The Bears leaned heavily on rookie running back Khalil Herbert in their first preseason game. Herbert played 23 snaps, while the team’s other five running backs totaled 29 combined.

“He’s really caught my attention … ” Bears coach Matt Nagy said Monday. “You talk about the word ‘trust’ — he hasn’t made many mistakes as a rookie. He’s very, very smooth. When he gets the football, you can see the burst that he has. …

“I just really like where he’s at right now.”

Training camp is filled with exhibition superstars — just ask fellow Bears running back Ryan Nall — but Herbert put together a well-rounded box score. He ran six times for 38 yards, caught three passes for 11 yards, returned a kick for 16 yards and totaled nine special teams snaps.

At best, Herbert profiles as the team’s third running back — and that’s not counting the injured Tarik Cohen. He figures to make the biggest impact on kicks. Herbert said special teams coordinator Chris Tabor “wants me to learn all parts of different special teams, so I’m able to go wherever he needs me to go.”

That applies to offense, too.

“Just show [coaches] that I’m able to do whatever they need me to do,” said Herbert, who played at Virginia Tech last year after transferring from Kansas. “Whatever you need me to do, I’m going to try to do it to the best of my ability.”

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This should be an easy job for the Bears to fill.

All they need is a reliable outside linebacker to get a modest number of sacks while playing opposite Khalil Mack. With Mack regularly drawing multiple blockers, his partner should be able to feast.

But that second pass-rushing spot continues to be a frustration. After No. 9 overall pick Leonard Floyd fizzled, general manager Ryan Pace tried to correct his error by throwing $70 million at Robert Quinn shortly before his 30th birthday. Quinn was on and off the injury report from the start of training camp and gave the Bears just two sacks in 548 snaps.

And now, just when there were finally some signs that Quinn was regaining the prowess that made him a dominant pass rusher, he’s injured again. He hurt his ankle on one of his seven plays in the opening preseason game against the Dolphins — he looked fast in his stint — and was out of practice Monday.

While coach Matt Nagy didn’t specify the severity of Quinn’s injury or how long he’d be out, it’s yet another setback at a position of high concern. Of all the things on the Bears’ to-do list leading up to this season, getting Quinn back on track was one of their highest priorities.

“We want to get that right,” Nagy said when Quinn began missing time during training camp. “It’s been a really good start. … A really, really good thing.”

Quinn was still steaming over his lackluster debut season for the Bears when he reported for camp and called it “just a terrible year.” The season before, with the Cowboys, he was resurgent with 11.5 sacks — his most since being an all-pro in 2013.

Quinn has been an enigmatic personality and player throughout his decade in the NFL, and the Bears were well aware of that when they signed him. He had five sacks as a rookie for the Rams, then erupted for 40 over the next three seasons.

His production dipped as he played just 17 games over the next two seasons, then struggled to adapt when the Rams switched from their 4-3 defense to a 3-4. That meant Quinn had to move from defensive end to outside linebacker, which he hated. That made it an extremely strange decision when he picked the Bears and their 3-4 defense in free agency, and he alluded to that being suboptimal fit recently.

“If you’ve known my career, if you know me, you know where I like to be,” Quinn said when asked how new defensive coordinator Sean Desai can maximize his skills. “He knows where I’m dominant at. You’ve got to do what best fits the team, but also what best fits the player to get the best out of the player.”

There’s little chance Desai will allow the defense’s success to hinge on Quinn’s health. Veteran outside linebacker Jeremiah Attaochu is a logical choice if Quinn is out and had five sacks in 13 games for the Broncos last season.

That sack number would’ve ranked second on the Bears last season, trailing only Mack’s nine, as they finished 17th with 35 total. Two seasons earlier, they were third in the NFL with 50.

That’s the key to their entire defense and, by extension, their season. It’s hard for any team to thrive when pours money into an area and doesn’t get a commensurate return on the field. That’s what has happened to them with Quinn, and his latest injury is discouraging.

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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 sunny with a high near 81 degrees. Tonight will be mostly clear with a low around 65. Tomorrow will be mostly sunny with a high near 84.

Top story

Two top Chicago Park District managers suspended in wake of sexual harassment and assault of female lifeguards

The head of the Chicago Park District today announced the “emergency suspension” of two “high-level” district employees, as well as seven others, in the wake of an investigation into a long-standing culture of sexual harassment and assault targeting female lifeguards.

Without naming them, Chicago Park District Supt. Mike Kelly said the high-level district employees are the assistant director of beaches and pools, and the beaches and pools manager. Both were placed on suspension Aug. 13, based on information Kelly said he received from Park District Inspector General Elaine Little.

In total, the district has taken disciplinary action against 42 employees since an investigation began in March 2020.

“I understand the frustration with the time it has taken to look into these complaints,” Kelly said, talking to reporters at the South Shore Cultural Center. “Investigations never happen fast enough, but I assure every person who has been impacted by this case that this is top of mind to me.”

About six female lifeguards at park district pools and beaches were sexually harassed and assaulted by male co-workers, with some of the harassment taking place in front of children, according to an internal investigation made public earlier this summer.

The explosive allegations, including an attempted rape, were in a report that hints at a cover-up.

Read Stefano Esposito’s full story here.

More news you need

Fifty-six people were wounded, eight of them fatally, in citywide shootings over the weekend. Read more on the recent gun violence here.

An off-duty Chicago police officer exchanged gunfire with a group of men who shot at him after following him into a parking lot today in Portage Park, authorities say. Police also said no one was injured.

Months after he was vaccinated against COVID-19, state Senate President Don Harmon said he’s recovering from what he described as “mild symptoms” of the disease. Read more about the first breakthrough case of the virus revealed by a state senator.

Not every Chicago building can be a testament to architectural brilliance. This local guide uses what he playfully calls “ugly” buildings in River North for an architectural tour that serves up lessons … and the occasional zinger.

Fall Out Boy, Green Day and Weezer came together at Wrigley Field last night for the stadium’s first concert since the summer of 2019. By all accounts it was a rockin’ show – read Selena Fragassi’s review of the three-part pop punk show here.

A bright one

Bud Billiken Parade returns to South Side: ‘We are all here to have a good time’

The Bud Billiken Parade, a beloved end of summer and back-to-school tradition, returned to Bronzeville Saturday after a one-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Thousands of Black Chicagoans of all ages lined a shortened parade route through the South Side neighborhood to watch the city’s youth put their talents on display under a scorching sun.

Adults tried to beat the summer heat by lounging in lawn chairs under shady trees, umbrellas and tents, while children slurped their snow cones out of styrofoam cups as the sound of drums, music and the crowd’s cheers echoed down the streets.

Geek Squad performs during the Bud Billiken Parade in the Bronzeville neighborhood, Saturday, Aug. 14, 2021. The parade, which was cancelled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is now on its 92nd year. Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

“For me, it’s just the music, the bands, the groove,” Stephanie Hall said as she bounced to the beat. “… [Some people] might be from 79th [street], they might be from 87th, from 51st — we don’t know each other. We all are here to have a good time. That’s what I like.”

The Bud Billiken Parade, the oldest and largest African American parade in the nation which has been going on for more than 90 years, is a must-attend event for many Black Chicagoans, who have passed the tradition down from generation to generation.

“I’ve been coming here since I was a baby, and I just keep the family tradition going,” Tiny Reed said. “This means a lot to me.”

Read Madeline Kenney’s full story from Saturday here.

From the press box

Justin Fields showed off his poise in a solid preseason debut that was the talk of the town over the weekend, but Bears coach Matt Nagy reiterated today that Andy Dalton will be the Week 1 starter regardless of what happens the rest of camp.
Speaking of Nagy … after years of having substantial input on the roster, the coach now has the skill players and exciting young QB he’s desired. Now what? Jason Lieser looks at what should be a big year for the head coach who arrived in Chicago as a well-regarded offensive mind.

The White Sox made a series of roster moves today including putting Adam Engel on the 10-day injured list.
The Blackhawks re-signed winger Alex Nylander to a one-year, $874,125 contract, the team announced this morning. Nylander had been a restricted free agent.
Our high school sports team is previewing the upcoming football season. Check out team previews for No. 8 Hinsdale Central, No. 9 Wheaton North and No. 10 Maine South.

Your daily question ?

It’s time to start harvesting vegetables planted in the spring. Which ones have you been enjoying from your garden?

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

On Friday, in honor of it being Friday the 13th, we asked you: What’s one superstition you have? Here’s what some of you said…

“I have worked in a nursing home for 11 years and my superstitions are based on experience. Death comes in threes, never use the word “quiet” and people really do get crazy during a full moon.” — Kristi Silence

“Putting your purse on the floor.” — Kristine Uwainat Rhee

“When you’re going on or off a baseball or softball field you don’t step on the chalk! Ever!” — Phil Hardison

“Being in the room when a Chicago team is playing; it’s a no no.” – Elizabeth Fukawa

“I knock on wood all the time.” — Heather Lensink McBride

“I knock on wood. It’s in the DNA.” — Katherine Konopasek

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

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A health care worker, known by Belmont Central residents as “Dr. Lou,” was treating patients Sunday when he heard a loud vibration that sounded like a drill going through a ceiling.

When he heard the screams that followed, he ran outside and saw two girls with gunshot wounds lying on the grass.

Lou, who didn’t want his full name used, immediately checked the older girl’s breathing, felt for a pulse and then grabbed her hand, repeatedly telling her, “It’s going to be OK.”.

“I just wanted her to be aware in case she was still conscious that someone was really caring for her while she was dying. I did not want her to … did not want her to feel she was dying alone,” Lou said, his voice quivering.

“And the truth is she did not make it. And I feel sorry I could not do more.”

Serenity Broughton, 7, died from the gunshot wounds she suffered to her chest and torso.

Her sister, identified by family as 6-year-old Aubrey Broughton, was “fighting for her life” at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood with gunshot wounds to her chest and armpit, Chief of Patrol Brian McDermott said Sunday.

A 7-year-old girl was killed and another wounded August 15, 2021 in Belmont Central.Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

Lou said roughly 20 bullet casings ended up in a narrow alley beside his clinic after the shooting.

“It was a terrible sight,” said Lou who ran back to grab more supplies to help Aubrey just as police and paramedics arrived and took over the blood-soaked scene.

“I never seen anything like this. It was like in movies. I’ve never seen anything like this ever. And it’s happening in real life.”

The girls’ mother was putting Serenity in the backseat of the family’s car when Serenity was shot shortly before 3 p.m. in the 6200 block of West Grand Avenue, Chicago police said.

Aubrey was sitting in the back of the car when the gunfire erupted on the block police described as a “gang-conflict area.”

Neither the girls nor their mother were intended targets, police said.

Lou did not know how the girls ended up in the grass but said there was so much commotion and crying, his goal was to tend to them.

A 7-year-old girl was killed and another wounded August 15, 2021 in Belmont Central.Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

Mayor Lori Lightfoot Monday described the girls’ shooting as “senseless and brutal” and called for a war against gangs.

“We must unite against our common enemy: the gangs who have no regard for the sanctity of life, even that of young children,” Lightfoot said in a statement.

“We must declare war on these killers and their associates, and we must support our police as they leave no stone unturned as they search for the killers so that they may face justice. These killers have forfeited their right to walk amongst us as free people and we can have no empathy for them.”

Police are encouraging anyone with information on the shooting to file an anonymous tip on the Police Department’s website or to contact Area 5 detectives.

Activist Andrew Holmes is also offering a $2,000 reward for any information leading to an arrest or conviction.

“It’s not about the money, it’s just about catching these individuals before they strike and hit another child,” Holmes said. “Stop killing our children.”

Serenity and Aubrey’s cousin, Alysha Tolefree, said the family has started an online fundraiser to cover costs related to Serenity’s funeral and the girls’ medical bills.

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With 22 seconds left in the first half Saturday, Bears quarterback Justin Fields took a shotgun snap, looked left for his receiver running a post route and, seeing it covered, checked down left to running back Khalil Herbert. Herbert caught the ball a half-step outside the numbers and ducked out of bounds as he was hit.

It was just a gain of five yards — but it was Bears quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo’s favorite play of the game. He told head coach Matt Nagy as much.

“Him staying in rhythm with his feet, top down and not panicking,” Nagy said Monday. “And he simply … you watch his eyes, he went to the post route and then in his progression, he just slightly moved his eyes and his feet down to Herbert, gave it to him and trusted Herbert to get out of bounds.

“That’s not easy to do. A lot of guys will scramble, run around, waste four seconds and throw the ball away. He didn’t.”

Fields was putting into practice what he’s learned in training camp: to trust his progressions. More importantly, he showcased the most encouraging aspect of the rookie’s preseason showing — his poise.

Bears players used different descriptions for how simply unaffected Fields seemed by his first serious NFL action — in a two-minute drill or otherwise — Saturday. He’ll need every ounce of that attitude to maneuver through the hype of the next three weeks.

Nagy was clear Monday that his quarterback plan remained unchanged even after Fields posted a 106.7 passer rating — the fifth-best number in the league — on Saturday. Andy Dalton remains the starter and Fields the second-stringer.

Nagy’s statement was unsurprising, prudent — and, at least for now, correct. Months of planning for Week 1 shouldn’t get scrapped because Fields fared well against second- and third-stringers on a team that didn’t game plan for him — or any other quarterback — in a preseason game.

Fields was thrilling, though, to a fan base desperate to have their first franchise quarterback in 71 years. Fields must feel their excitement — and impatience — even if he tries to avoid social media. Fans cheered him at Soldier Field on Saturday and a day later at Guaranteed Rate Field. The White Sox welcomed Bears rookies, who stood in a half-moon behind the mound as Fields threw out the first pitch before Sunday’s game against the Yankees.

The weight of expectations is a lot for Fields to carry, even if he’s never taken a regular season snap. His college experience — being a star at Ohio State garners more attention than, say, Mitch Trubisky’s one year starting at North Carolina — should make the transition to the pros easier.

His composure on the field — Fields said he was “as calm as I could be” Saturday — speaks well to his ability to navigate the circus off it.

For playing a game at Soldier Field for the first time, Fields “handled everything pretty well,” guard Cody Whitehair said.

The final drive of the first half brought that into clearer view.

“Just calm, cool, collected,” center Sam Mustipher said. “He did a great job of leading us down the field and marching our way down there for a field goal.”

Herbert, a fellow rookie, noticed.

So did everyone else inside Halas Hall.

“He didn’t seem nervous or anxious, just calmness in the huddle, calmness in the pocket,” Herbert said. “Doing what he needed to do, get the ball out of bounds, get the ball to people who he needs to get it to and then ultimately get in position to kick the field goal.”

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The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report released last week, demonstrating how climate change and global warming will reach a point of no return if we don’t act immediately, should make every human being on the planet stand up and demand action.

That action must be to stop burning fossil fuels altogether, and much sooner than we’d planned. It demands that we legislate carbon fees and dividends, or similar measures, to drastically reduce carbon emissions. That action must also include developing carbon capture, preserving forests, changing how we obtain our food, distributing free birth control worldwide and mitigating the effects of global warming that we’re already too late to stop altogether.

SEND LETTERS TO: [email protected]. Please include your neighborhood or hometown and a phone number for verification purposes. Letters should be approximately 350 words or less.

This is not going to be inconvenient. It might involve gas rationing, paying for green infrastructure, limiting water usage, paying more for food that isn’t local.

Yet I and many of my fellow citizens are ready and willing to be inconvenienced to save our planet. A small amount of discomfort now might mean that my children and grandchildren aren’t baking in heat that the power grid can’t mitigate or wondering why there are no longer any songbirds — or trees, for that matter.

Are our politicians willing to pass legislation that might be unpopular with those constituents who still don’t understand the precipice we’re on? Are we citizens willing to cut back our meat intake, adhere to limits on mileage in gas-burning cars and take fewer showers? I am. Many are. We are desperately trying to save our only home. I will vote only for those candidates who understand that climate change is a global emergency and make it their top priority.

individual rights stop at the border of others’ rights. If global warming is allowed to go on, unchecked by strict regulation, all humans will be affected in a catastrophic way.

The house is on fire, yet we’re still sitting in the living room talking about what we should do.

Francesca Kelly, Highland Park

Afghanistan withdrawal opposes liberty

I haven’t cried in a long time, let alone from reading a newspaper, but I just did when reading about President Joe Biden’s hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan. The Taliban is quickly filling the void and taking over.

We will soon be seeing images again of women beheaded and mass destruction. As an old former U.S. Marine, I cried NOT for the loss of my brothers who died honorably serving in Afghanistan for 20 years, but because they died in vain.

Whether intended or not, President Biden’s withdrawal honors Osama bin Laden.

Malcolm Montgomery, Hammond, Indiana

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U.S. soccer forward Carli Lloyd is retiring after a decorated career that included a pair of World Cup titles and two Olympic gold medals, as well as a bronze medal at the Tokyo Games.

The two-time FIFA World Player of the Year known for her dramatic hat-trick in the 2015 World Cup final will play four as-yet unannounced friendly matches this fall with the U.S., and finish out the season with her club team, Gotham FC. She hinted for more than a year that she was nearing the end of her career and made it official Monday.

“Through all the goals, the trophies, the medals and the championships won, what I am most proud of is that I’ve been able to stay unapologetically me,” said Lloyd, whose international career has spanned some 16 years. “My journey has been hard, but I can honestly say I’ve stayed true to myself, to my teammates, my coaches, the media and the fans throughout my entire career and that is what I am most proud of. Everyone sees the moments of glory, but I have cherished the work behind the scenes and the adversity that I’ve had to overcome to get to those glorious moments.”

The 39-year-old Lloyd scored a pair of goals in the United States’ 4-3 victory over Australia in the bronze medal game in Japan earlier this month. She became the first American to score in four different Olympics, and her 10 total goals in the event set a new record among U.S. players.

She ranks second on the national team’s all-time list with 312 appearances, and fourth with 128 goals.

Lloyd is probably best known for her three goals, all in the space of 16 minutes, to lead the United States to a 5-2 victory over Japan in the 2015 World Cup final. Her third goal in that match was a blistering strike from midfield.

At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Lloyd scored in overtime in a 1-0 victory over Brazil in the final. Four years later, she scored both goals in the gold-medal match against Japan at Wembley Stadium, becoming the only player to score winning goals in consecutive Olympic finals.

“Carli Lloyd is a true legend,” U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski said. “Her career was unique, and her success on the field is something all current and future National Team players should aspire to achieve. The way she approached her everyday training and career as a professional is truly impressive and I’ve been honored to coach her.”

A New Jersey native, Lloyd has played professionally for some 12 years, spanning time in the now-defunct Women’s Professional Soccer league and in the National Women’s Soccer League. She also had a brief stint with Manchester United in the Women’s Super League.

Known for her steely focus and competitiveness, Lloyd suggested after the United States’ run to the 2019 World Cup title that she would try to make the roster for the Tokyo Games, but it would likely be her last major tournament with the national team.

When the Olympics were pushed back a year because of the coronavirus pandemic, Lloyd underwent a knee procedure and worked her way back under a new trainer. She also took advantage of the downtime to reconnect with her family, from whom she’d been estranged for much of her career.

“To end my career knowing my family was able to be by my side and share this last chapter with me could not have been any more special,” she said. “We will all have a lot more time to spend together now, and especially with my husband Brian, who has been my rock and biggest support system for all these years. We are both looking forward to starting this next chapter of our lives without my everyday grind of training and playing, but I will most likely need to another outlet for my competitiveness! Perhaps that will be golf?”

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I write as one of the plaintiffs in the Protect Our Parks lawsuit trying to prevent the Obama Foundation’s seizure of Jackson Park.

It appears now that the Obamas have no intention of respecting the seriousness of the lawsuit by waiting to see the outcome. They have already begun closing roads around the park, and the demolition of the historic Women’s Garden has begun. It will be used as a “staging area” for the trucks and heavy equipment required to clear cut over a thousand mature trees, many of them a century old.

After five years of dubious legal and political maneuvers to defeat opponents of this environmental disaster, and futile efforts to persuade the Obamas to move the Presidential Center to a superior site on the South Side that their own consultants recommended, we find ourselves on the eve of destruction.

Since all this has now come to seem inevitable, or, as we say in Chicago, a “done deal,” perhaps it is time for those of us who oppose the destruction of Jackson Park to admit defeat and provide helpful suggestions for ways to make this next phase as efficient and painless as possible.

In that spirit, I have a few suggestions for the Obama Foundation. The first concerns the trees. Admittedly, they are in the way of the immature saplings and the sculpted Styrofoam landscaping that will surround the 235-tall monument to Obama presidency. The question is, what is the most efficient way to remove them? Bulldozers and chainsaws strike me as crude instruments when a much quicker, cost-effective alternative is obvious.

Why not set the trees on fire? That way they will provide the fuel for their own destruction, saving the burning of fossil fuels required by all that heavy equipment. Many of the trees are over a century old, and the energy expended in cutting them down can easily be saved by burning up the thousands of years of energy stored in them. This will also save considerably on labor costs.

A further refinement in this proposal is suggested by the question of which trees should be set on fire first. My recommendation would be to take the oldest, what forestry experts call the “mother trees,” in the glades of Jackson Park. Studies have shown that these century-old trees can actually feel it when their numerous siblings, offspring and neighboring underbrush are violently removed. Best to begin, then, by sparing the sensitivities of these senior trees, along with all the benighted tree-huggers and bird-watchers who will mourn their passing.

The burning of Jackson Park would have symbolic power as well. The funeral pyre is one of the oldest rituals for dealing with the dead. Admittedly, Jackson Park’s trees are not dead yet, but they soon will be. In most cultures we do not cremate the living, but wait until they have died of natural causes to perform the last rites. In this case, however, the living must be sacrificed because they stand in the way of what we are assured is “progress.”

Given the out-of-control forest fires ravaging the Western United States at this moment, the destruction of a mere thousand mature trees will seem like a minor issue in our inexorable march to a hotter planet.

I want to anticipate one predictable objection to this proposal. Some people will say that burning down the trees of Jackson Park will not look good. It will be difficult to conceal it from the public with ten-foot-high screened chain link fences because the smoke and the smell will hover over the South Side for days. But there is a straightforward answer to this objection.

Instead of concealing the destruction, the Obama Foundation should treat it as a noble sacrifice of a historic public space that deserves a spectacular send-off, a celebratory ignition to accompany the ground-breaking. Even better, the resulting scene of destruction can be rendered in dramatic images that will remind the public of the historic spectacle of Jackson Park in 1894, after a devastating fire burned the remnants of the Chicago Columbian Exposition.

I provide here a photograph of that scene in all its sublime splendor. Of course, it will not look exactly the same. There will not be the architectural foundations of the incinerated pavilions of the World’s Fair. But the husks of the tree trunks and their root structures can easily be displayed to good effect to remind the citizens of Chicago of this heroic sacrifice of public land.

Perhaps this photo should be displayed alongside the portrait of Obama seated in front of a wall of green foliage now on view at the Art Institute.

A fitting epitaph for what was supposed to be a “green presidency.”

The only question I have at this point is, who will light the match?

W. J. T. Mitchell is a historian of landscape and the politics of public space. He has been a professor at the University of Chicago and a resident of Hyde Park for more than 40 years. He is a plaintiff in the lawsuit against the Obama Foundation’s efforts to build a presidential center in Jackson Park.

Send letters to [email protected].

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