What Business Owners Should Know About Fleet Maintenanceon July 23, 2021 at 12:59 pm

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What Business Owners Should Know About Fleet Maintenance

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Tokyo Olympics begin with muted ceremony and empty stadiumFoster Klug | Associated Presson July 23, 2021 at 12:27 pm

TOKYO — Belated and beleaguered, the virus-delayed Tokyo Summer Olympics finally opened Friday night with a dazzling display of fireworks and soaring, made-for-TV choreography that unfolded in a near-empty stadium, a strangely subdued ceremony that set a striking tone to match a unique pandemic Games.

As their opening unfolded, devoid of the usual crowd energy, the Olympics convened amid simmering anger and disbelief in much of the host country, but with hopes from organizers that the excitement of the sports to follow would offset the widespread opposition.

Trepidations throughout Japan have threatened for months to drown out the usual carefully packaged glitz of the opening. Inside the stadium after dusk Friday, however, a carefully calibrated ceremony sought to portray that the Games — and their spirit — are going on.

An ethereal blue light bathed the empty seats as loud music muted the shouts of scattered protesters outside screaming for the Games to be canceled — a widespread sentiment here. A single stage held an octagon shape meant to resemble the country’s fabled Mount Fuji.

Organizers held a moment of silence for those who had died of COVID; as it ticked off and the music paused, the sounds of protests echoed in the distance.

Athletes marched into the stadium in their usual parade of nations, some socially distanced, others clustering together in ways utterly contrary to organizers’ hopes. They waved enthusiastically to thousands of empty seats, and to a world hungry to watch them compete but surely wondering what to make of it all.

Their shouts raise a fundamental question about these Games as Japan, and large parts of the world, reel from the continuing gut punch of a pandemic that is stretching well into its second year, with cases in Tokyo approaching record highs this week: Will the deep, intrinsic human attachment to the spectacle of sporting competition at the highest possible level be enough to salvage these Games?

Time and again, previous opening ceremonies have pulled off something that approaches magic. Scandals — bribery in Salt Lake City, censorship and pollution in Beijing, doping in Sochi — fade into the background when the sports begin.

But with people still falling ill and dying each day from the coronavirus, there’s a particular urgency to the questions about whether the Olympic flame can burn away the fear or provide a measure of catharsis — and even awe — after a year of suffering and uncertainty in Japan and around the world.

Outside the stadium, hundreds of curious Tokyo residents lined a barricade that separated them from those entering — but just barely: Some of those going in took selfies with the onlookers across the barricades, and there was an excited carnival feeling. Some pedestrians waved enthusiastically to approaching Olympic buses.

The sports have already begun — softball and soccer, for example — and some of the focus is turning toward the competition to come.

Can the U.S. women’s soccer team, for instance, even after an early, shocking loss to Sweden, become the first to win an Olympics following a World Cup victory? Can Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama win gold in golf after becoming the first Japanese player to win the Masters? Will Italy’s Simona Quadarella challenge American standout Katie Ledecky in the 800- and 1,500-meter freestyle swimming races?

For now, however, it’s hard to miss how unusual these Games promise to be. The lovely national stadium can seem like an isolated militarized zone, surrounded by huge barricades. Roads around it have been sealed and businesses closed.

Inside, the feeling of sanitized, locked-down quarantine carries over. Fans, who would normally be screaming for their countries and mixing with people from around the world, have been banned, leaving only a carefully screened contingent of journalists, officials, athletes and participants.

Olympics often face opposition, but there’s also usually a pervasive feeling of national pride. Japan’s resentment centers on the belief that it was strong-armed into hosting — forced to pay billions and risk the health of a largely unvaccinated, deeply weary public — so the IOC can collect its billions in media revenue.

“Sometimes people ask why the Olympics exist, and there are at least two answers. One is they are a peerless global showcase of the human spirit as it pertains to sport, and the other is they are a peerless global showcase of the human spirit as it pertains to aristocrats getting luxurious hotel rooms and generous per diems,” Bruce Arthur, a sports columnist for the Toronto Star, wrote recently.

How did we get here? A quick review of the past year and a half seems operatic in its twists and turns.

A once-in-a-century pandemic forces the postponement of the 2020 version of the Games. A fusillade of scandals (sexism and other discrimination and bribery claims, overspending, ineptitude, bullying) unfolds. People in Japan, meanwhile, watch bewildered as an Olympics considered a bad idea by many scientists actually takes shape.

“We will continue to try to have this dialogue with the Japanese people knowing we will not succeed 100%. That would be putting the bar too high,” said IOC President Thomas Bach. “But we’re also confident that once the Japanese people see the Japanese athletes performing in these Olympic Games — hopefully successfully — that then the attitude will become less emotional.”

Japanese athletes, freed from onerous travel rules and able to train more normally, may indeed enjoy a nice boost over their rivals in some cases, even without fans. Judo, a sport that Japan is traditionally a powerhouse in, will begin Saturday, giving the host nation a chance for early gold.

Still, while it’s possible that “people may come out of the Olympics feeling good about themselves and about Japan having hosted the Games against all odds,” Koichi Nakano, a political science professor at Sophia University in Tokyo, believes that such a scenario “is way too optimistic.”

The reality, for now, is that the delta variant of the virus is still rising, straining the Japanese medical system in places, and raising fears of an avalanche of cases. Only a little over 20% of the population is fully vaccinated. And there have been near daily reports of positive virus cases within the so-called Olympic bubble that’s meant to separate the Olympic participants from the worried, skeptical Japanese population.

For a night, at least, the glamor and message of hope of the opening ceremonies may distract many global viewers from the surrounding anguish and anger.

Tokyo Olympics begin with muted ceremony and empty stadiumFoster Klug | Associated Presson July 23, 2021 at 12:27 pm Read More »

Chicago Blackhawks Draft: 3 players to trade up forVincent Pariseon July 23, 2021 at 12:00 pm

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The Chicago Blackhawks were handed the 12th overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft as a result of the NHL Draft Lottery earlier in the week. There are going to be some really nice players available there with the pick if they stay there. It isn’t really the selection you want in a draft but it is the reality right now. There is also the chance that they trade up in the draft to get someone they really want. These are the three players they could trade up and select:

Jesper Wallstedt

The Chicago Blackhawks could use some goaltending. Kevin Lankinen is a great goalie but every team needs more than one. Lankinen also needs to prove himself a lot more before we just crown him as the team’s number one goalie long term. That is why it might be smart to draft another goalie if they believe an elite one is available. They drafted Drew Commesso in the previous draft but you can never have too many goalies.

If Jesper Wallstedt starts to fall towards the bottom of the top ten, the Blackhawks might be smart to consider trading up to get him. He is the top goalie prospect in the 2021 NHL Draft and will be selected at some point in the first half of the draft. There is even a chance that he falls to them at their pick but that doesn’t feel likely at this point.

A goalie might be a great pick for the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2021 NHL Draft.

It is an interesting time for the Blackhawks in terms of their on-ice product. The entry draft is the most important day on the calendar and not many teams use it to address goalie issues. The Hawks might be wise to break that trend.

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Chicago Blackhawks Draft: 3 players to trade up forVincent Pariseon July 23, 2021 at 12:00 pm Read More »

DJ Manny centers love on his R&B-infused new album, Signals in My HeadJoshua Minsoo Kimon July 23, 2021 at 11:00 am

Manuel Gaines, who performs as DJ Manny, was ten years old when he first heard footwork music at a party. Before long, the Chicago-born, Brooklyn-based producer met two titans of the genre, DJ Spinn and the late DJ Rashad, with whom he eventually collaborated on a handful of tracks. Manny has multiple releases under his belt, but the new Signals in My Head (Planet Mu) is the first to be specifically focused on R&B and centered on love. That means some of these cuts have a softer edge than the jagged, raw music on his 2017 Teklife release Greenlight. Opener “Never Was Ah Hoe,” for example, combines hand drums, a shifting beat, a melancholy vocal sample, and a soft synth pad to create a spacious, intimate atmosphere. The sort of love DJ Manny aims to capture is true to life: messy, complex, and rooted in vulnerability. He works economically to capture its multifaceted nature. On “Wants My Body,” he flips the 1983 Class Action version of disco scorcher “Weekend,” zooming in on a single line: “Maybe I’ll find someone, somebody who wants my body, baby.” The original song sounds eager and expectant, but DJ Manny uses a stuttering footwork beat to reveal an underlying anxiety in the staccato-sung lyrics. “Good Love” does even more with less: vocal samples constantly reverberate as synths ring out like sirens, and then a drum ‘n’ bass beat anchors everything to inject an uneasy urgency. On “At First Site” DJ Manny doesn’t need words at all, conjuring up wistful longing with icy piano keys and a wonky synth melody. Best of all is the title track, which thrives on the interplay between layered synths and an evolving beat. It’s at once scattered and contented, like someone working through personal issues in order to wholly commit to a relationship. The capacity of DJ Manny’s songs to evoke such stark, specific images and moods is a testament to his craft: throughout Signals in My Head, you never doubt that he knows what he’s doing. v

DJ Manny centers love on his R&B-infused new album, Signals in My HeadJoshua Minsoo Kimon July 23, 2021 at 11:00 am Read More »

Chicago Bears News: Justin Fields thinks he’s perfect for BearsRyan Heckmanon July 23, 2021 at 11:00 am

Chicago Bears (Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports)

When the Chicago Bears drafted Justin Fields in the 2021 NFL Draft, the moment seemed far too surreal. Fans had long been desiring for a trade up for this kid, but not many imagined it would actually happen.

Sure enough, the Bears made the move. General manager Ryan Pace made it happen.

Now entering training camp as the Bears’ no. 2 quarterback, Fields is ready to go to work. In fact, he’s been ready. Fields got to Bears training camp two weeks early and has been working out with some fellow teammates.

In the Bears’ video series, “Meet the Rookies,” Fields was selected for episode number three. As if fans couldn’t get hyped enough, this video certainly took the excitement to another level.

Got us a good one in @justnfields. #MeetTheRookies | @drpepper

— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) July 22, 2021

Justin Fields thinks he is the perfect quarterback for the Chicago Bears.

During the episode, Fields talked about the position he’s been put in. With the Bears’ history of quarterback woes, obviously Fields is going to have a huge spotlight on him. The pressure will be there every minute of every day.

But, Fields relishes in that pressure. He soaks it in and thrives amidst it all. He was made for the spotlight.

“I think if there was anybody in this draft class that was ready for this position … I think there’s nobody else but me, to be honest with you. I’ve just been groomed for this moment my whole life.”

Fields also said, “I’m ready.”

Those two words, alone, would have been enough. Knowing Fields’ demeanor since the moment he was drafted, fans have begun to understand he’s a man of few words. His infamous quote, “There’s been too much talking lately” after being drafted will forever be remembered by fans as the very first moment they knew the Bears had something in Fields.

He will tell you he doesn’t do a lot of talking. Yet, in a subtle way, Fields enjoys the spotlight. He has to. The way he talks about being made for this moment — you know he loves it. And he is ready.

The Bears officially kick off training camp July 29 and will continue through a series of practices up until August 25. Chicago opens the preseason August 14 against the Miami Dolphins, where the home crowd will get to see their beloved rookie quarterback for the very first time.

To open the season, of course, head coach Matt Nagy continues to reiterate that Andy Dalton is his starting quarterback. Though there will be no true competition, Fields’ job is to learn and stay ready for his impending chance. When the Bears travel to take on the Los Angeles Rams in Week 1, we’ll see just how ready Dalton is for the red-hot spotlight he’ll be placed under.

Next: Bears: 5 painful landing spots for Allen Robinson

Most fans guess, it’s only a matter of time before Fields takes over — and then, the fun begins.

Chicago Bears News: Justin Fields thinks he’s perfect for BearsRyan Heckmanon July 23, 2021 at 11:00 am Read More »

Kanye West lets new songs do the talking at ‘Donda’ listening partyJonathan Landrum Jr. | Associated Press Entertainment Writeron July 23, 2021 at 6:17 am

Kanye West barely said a word during his impromptu album listening session Thursday night, but the mercurial rapper still had most attendees standing on their feet while hanging on every word of his new project.

West unveiled his 10th studio album, “Donda” in front of a packed crowd at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. His album was named after his mother, Chicago State University professor Donda West, who died at the age of 58 following plastic surgery complications in 2007.

Pulling off the listening session — which was livestreamed on Apple Music — was an impressive feat for West, who sold out the venue after he announced two days ago that the first public listen of his highly-anticipated album would take place. Some of the big names who attended the event were Rick Ross, Khloe Kardashian and his soon-to-be ex-wife Kim Kardashian West, who showed up in a red jumpsuit with their kids.

Unlike West’s typical high-energy concerts, he appeared more mellow than usual. He let his music do the talking while most attendees listened to each song in silence and applauded at the end of each track of his album that features gospel themes, hip-hop vibes, his Auto-Tune vocals and recorded speeches made by his mother.

Kanye West waves to the audience during his “Donda” listening event Friday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

While sporting an all-red outfit with orange shoes, West sometimes walked, fell to his knees, and pranced around on a white flooring about the size of the football field, where the city’s professional football and soccer teams play home games.

The 22-time Grammy winner revealed in a commercial, featuring U.S. track star Sha’Carri Richardson, during the NBA Finals on Tuesday that his highly-anticipated album will be released Friday. The commercial, scored and directed by West, featured “No Child Left Behind,” a song from the album.

West, 44, is mostly known as being associated with Chicago, where he spent most of his childhood, but he was born in Atlanta — a Georgia city where there are no restrictions against large gatherings. The rapper-producer gifted 5,000 tickets to faculty, staff and students from some Atlanta HBCUs including Clark Atlanta, Morehouse, Spelman, Morris Brown and the Interdenominational Theological Center.

West’s new project is a follow up to his 2019 gospel-themed album “Jesus is King,” which won a Grammy for best contemporary Christian album.

Last year, West announced on Twitter — with colorful cover art and a track list — that he would release his latest album. At the time, his tweets indicated that his project would release on the same day as his rival Taylor Swift’s project “Folklore,” but his album ended up being postponed.

It’s not the first time Kanye has hosted a listening event for an upcoming album. In 2016, he debuted his album “The Life of Pablo” during a massive event and fashion show at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Several big names who attended the show included Kardashian West, 50 Cent, Lil Kim, Caitlyn Jenner, A$AP Rocky and 2 Chainz.

Kanye West lets new songs do the talking at ‘Donda’ listening partyJonathan Landrum Jr. | Associated Press Entertainment Writeron July 23, 2021 at 6:17 am Read More »

Horoscope for Friday, July 23, 2021Georgia Nicolson July 23, 2021 at 5:01 am

Moon Alert

Caution! Avoid shopping or making important decisions from 11 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. Chicago time. After that, the moon moves from Capricorn into Aquarius.

Aries (March 21-April 19)

You might have an intense encounter with an authority figure — a parent, boss, teacher or member of the police. If so, this encounter will be intense. You might feel overwhelmed by your feelings. Meanwhile, most of this day is a moon alert. Tread carefully!

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

Today it’s easy to be obsessed with an idea, which is why it is wise to avoid discussions about politics, racial issues and religion. Your emotions will be too strong! Feelings will run high and arguments will ensue. Meanwhile, check moon alert.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

Because most of this day is a moon alert, avoid important decisions about shared responsibilities, shared money, taxes, debt, loans and mortgages. This is not the day to discuss these matters. Forewarned is forearmed.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

A discussion with someone close to you could be intense today. Both parties might feel obsessed and stuck in their own point of view or their desires. You might be at a standoff. Check moon alert and postpone important decisions.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)

You’re willing to work hard. You might also be focused on your health. However, it’s very easy to be obsessed with an idea today, which is not good. Furthermore, most of this day is a moon alert. Bad combo! Hmmm, it’s a poor day to make decisions and someone is obsessed. (You get the picture.)

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

Difficulties with romance might arise because people are intense, even obsessed. Meanwhile, today is a moon alert, which means it’s a poor time to make a decision, and yet, feelings are running high. This also applies to sports and your relations with your kids. Easy does it.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

Avoid intense discussions with family members because they will be pointless. Nevertheless, someone might be obsessed about something, which is hard to ignore. Because today is a Moon Alert, table these discussions for another day. Be smart.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

Don’t try to persuade someone to agree with you no matter how intensely you believe that you are right. Today everyone is inclined to be obsessed about something. Furthermore, today is a moon alert. Just coast. (For today.)

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

You have strong ideas about financial matters today or perhaps something that you own. However, this is a poor day to take a stand because most of this day is a moon alert. Instead, take a breather. Allow this situation some space. Decide tomorrow.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Today the moon is in your sign lined up with Pluto which will create a very intense emotional experience for you. You might become obsessed about a particular idea, especially if you’re dealing with a female. Note the moon alert and lighten up. Wait until it’s over.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

Some deep secrets might be revealed today for some of you. This could be connected to an obsession you have or an intense kind of research. Do not be persuaded by information that is questionable. Most of today is a moon alert. Lighten up and get some perspective. Be reasonable.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)

You might have an incredibly intense discussion with a friend today or perhaps a member of a group. You might be at loggerheads because each of you is obsessed with your point of view. Obviously, this will go nowhere. Therefore, and especially because most of today is a moon alert, back off.

If Your Birthday Is Today

Actress Kathryn Hahn (1973) shares your birthday. You are a strong individual with your own take on things. You have a great imagination and love to seek out stimulation and adventure. This is a powerful year for you. It’s a year where you can attain accolades, praise or promotions. You might also attain personal or financial gain. Expect achievements and rewards. It’s time to alphabetize your blessings!

Horoscope for Friday, July 23, 2021Georgia Nicolson July 23, 2021 at 5:01 am Read More »

Apollo Quits Moon, Heads Home: Coverage of the Apollo 11 Mission by the Chicago Tribuneon July 23, 2021 at 4:31 am

Cosmic Chicago

Apollo Quits Moon, Heads Home: Coverage of the Apollo 11 Mission by the Chicago Tribune

Apollo Quits Moon, Heads Home: Coverage of the Apollo 11 Mission by the Chicago Tribuneon July 23, 2021 at 4:31 am Read More »

Anthony Rizzo searching for answers as midseason funk rolls onRussell Dorseyon July 23, 2021 at 2:55 am

ST. LOUIS — When the Cubs are firing on all cylinders as a team and an offense, Anthony Rizzo is usually in the middle of that production. But as the team has scuffled, so has their veteran first baseman.

Rizzo has been one of baseball’s most consistent players over the last decade, but he hasn’t looked like himself in a while and has been searching for answers over the last few months.

The Cubs’ first baseman is slashing .239/.337/.419 with 11 homers this season. But since June 16, he’s slashing just .191/.300/.348 with three homers, leading many to the question — what’s going on with Rizzo?

“I feel fine. Body feels fine,” Rizzo said Wednesday. “But you know, just gotta keep grinding. You gotta keep playing baseball. One little hit here. One little hit there. A bloop single could change it all in a second. . . .

“When you get into ruts, you do whatever it takes. There’s a routine that I have and you just keep sticking to that and keep at it.”

Rizzo went 0-for-4 in Thursday’s series finale against the Cardinals, a 3-2 loss.

What has made Rizzo’s 2021 season so odd has not just been the dip in offensive production. Other areas of his game that always have been strengths also are taking a hit.

While Rizzo still ranks at the top of some metrics like Outs Above Average, there have been some lapses with the glove that he would not have made in years past.

Given everything going on –not coming to terms on a contract extension, the trade deadline being a week away and his struggles at the plate along with back issues that have popped up this season — it’s easy to wonder if it all has taken its toll on the Cubs first baseman.

“It’s a valid question,” manager David Ross said. “I see it as like some of it as maybe just trying a little bit [too] hard. When things aren’t going well, I think that’s natural.”

Rizzo has said all the right things when it has come to the team’s struggles, his status and the situation with his contract.

But for any player in a contract year, playing for your future could naturally linger in the mind. Especially when they’re in an offensive rut.

“I think especially these next two weeks, just day-to-day, focus on baseball,” Rizzo said last week. “All the reports and rumors flying from now until then, you could probably put a full scrapbook together and see the roller coaster that. . . .

“So for me in my position, it’s just staying one day at a time and not really worrying about what’s gonna happen. What’s gonna happen is gonna happen and none of us have any control [over] it.”

“Security goes a long way, just from a mental standpoint,” Ross said.

“I think that’s really what it is at the end of the day. He’s the same player that you guys have all seen and that I’ve seen for a long time. It’s just making sure you’re right, mentally and whatever is kind of baked into that.”

Things haven’t felt right with the Cubs’ offense for some time and Rizzo’s funk typifies that.

“Do you feel the frustration? Sure,” Ross said about Rizzo. “I don’t think we talk in frustration. I think we talk in solution terms or process terms to get out of the frustration or out of the struggles. . . . That’s the right mentality when you start to have those positive thoughts in your head, then good things happen.”

Anthony Rizzo searching for answers as midseason funk rolls onRussell Dorseyon July 23, 2021 at 2:55 am Read More »

Former Van Dyke lawyer’s brief tenure on county panel sparks clash over ‘nepotism,’ bullying, ‘Good ‘ole Boys’ network’Rachel Hintonon July 23, 2021 at 3:33 am

It’s been a little more than seven months since Democrat Tammy Wendt joined the Cook County Board of Review, but she’s already being accused of “flagrant nepotism” — and firing back that her fellow commissioners are “territorial” bullies who haven’t exactly rolled out the welcome wagon.

The fireworks on the obscure panel that handles appeals to property tax assessments started when Wendt allegedly hired her first cousin, Todd Thielmann, for a cushy $150,000-a-year job as her chief of staff.

“This flagrant nepotism flies in the face of the transparency and good government that Cook County taxpayers deserve,” Board of Review Commissioner Michael Cabonargi said in a written statement Thursday.

Wendt fired back that “this an attempt to silence me because I am not part of the ‘Good ‘ole Boys’ network.”

Wendt is best known as a member of former Chicago cop Jason Van Dyke’s defense team. She was elected to the county panel last year, and it doesn’t appear to have been a smooth transition.

During a contentious meeting of the three-member board last month, Wendt’s staffing decision came under scrutiny as a violation of the county’s ethics rules and the appeals board’s own newly amended ethics policy.

Both Cabonargi and the third member of the board, Commissioner Larry Rogers, tried to question Wendt about the apparent ethics violation, but Wendt refused to directly address their questions, saying “I’m not on trial here.”

Cook County Board of Review Commissioners Michael Cabonargi, left, Tammy Wendt, center, and Larry Rogers Jr., right, discuss changes to the panel's ethics ordinance during a virtual board meeting held in June. — Cook County Board of Review Commissioners Michael Cabonargi, left, Tammy Wendt, center, and Larry Rogers Jr., right, discuss changes to the panel’s ethics ordinance during a virtual board meeting held in June.

On Thursday, Cabonargi said in his statement that he informed Wendt that hiring Thielmann was a violation of the county’s ethics policy “which forbids hiring and managing a first cousin.”

“It has also come to my attention that Commissioner Wendt advocated for Mr. Thielmann to have a starting salary above and beyond what a first year Chief of Staff should make,” Cabonargi said.

“Mr. Thielmann should be fired immediately and Commissioner Wendt’s handling of this situation should be investigated by the Cook County Inspector General.”

Records obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request show Thielmann’s salary was bumped from $135,000 to $150,000 in January.

Wendt issued her own statement on Thursday, neither confirming nor denying that Thielmann was her cousin, but arguing she “hired the best person for the job who has extensive experience and qualifications.”

She also said that she consulted one of the “nation’s top election attorneys” and was told the hiring “did not violate any policies.”

During the board meeting last month, Cabonargi and Rogers sought to amend the property tax appeal board’s ethics codes to bring it more in line with Cook County’s ethics rules surrounding the hiring of familial relationships, specifically adding first cousins to the board’s list.

Wendt didn’t vote to approve the change, which would specifically bar her hiring her first cousin. She also repeatedly refused to discuss it with her fellow Democratic commissioners.

Cook County Board of Review Commissioner Tammy Wendt speaks during a virtual board meeting held in June.

Wendt objected that the office should have a qualified, unbiased attorney involved in reshaping the ethics policy and others in the office.

Rogers pointed out to Wendt that all three of them are lawyers. But she fired back that none of them specialize in ethics law.

The discussion went further south when Rogers asked Wendt if she agrees the board should conform to county ethics codes. When Wendt didn’t directly address the question, Rogers asked if she knew of any violations of the ethics policy.

“I’m not answering your questions,” Wendt said during the June meeting, which is posted on YouTube. “I’ve answered as much as I’m going to answer.”

During the meeting, Cabonargi said he put Wendt on notice about violating the policy in her third week in office.

Wendt accused Cabonargi and Rogers of hiring each other’s family members.

The two commissioners denied the accusation, though the county’s inspector general previously found the office’s hiring process pulled in politically connected workers, including the child of one commissioner’s law partner.

In 2012, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Rogers had employed his half-brother, Frederic Everly, in a $46,076.16-a-year position with the board — when the ethics ordinance barred half-siblings from such positions. Everly resigned a month before the story was published.

Rogers defended the hiring at the time, saying Everly is a hard worker whose integrity and reputation is “beyond reproach.”

Wendt accused the two fellow Democrats of working against her since she joined the board and not “welcoming me with open arms.”

Former Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke listens to closing statements with defense attorney Tammy Wendt during his trial for the shooting death of Laquan McDonald in 2018.

“You have been nothing but bullies, to be frank, since I got here,” Wendt told Rogers and Cabonargi. “I don’t know if it’s because I’m a female. I don’t know what the problem is, but you’re both very territorial.”

Wendt elaborated on that in her statement on Thursday.

“I did not hire who was sent to me nor do I owe any political favors,” she said. “The effort to change the [Board of Review’s] Ethics policy is an obvious attempt to control and silence me while ignoring other practices that are not in the public’s best interest.”

She went on to say she welcomes a “county-wide, independent, public investigation into all hires at the BOR and the county, insider tax favors given to cronies and ‘exchange hires’ of family and business associates.”

The Chicago Sun-Times reported earlier this month that the FBI is investigating a Cook County Board of Review employee who allegedly used his position to lower property assessments in exchange for thousands of dollars in cash bribes, according to a federal court affidavit.

That employee also said the money would be split with others in the office, insisting that, “I’m just the middle guy.”

Cabonargi and Rogers both responded to the revelation by vowing to open an internal investigation. Wendt called for a “full forensic accounting,” saying at the time, “I hope this serves as a wake-up call to everyone.”

Wendt is a former assistant Cook County state’s attorney best known for being part of the defense team that represented Van Dyke in his trial for the 2014 shooting death of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald. Van Dyke was convicted of second-degree murder and 16 counts of aggravated battery.

In November, Wendt was elected to the Board of Review, which reviews and potentially modifies property assessments in Cook County. She ousted the board’s lone Republican Dan Patlak.

“I am looking forward to filling my staff with qualified professionals who I can lead into this next chapter with the Board of Review,” Wendt said after the final votes were tallied.

Former Van Dyke lawyer’s brief tenure on county panel sparks clash over ‘nepotism,’ bullying, ‘Good ‘ole Boys’ network’Rachel Hintonon July 23, 2021 at 3:33 am Read More »

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