Horoscope for Thursday, August 5, 2021Georgia Nicolson August 5, 2021 at 5:01 am

Moon Alert

There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions. The moon is in Cancer.

Aries (March 21-April 19)

Today is the perfect day to cocoon at home or relax with family members. A discussion with a female family member might be significant for both of you. However, you might want to “hide” in comfortable, familiar surroundings. Your choice.

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

In discussion with others today, you want a genuine connection with whomever you are talking to. This means you will be disappointed if the conversation remains at a superficial, chitchat level. You want a real exchange. Something meaningful.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

Financial matters are on your mind, which is why this could be a tricky day if you are shopping. You might make purchases based on emotional decisions rather than practical decisions. The best way to protect yourself is to save your receipts — and the box.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

Today the moon is still in your sign, which makes you more emotional than usual. However, it also increases your good luck just a tiny bit. (And as we all know, every little bit helps!) Therefore, ask the universe for a favor today. See what happens?

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)

With the sun and Mercury in your sign now, you are powerful and busy relating to others. However, today you have a chance to seek some solitude and escape from the busyness around you, if you choose to do so. Welcome any opportunity to take time to replenish and restore yourself — even briefly.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

This is a good day to have a heart-to-heart talk with someone, perhaps a female acquaintance. It might benefit you to share your hopes and dreams for the future with this person, because, quite possibly, their feedback will help you. Who knows? Try it.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

Once again, today the moon is sitting at the very top of your chart, which seems to put you in the public eye. In other words, at some point, people will notice you more than usual and they will be talking about you. (You might need to do some damage control.)

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

Because you feel a bit restless today and eager for adventure, give yourself a chance to explore something new. Do something different! Go someplace you have never been before. Obviously, travel will appeal. But you will also be interested to learn new things and meet unusual people.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

Although you have a desire to travel and “get away from all this,” today you cannot ignore certain details regarding shared property, taxes, debt, insurance matters or something to do with inheritances. Whatever calls to you — address it and get some of this done.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Because the moon is in the sign that is 180 degrees opposite from your sign, this means the best way for you to handle this is to be ready to go more than halfway when dealing with others. In other words, you have to cooperate and be supportive. No biggie.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

Very possibly, you will have to perform a service for someone else or help them in some way. You might also be more involved than usual with a pet. At work, you might find that a coworker wants to confide in you or that they need your help.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)

You’re in a playful frame of mind today, which is why you will enjoy fun activities with children, the arts or any kind of mental, intellectual games. You will also be attracted to sports events and the entertainment world. “Bring it on!”

If Your Birthday Is Today

Director, writer, actor James Gunn (1966) shares your birthday. You are a natural leader and excellent at managing and directing others. Ever adventurous, you are self-assured and diplomatic, which is why others listen to you. You have humanitarian values at heart. In a nine-year cycle, this is your ninth year, which means it is a time of endings and letting go of what is no longer really relevant in your life.

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Horoscope for Thursday, August 5, 2021Georgia Nicolson August 5, 2021 at 5:01 am Read More »

And the rest is history: Lucas Giolito roughed up for six runs in White Sox loss to RoyalsDaryl Van Schouwenon August 5, 2021 at 3:25 am

With a comfortable lead over the Indians in the AL Central approaching double digits, it only makes sense to think about October.

White Sox manager Tony La Russa doesn’t like going there, though. A baseball lifer, he swears the baseball gods exist — up in the sky, probably, judging by his glances in that direction when he mentions them — waiting for opportunities to punish baseball people who make assumptions.

Like the postseason is a lock.

With a 9 1/2 game lead over the Indians in early August going into their 9-1 loss to the Royals before 22,793 fans at Guaranteed Rate Field Wednesday, the Sox should be making preparations for October, and the first one involves keeping their starting rotation as fresh as possible. To that end, Wednesday starter Lucas Giolito started on six days rest instead of the usual four, a night after Dylan Cease did the same.

Veteran lefty Dallas Keuchel is actually building in step with a mapped out plan that began during spring training, so he will start on four days rest in the series finale against the Royals Thursday. Lance Lynn will face the Cubs on six days rest Friday at Wrigley Field and Carlos Rodon, who hasn’t pitched beyond four innings in his last two starts with lower velocity readings, pitches on eight days rest Saturday.

While the Indians were losing to the Blue Jays, the Sox entered Wednesday matching their largest lead of the season and the biggest lead in baseball’s six divisions. They were trying to move 20 games over .500 for the fifth time this season.

“It just makes sense,” La Russa said. “When pitching a baseball, as a starting pitcher especially, when you go out there and you’re successful and you get into the last part of the game, it’s a lot of effort and you repeat that every fifth day, it seems like it’s four days rest but it really isn’t, they’re working.

“Most of the time it’s mental as well as physical.”

The starting rotation is the backbone of this team, and it needs to be cared for. Sox starters led the AL in ERA (3.35), strikeouts (660), strikeouts per nine innings (10.15), opponents on-base (.287), slugging (.371), OPS (.658) and WHIP (1.14). The rotation has allowed two runs or fewer in 67 games, the most in the AL.

All-Stars Lynn (2.07) and Rodon (2.49) are first and second in ERA.

Giolito was rounding into his 2019 All-Star form with a 1.71 ERA over his previous four starts but was off kilter Wednesday, allowing three home runs, six runs and eight hits (no walks). Ordinarily, La Russa would have tried to get another inning out of his starter but he pulled Giolito after four innings and 81 pitches.

Edward Olivares, Carlos Santana and Michael Taylor hit homers against Giolito, who had allowed one homer in five July starts. His ERA climbed from 3.67 to 3.98.

Royals righty Carlos Hernandez allowed one run on two hits over five innings, the run coming on Jose Abreu’s 19th homer. Abreu is four homers shy of Harold Baines (221) for fourth on the Sox’ all-time list. Abreu also had a routing throw from second baseman Cesar Hernandez glance off his glove for an error.

Ryan O’Hearn’s two-run homer against Jose Ruiz hiked the Royals lead to 8-1.

Giolito simply wasn’t at his best, recording two strikeouts and getting 10 swings and misses. He led the AL with 335 swinging strikes going in.

“He wasn’t right,” La Russa said. “He usually makes pitches but he had trouble locating pitches. Just a tough night. Same thing for our offense, four hits. We got beat.

“A guy goes out there 30-something times you’re going to have a game like that. Man is not a machine.”

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And the rest is history: Lucas Giolito roughed up for six runs in White Sox loss to RoyalsDaryl Van Schouwenon August 5, 2021 at 3:25 am Read More »

Two — including 13-year-old boy — wounded in East Garfield Park shooting, according to policeSun-Times Wireon August 5, 2021 at 3:49 am

Two males — including a 13-year-old boy — were shot Wednesday in East Garfield Park on the West Side.

The two were sitting in the rear of a vehicle around 7 p.m. in the first block of North Hamlin Avenue when someone opened fire, Chicago Police said.

The 19-year-old victim was shot in his left land, police said. The 13-year-old was shot in his neck.

Both were dropped off by a friend at Rush University Medical Center where the 19-year-old’s condition was stabilized, police said.

The 13-year-old was transferred to Stroger Hospital and is listed in critical condition, police said.

No one was in custody, and Area Four detectives are investigating.

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Two — including 13-year-old boy — wounded in East Garfield Park shooting, according to policeSun-Times Wireon August 5, 2021 at 3:49 am Read More »

Chicago’s Craft Beer Weekend, August 6-8on August 5, 2021 at 3:50 am

The Beeronaut

Chicago’s Craft Beer Weekend, August 6-8

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Chicago’s Craft Beer Weekend, August 6-8on August 5, 2021 at 3:50 am Read More »

Man wounded while riding in vehicle in West Town shootingSun-Times Wireon August 5, 2021 at 2:21 am

A man was wounded while riding in a vehicle Wednesday in West Town on the Near West Side.

The passenger, 28, was riding in a vehicle just before 6 p.m. northbound in the 300 block of North Loomis when someone opened fire, Chicago Police said.

The man was shot multiple times in his left leg and groin, police said. He was taken to Stroger Hospital and is listed in critical condition.

No one was in custody, and Area Three detectives are investigating.

On Monday, a man was fatally shot about a mile-and-a-half away.

Around 2:35 a.m., the man, 34, was found on the ground in the 1400 block of West Division Street with multiple gunshot wounds to his back, police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene. He was identified as James Madrid of West Town by the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

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Man wounded while riding in vehicle in West Town shootingSun-Times Wireon August 5, 2021 at 2:21 am Read More »

Drummer Charlie Watts to miss Rolling Stones’ tour following medical procedureAssociated Presson August 5, 2021 at 2:34 am

LOS ANGELES — Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts will likely miss the band’s upcoming U.S. tour to allow him to recover from an unspecified medical procedure.

A spokesperson for the musician said the procedure was “completely successful” but that Watts needs time to recuperate. The Stones are set to resume their No Filter tour with a stadium show on Sept. 26 in St. Louis.

“With rehearsals starting in a couple of weeks it’s very disappointing to say the least, but it’s also fair to say no one saw this coming,” a spokesperson for Watts said in a statement.

Watts, 80, said in a statement he did not want his recovery to further delay the tour, which is set to visit several U.S. cities including Dallas, Atlanta, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. He will be replaced by understudy Steve Jordan, who has played with Keith Richards for years.

“For once my timing has been a little off. I am working hard to get fully fit but I have today accepted on the advice of the experts that this will take a while,” Watts said. “After all the fans’ suffering caused by Covid I really do not want the many RS fans who have been holding tickets for this Tour to be disappointed by another postponement or cancellation. I have therefore asked my great friend Steve Jordan to stand in for me.”

Watts successfully underwent treatment for throat cancer in 2004.

He’s been the drummer for the Stones since the band formed in 1962.

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Drummer Charlie Watts to miss Rolling Stones’ tour following medical procedureAssociated Presson August 5, 2021 at 2:34 am Read More »

Our Top 5 Crosstown Classic Moments Ahead of the 2021 Crosstown ClassicDrew Krieson August 3, 2021 at 11:58 pm

Whether you’re a northside nut or a southside supporter, we can all agree that some of the best regular season baseball comes with the Crosstown Classic. So don’t expect the 2021 Crosstown Classic to be any different.

This year, the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox continue their rivalry with a schedule of six games. The first three take place at Wrigley Field from August 6-8. Then, at the end of the month, they’ll head over to Guaranteed Rate Field for another three game series from August 27-29.

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Throughout the history of the Crosstown Classic, the teams took the field for 128 regular season games with the White Sox holding a 2 game advantage. As one of the top teams in baseball, they’ll look to build on that advantage in the 2021 Crosstown Classic. But, before we see how those games play out, let’s take a look at some of the top Crosstown Classic moments from history!

An ‘08 Series Split

The 2008 Crosstown Classic was the first instance where both teams faced each other in first place. After the first three games in Wrigley, the Chicago Cubs had the upper hand as they swept the Sox at home. That changed quickly though, as the White Sox took the next three games at their home field back when they still called it US Cellular Field. In the 2008 season, both teams made the playoffs, which hadn’t happened simultaneously since 1906. If you recall (you won’t) the Cubs and White Sox faced off in the World  Series that year, and the southsiders walked away with the crown.

Aramis Ramierez Walk-Off Bomb

Game one of the 2008 Crosstown Classic series ended with a bang. In the bottom of the 9th, Aramis Ramierez stepped up into the batter’s box to face White Sox reliever Scott Linebrink. Down 1 run with a man on first and a 1-0 count, Ramierez earned his game check that day as he cranked one over the center of the ivy wall at Wrigley.  It would end up being his second home run of the day.

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Carlos Lee Grand Slam Finisher

Speaking of walk-offs, Carlos Lee became a southside hero on June 18, 2001 when he sent one deep in the bottom of the 10th inning. Facing a 1-0 count, 2 outs, and the bases loaded, Lee sent his first career grand slam to the stands in left field. After the celebrations and fireworks, he would go on to continue to wreak havoc on the Cubs when they played. We’re just hoping we get to see at least one walk-off in the 2021 Crosstown Classic.

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Michael Jordan Takes The Field

Chicago Cubs fans may despise the White Sox organization and it’s players, but no one up north could refuse to take part in the standing ovation for this Chicago sports legend. Before the official start of Crosstown Classic games, the Cubs and White Sox would play in exhibition games where non-starters mostly played. And in 1994, Chicago sports legend Michael Jordan started for the Sox against the Cubs. Jordan, like usual, didn’t disappoint and went 2-5 at the plate with 2 RBIs.

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The Barrett vs Pierzynski Brawl

No Cubs and White Sox rivalry moments list would be complete without the famous Michael Barrett and AJ Pierzynski fight. Which means this list of throwbacks ahead of the 2021 Crosstown Classic will end as expected.

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On May 20, 2006, a battle of the catchers broke out when AJ Pierzynski was sent barreling home on a sacrifice fly hit by Brian Anderson. In his successful attempt at scoring, Pierzynski pummeled Cubs catcher Michael Barret into the ground and forced him to lose the ball. He then slapped the plate before receiving a solid sucker punch to the face.  Both catchers, the batter, and Cubs first baseman John Mabry were ejected from the game. Once play resumed after the fight, the Sox loaded the bases and cleared them with a grand slam. They would win that game 7-0.

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Our Top 5 Crosstown Classic Moments Ahead of the 2021 Crosstown ClassicDrew Krieson August 3, 2021 at 11:58 pm Read More »

Look Out for NezKeegan Goudieon August 4, 2021 at 10:30 pm

Nesbitt Wesonga Jr. (‘Nez’) was on shift at Bloomingdale’s when he heard the news. He and his production partner were nominated for a Grammy for their work on ScHoolboy Q’s Oxymoron album.

“It was crazy,” Nesbitt told me just hours before his Lollapalooza performance. “I was still working a job in LA at Bloomingdale’s. I was literally on my day off, and my brother called me and told me, ‘Bro, you’re Grammy-nominated.’”

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Nez is Nesbitt’s musical alias (as you might have guessed). Nez and Rio went to the same grade school and high school before going into music professionally. The duo also went onto produced well-known tracks like ScHoolboy Q’s “Man of the Year” and A$AP Rocky’s “Lord Pretty Flacko Jodye 2.” You really don’t have to look far to see how established this artist is.

What’s even more impressive, however, is what this artist is doing next: take nearly a decade in the studio and translate it to the stage. It’s even harder to do than it sounds.

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As a solo artist, Nez kept his collaborative approach going with “Wild Youngster”—a loud and irresistible house track with vocals from ScHoolboy Q.

“I think because of my closeness with ScHoolboy Q and A$AP Rocky, I’ve learned the most from them,” Nez noted. ”They’re just so open in terms of giving me information and, Q just being so supportive of my first artistry and just like, you know, allow me to help get a bigger platform as an artist by just jumping on my first record.”

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Once he found his sound, Nez said that everything started opening up for him. He recently collaborated with Chicago-born act Louis the Child (arguably one of the hottest acts in all of electronic music). Despite his Windy City background and heritage—Nez has more Spotify followers in Los Angeles than he does in Chicago.

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Nez Makes Chicago Proud at Lolla

Like every artist playing that day, however, Nez’s spotlight was shared with an artist that did not play on Sunday. Lollapalooza dropped DaBaby from his headliner spot for inexcusable remarks about the LGBQT+ community.

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You didn’t have to look far for people expressing their disapproval.

Long before the announcement about DaBaby, Nez revealed he has quite a different perspective on music’s role in bringing people together. Specifically, the two genres that define his new sound (hip-hop and house music).

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“Both genres that I’m bridging the gap on started because they felt that they were excluded,” Nez said in this Paste Magazine article. “A lot of people don’t realize the pioneers of house music are Black and Latino gay men. On the rap side, they felt like all they had was these turntables and a microphone to be able to create the music that they felt was in their hearts.”

Chicago produces some of the most talented musicians. During his set on Saturday, Freddie Gibbs even referred to it as “the best music city.” I thought back on this comment during my interview with Nez on Sunday. I wondered, is Chicago the best music city because of the level of talent it produces, or the type of talent it produces? Does it create musicians focused on inclusion, not insults?

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In Nez’s case, the answer is most certainly yes.

“I am a supporter of all people. You know what I mean?” Nez responded about his Paste Magazine quote. “I don’t feel like marginalizing or degrading anyone in any way, shape, or form.”

The interview came to a close, and Nez was still cool as a cucumber.

Never mind that this was going to be his first live performance ever. Never mind that this was his first time at Lollapalooza in general, either.

You would have thought he’d done this a million times before. He can write, spin, produce, provide vocals. Despite starting 15 minutes into the Foo Fighters (and just minutes before the other headliner acts)—the crowd got bigger and bigger with each song. As floods of people left the first chunk of Foo Fighters to go see Young Thug, more and more stopped as they passed.

You didn’t have to look far for people expressing their approval.

Photo courtesy of @NOLIS

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Look Out for NezKeegan Goudieon August 4, 2021 at 10:30 pm Read More »

A Chicago cop gets busted in the Capitol Hill riot — and an outspoken police union goes silentCST Editorial Boardon August 5, 2021 at 12:06 am

The Chicago Fraternal Order of Police, particularly under the leadership of its current president, John Catanzara, talked tough last summer when a group of cops kneeled with local George Floyd protestors in a show of empathy.

“If you kneel, you’ll be risking being brought up on charges and thrown out of the lodge,” Catanzara said then.

But we can’t help but notice Catanzara isn’t talking now about tossing another police officer, Karol Chwiesiuk, from the FOP ranks. Chwiesiuk has been charged with bogarting his way into U.S. Capitol during the violent Jan. 6 insurrection.

Instead, the FOP is moving to protect Chwiesiuk’s job and restore his ability to carry a firearm — a privilege he lost as a condition of his bail.

Cantazara and the FOP have no harsh words, no public chastisement, for one of their members caught participating in an attempted government overthrow that also targeted, injured and overwhelmed fellow police officers.

If there’s no room in the Chicago FOP for kneeling cops, there needs to be even less tolerance for this. And yet, there it is.

Union should acknowledge alleged wrongdoing

According to federal investigators, Chwiesiuk traveled by car from Chicago to Washington, D.C., and joined the Jan. 6 mob. He allegedly claimed to have “knocked out a commie last night” in a Jan. 6 text message and — amazingly — took photos of himself inside the Capitol during the breach, wearing a hooded sweatshirt bearing the Chicago Police logo.

Chwiesiuk was placed on desk duty by the police department following his arrest and was ordered to surrender his state Firearms Owner Identity Card.

FOP lawyers earlier this week asked a federal judge to change Chwiesiuk’s bail terms so that he can have a valid FOID card — a requirement to be a sworn police officer, even one on desk duty.

A union’s job is to protect its members — make sure they get full due process — so we don’t expect the FOP to toss Chwiesiuk under the squadrol for participating in the Capitol raid. But the union should offer some type of acknowledgment, even generally stated, that police officers shouldn’t take part in violent activities that seek to undermine the rule of law.

And this should be especially true for Catanzara and the Chicago FOP, which are publicly vocal when it comes to issues of civil disobedience, from Black Lives Matter protests to the Christopher Columbus statues coming down.

‘Disappointed’ in national FOP

The silence here is deafening — and typical.

During their testimony before Congress last week, four police officers who gave harrowing accounts of their attempts to protect the Capitol building on Jan. 6 also criticized the national FOP for being largely quiet about the events of that day.

“We are very disappointed that the national FOP and local D.C. union have not strongly condemned the January 6th insurrection and [haven’t] unquestionably issued its full support for all the officers involved,” U.S. Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn and USCP Sgt. Aquilino Gonell said in a statement.

“There should be nothing to debate on these points. You either stand with the officers or you stand with the terrorists,” the statement said.

It’s time for the FOP, locally and nationally, to adjust its stance.

Send letters to [email protected]

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A Chicago cop gets busted in the Capitol Hill riot — and an outspoken police union goes silentCST Editorial Boardon August 5, 2021 at 12:06 am Read More »

At the very least, can the city clean up its vacant lotsMary Mitchellon August 5, 2021 at 12:20 am

It’s sad to say, but I stopped walking in my neighborhood.

I routinely rush the short distance to my parking lot, climb into my car, very much aware that it is not a good idea to linger behind the wheel catching up on emails.

But Wednesday morning, the weather was too spectacular to miss. So after plucking the weeds from among the fading flowers (I’ve been away for a while), I took off for the post office to mail a package.

In the summer, Chicago has this amazing vibe that makes you want to get out and do something–bike, walk, run, hang, strut–anything except sit in the house.

After leaving Chicago for Maywood in the early ’80s, my goal was always to find my way back to the lakefront.

Growing up in the public housing on the South Side, I practically lived on the lakefront.

I moved into South Shore in 2012, thinking it would be my last home. But too often, I feel I live in a neighborhood that the city has forgotten.

For instance, I passed by 75th Street and Coles Avenue and was shocked to see what has become of a vacant city lot that some residents tried to turn into a community garden.

A former South Shore resident/activist, Mary Steenson, did her best to transform the lot into a beautiful and peaceful spot where neighbors could gather.

But from what I recall, she couldn’t even get the city to commit to letting the group use a fire hydrant to water the garden.

Now instead of fluffy hydrangeas, yellow dahlias, perky petunias, and bountiful hostas, we get garbage, garbage and more garbage.

So whose fault is it that this city lot has become an eyesore?

Obviously, the people throwing their garbage over the fence are to blame, as are the folks who keep stealing the city’s garbage cans from street corners.

Obviously, cops don’t have time to chase after litterbugs and fly dumpers. Still, someone’s got to pick up the trash.

Ald. Gregory Mitchell (7th) regularly organizes volunteers to sweep up broken glass and garbage and cut down weeds and overgrown bushes and trees along East 75th Street.

But he’s frustrated with Streets and Sanitation’s grid system that he says is not operational when getting this type of stuff done.

“I’m not getting the resources, and the mayor is not listening. I am always arguing with this administration,” Mitchell told me.

The alderman (no relation) pointed out that while his ward has about 500 vacant lots, there are wards with four and five times that amount.

“They will try to do so many in my ward and so many in all the other wards, and that is the wrong approach. I told them I only have 500 vacant lots, give me a [Streets and Sanitation crew] every two weeks. But that is not what they do. When you do several different wards, then you got the rain problem, equipment failure, and them getting pulled to do other stuff,” he said.

This littered lot really gets to the heart of the contentious debate around aldermanic privilege when the snow doesn’t get removed. When the rats are running rampant. When garbage is piling up in vacant lots, residents are going to call their alderman.

I called a spokesman for the city to find out why the gated lot on 75th Street was strewn with filth and didn’t hear back.

But the spokesman called the alderman’s office to assure him a crew from Streets and Sanitation would be there at 7:00 a.m. Thursday morning, Mitchell told me.

Mitchell said he purchased his own equipment to help clean up the ward.

I know that feeling. I’ve often wanted to grab a garbage bag and go up and down the street picking up trash people throw out of their car windows.

When you walk around your neighborhood, it’s hard to ignore what’s before your eyes.

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At the very least, can the city clean up its vacant lotsMary Mitchellon August 5, 2021 at 12:20 am Read More »