orbit to be charged by local prosecutors after being pardoned by the former president, though it’s not the first time Manhattan prosecutors have tangled with a Trump ally.

District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. charged former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort with state crimes in 2019 as a hedge against a possible pardon after he was convicted in federal court over similar mortgage fraud allegations.

Manafort challenged Vance’s case on double jeopardy grounds and won, with a final decision coming in February, less than two months after Trump pardoned him in the federal case.

Last month, Vance brought tax fraud charges against Trump’s company, the Trump Organization and its longtime chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg. A court hearing in that matter is scheduled for Sept. 20. Neither Weisselberg nor the company had been charged with those crimes previously.

New York eased double jeopardy protections in 2019 to ensure state prosecutors could pursue charges against anyone granted a presidential pardon for similar federal crimes.

In Kurson’s case, double jeopardy wouldn’t necessarily be an issue because his federal case ended before a conviction or acquittal.

The federal case against Kurson, who now works in the cryptocurrency industry, arose from a background check after the Trump administration offered Kurson a seat in 2018 on the board of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Manhattan prosecutors started investigating Kurson for possible violations of state law once Trump pardoned him.

In explaining the pardon, the Trump White House cited a letter from Kurson’s ex-wife in which she said she never wanted him investigated or arrested and, “repeatedly asked for the FBI to drop it.”

It wasn’t clear from the criminal complaint filed Wednesday whether she’s cooperating with the state case. In the document, prosecutors cited interviews she and Kurson gave to police in New Jersey in 2015, as well as computer records and an interview with a person who worked with Kurson’s ex-wife.

According to Manhattan prosecutors, Kurson monitored his now ex-wife’s computer keystrokes in 2015 and 2016 using spyware, obtaining passwords and accessing her Gmail and Facebook accounts. In October 2015, prosecutors said, he accessed and then anonymously disseminated his now ex-wife’s Facebook messages.

According to Wednesday’s criminal complaint, Kurson’s now ex-wife told South Orange police he was “terrorizing her through email and social media, causing her problems at work and in her social life.”

Kurson grew up in the Chicago area and attended Glenbrook North High School in Northbrook. In the 1980s he played bass with the popular Chicago alternative rock band Green.

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The White Sox announced their 2022 Cactus League schedule, which opens during spring training on Feb. 26 with a game against the Athletics at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Ariz.

The Sox play 15 home games at Camelback Ranch including a matchup with the Cubs March 18. The Sox play the Cubs at Sloan Park in Mesa on March 9, March 28 and March 29.

Here is the schedule:

The regular season opener is March 31 against the Twins at Guaranteed Rate Field.

For 2022 Spring Training ticket information, fans can sign up for the waiting list at www.camelbackranchbaseball.com. Spring training information is available at whitesox.com/spring.

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