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Head to State Street for summer fun at Sundays on Stateon July 10, 2021 at 5:58 pm

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Head to State Street for summer fun at Sundays on State

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Head to State Street for summer fun at Sundays on Stateon July 10, 2021 at 5:58 pm Read More »

It’s not just the heaton July 10, 2021 at 4:00 pm

Chicago Weather Watch

It’s not just the heat

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It’s not just the heaton July 10, 2021 at 4:00 pm Read More »

Robert E. Lee statue removed in CharlottesvilleAssociated Presson July 10, 2021 at 3:43 pm

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — A statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee was hoisted away from its place of prominence in Charlottesville on Saturday and carted off to storage, years after its threatened removal became a rallying point for white supremacists and inspired their violent 2017 rally that left a woman dead and dozens injured.

Work to remove the statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee began early Saturday morning. Crews have also removed a statue of Gen. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson.

Spectators by the dozens lined the blocks surrounding the park, and a cheer went up as the Lee statue lifted off the pedestal. There was a visible police presence, with streets blocked off to vehicular traffic by fencing and heavy trucks.

Charlottesville Mayor Nikuyah Walker gave a speech in front of reporters and observers as the crane neared the monument.

“Taking down this statue is one small step closer to the goal of helping Charlottesville, Virginia, and America, grapple with the sin of being willing to destroy Black people for economic gain,” Walker said.

The removal of the statues follows years of contention, community anguish and litigation. A long, winding legal fight coupled with changes in a state law that protected war memorials had held up the removal for years.

Saturday’s removal of the Lee and Jackson statues comes nearly four years after violence erupted at the infamous “Unite the Right” rally. Heather Heyer, a peaceful counterprotester, died in the violence, which sparked a national debate over racial equity, further inflamed by former President Donald Trump’s insistence tha t there was “blame on both sides.”

The work seemed to proceed smoothly and fairly easily as couples, families with small children and activists looked on from surrounding blocks. The crowd intermittently chanted and cheered as the workers made progress. Music wafted down the street as a pair of musicians played hymns from a church near the Lee statue.

There were at least a handful of opponents of the removal, including a man who heckled the mayor after her speech, but no visible, organized protester presence.

Ralph Dixon, a 59-year-old Black man born and raised in Charlottesville, was documenting the removal work Saturday morning, a camera around his neck.

Dixon said he was brought to the park where the Lee statue stood as a school-aged child.

“All the teachers, my teachers anyway, were always talking about what a great person this was,” he said.

He said his understanding of Lee’s legacy and the statue’s message evolved as he became an adult. He said it was important to consider the context of the Jim Crow era during which the statue was erected and said especially after Heyer’s death there was no reason the statue should stay.

“It needed to be done,” he said.

Only the statues, not their stone pedestals, will be removed Saturday. They will be stored in a secure location until the City Council makes a final decision about what should be done with them. Under state law, the city was required to solicit parties interested in taking the statues during an offer period that ended Thursday. It received 10 responses to its solicitation.

A coalition of activists commended the city for moving quickly to take the statues down after the offer period ended. As long as the statues “remain standing in our downtown public spaces, they signal that our community tolerated white supremacy and the Lost Cause these generals fought for,” the coalition called Take ‘Em Down Cville said.

Jim Henson, who lives in nearby Barboursville, said Saturday he came to witness a “historic” event. He said he didn’t have a strong personal opinion on the issue of Confederate monuments but he thought Charlottesville was happy to see the saga come to a conclusion.

“Good atmosphere, good vibes, good energy,” he said.

The most recent removal push focused on the Lee monument began in 2016, thanks in part to a petition started by a Black high school student, Zyahna Bryant.

“This is well overdue,” said Bryant, who’s now a student at the University of Virginia.

“No platform for white supremacy. No platform for racism. No platform for hate.”

Kristin Szakos, a former Charlottesville City Council member who watched the statues’ removal, said that “folks in this community have been trying to get these statues down for a hundred years.”

She added: “I think that we’re finally ready to be a community that doesn’t telegraph through our public art that we are pretty fine with white supremacy.”

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Robert E. Lee statue removed in CharlottesvilleAssociated Presson July 10, 2021 at 3:43 pm Read More »

Chicago outdoors: Big buck in velvet, suburban nature report, Lake Michigan muskie, river safety noteDale Bowmanon July 10, 2021 at 2:40 pm

Notes come from Chicago outdoors and beyond.

BUCK OF THE WEEK: UNPLUGGED

Roy Wick emailed, “My neighbor made the paper with his velvet antler deer. I have his Father…lol.” Apparently there are good genes in Tinley Park.

BOTW Unplugged, the celebration of live big bucks around Chicago outdoors, runs as apt in the special two-page outdoors section in the Sun-Times Sports Saturday. To make submissions, email [email protected] or contact me on Facebook (Dale Bowman), Twitter (@BowmanOutside) or Instagram (@BowmanOutside).

WILD TIMES

FISHING DERBY

Through July 18: New dates of the postponed Kankakee River Fishing Derby, kankakeefishingderby.com

OPEN HOUSE

Tuesday, July 13 and Wednesday, July 14: Public review of draft Kankakee National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area Visioning Document, 3:30-7:30 p.m. both days, Tuesday at Rehoboth Mennonite Church lawn, Pembroke Township, Wednesday, Island Park, Momence

CHARITY

Next Saturday, July 17: Cast for a Cure, benefiting Phil’s Friends, cancer foundation, Musky Tales, Chain O’Lakes, frvmuskie.com/event/cast-for-a-cure/

FISH GATHERING

Tuesday, July 13: Capt. Dan Wheeler, Salmon Unlimited, Thornwood Restaurant & Lounge, Wood Dale, 7 p.m., salmonunlimitedinc.com

U.S. COAST GUARD AUXILIARY

Next Saturday, July 17: Waukegan, Curt Schumacher, [email protected]

DALE’S MAILBAG

“Seeing a few monarchs now, and a very few skippers. Only two fireflies in the front yard last night, making me wonder how the birds are to manage without bugs. While we do not spray nor do our immediate neighbors when they spray a couple yards over it drifts over on us, smelling terrible. I am happy to see one honey bee a day, if that. I did see a callimorpha moth in the backyard two weeks back or so. While we have lived here 40 some years that was the first one I’d seen. Few Japanese beetles this year, neither black nor yellow swallowtail butterflies so far. A few bumble bees, few little natives, and only a very few June bugs this year. Sigh.” Georgiana

A: That’s the kind of local world observation that we need more of.

BIG NUMBER

Capt. Jerry Costabile's Resolute Charters out of Kenosha, Wisconsin, produced the surprise of a muskie. Provided photo
Capt. Jerry Costabile’s Resolute Charters out of Kenosha, Wisconsin, produced the surprise of a muskie.
Provided

36 1/2: Inches of a muskie caught in 188 feet of water Tuesday on Capt. Jerry Costabile’s Resolute Charters out of Kenosha, Wisconsin.

LAST WORD

“You drown not by falling into a river, but by staying submerged in it.”

Paulo Coelho, as noted here in brainyquote.com

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Chicago outdoors: Big buck in velvet, suburban nature report, Lake Michigan muskie, river safety noteDale Bowmanon July 10, 2021 at 2:40 pm Read More »

Trump may soon face an adversary more formidable than either McGregor or Poirieron July 10, 2021 at 2:18 pm

The Quark In The Road

Trump may soon face an adversary more formidable than either McGregor or Poirier

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Trump may soon face an adversary more formidable than either McGregor or Poirieron July 10, 2021 at 2:18 pm Read More »

Away from home, Fire’s Ignacio Aliseda a reminder of MLS challengesBrian Sandalowon July 10, 2021 at 1:00 pm

After his two-goal performance Saturday night to help beat Atlanta United, Fire forward Ignacio Aliseda was asked how it felt to score twice. His answer wasn’t just about soccer.

“This year has been a little bit difficult as was last year not having my family here in Chicago with me,” Aliseda said through a translator. “They gave me strength from far away from where they are. Last night, I fell asleep knowing that I would have the strength and confidence today to go out there and I know they are with me wherever I am.”

Aliseda’s words are another reminder of the unique challenges of MLS. Many young players like the Argentinan Aliseda, 21, hail from faraway places, and getting them acclimated and comfortable is key.

That was made even harder by COVID-19, which effectively stopped players from getting to know their new homes and squelched most international travel. When he talked about the topic in late May, Aliseda discussed how his mother, Lorena, hasn’t been able to see him play in Chicago due to travel restrictions.

Signed as a designated player during the 2019-20 offseason, Aliseda hopes his mom will be able to visit the city by the end of this year or by 2022. In late May, Aliseda was open about how he misses his family.

Then after his finest night with the Fire –one that earned him MLS player of the week honors — Aliseda said he has been preparing and working hard to push forward, and he again mentioned his loved ones.

“I’m alone at home, but I always try to be close to my family,” Aliseda said. “We have phone calls, I talk to them, we’re always together. I always feel them close [by] and it was my mom who told me to forget about everything and just go out and do what I like to do best, which is play football.

“So I feel their support and I’ve been working harder than I’ve ever worked before, harder than normal. I always feel the support from my family, which is the most important thing.”

Asked about Aliseda in June, Fire coach Raphael Wicky said the team has been there for the players when they arrive, helping them get used to their new home as much as possible. The Fire also have numerous Spanish-speaking players, which also helps. Loosening of pandemic-related restrictions is another benefit, allowing Aliseda and others in a similar situation to become more familiar with Chicago.

Wicky, who experienced something like Aliseda as a young player when he left Switzerland for Germany, said it’s important for players to keep in touch with their families.

But, at the same time, that isn’t a substitute for the real thing.

Wicky said he feels for Aliseda.

“It’s just as a footballer or as an athlete in general, you often have a lot of time after training and between training,” Wicky said, “and if then you cannot have your family and friends there, that sometimes hurts a lot.”

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Away from home, Fire’s Ignacio Aliseda a reminder of MLS challengesBrian Sandalowon July 10, 2021 at 1:00 pm Read More »

After rookie season in bubble, the Sky’s Ruthy Hebard glad to play on home courtAnnie Costabileon July 10, 2021 at 1:30 pm

Ruthy Hebard’s second season in the WNBA has been an adjustment.

The Sky’s 2020 first-round draft pick arrived in Chicago after playing in Turkey and didn’t know where Wintrust Arena was. Her understanding of the city and even some of the standard happenings in the league are more in line with a player in her rookie season. It’s the result of her first year in the league being played in the WNBA bubble in Florida.

This year, Hebard has checked off certain experiences, such as playing in front of the home crowd for the first time.

“Being able to finally play in front of a home crowd, the energy in [Wintrust Arena] was so fun,” Hebard said.

In the Sky’s home opener May 23, Hebard recorded a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds in her second start of the season.

During the 2020 season, Hebard started six games. In the Sky’s 19 games this season, she already has reached that same mark, filling in for Candace Parker when she was out with an ankle injury.

Hebard posted three double-doubles and scored in double figures in all but two of the eight games without Parker.

“Those games definitely helped establish my confidence,” Hebard said.

Parker has been another voice in Hebard’s ear coaching her up, especially during the eight-game stretch Parker was sidelined. Good or bad, Hebard said Parker is sharing valuable lessons, and that hasn’t stopped since she has returned to her starting role.

A lot has contributed to Hebard’s growth over the last year. She’s averaging 8.4 points and six rebounds in 21 minutes per game, up from her 2020 stat line of 5.7 points and four rebounds in 14.5 minutes.

The guidance from Parker can’t be overstated. But more significant than that was Hebard’s season in Turkey, which began two weeks after her rookie year concluded.

Hebard led Nesibe Aydin to a 23-10 record, posting team highs of 18.8 points and 11 rebounds per game. Her touches overseas allowed Hebard to improve her footwork and solidify her shot in the paint. Both are aspects of her game that have contributed to the Sky being third in the league in percentage of points scored in the paint. Hebard is scoring 6.3 of her 8.4 points per game inside.

“There are certain players that have a knack for the ball,” teammate Allie Quigley said. “She’s one of the fastest rollers in the league. She goes for rebounds, can defend guards and post players and she’s just been a sponge the last two years.”

The Sky (10-9) are second in the Eastern Conference with one game left before the Olympic break. They host the Washington Mystics at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Quigley is the unquestioned leader of the team’s bench, which has helped propel the Sky to an 8-2 record and the second-best offensive rating in the league over the last 10 games. In that stretch, the bench has averaged 34.1 of the team’s 87.5 points per game, second-best in the league.

Hebard was one of seven Sky players among the WNBA’s top 36 vote-getters for the 2021 All-Star Game.

“We know we’re a really good bench,” -Hebard said. “If we can defend Candace and Sloot [Courtney Vandersloot], we’re going to be able to defend anybody we go up against.”

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After rookie season in bubble, the Sky’s Ruthy Hebard glad to play on home courtAnnie Costabileon July 10, 2021 at 1:30 pm Read More »

Football players should be able to cash in at high-profile Notre DameMike Berardinoon July 10, 2021 at 12:00 pm

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The mind reels with the possibilities.

In 134 years of football, Notre Dame has produced 104 consensus All-Americans and seven Heisman Trophy winners. What if these newly unleashed name, image and likeness branding opportunities had existed for all of them?

Who would have been the most marketable, assuming a level playing field and social-

media accounts available to all?

It’s hard to conjure a more dashing spokesman-athlete than Paul Hornung. If the Golden Boy could win the Heisman on a 2-8 team in 1956, just imagine the crowd he could have drawn for an appearance at the local Studebaker showroom.

Four decades earlier, George Gipp might not have had to spend so much time in South Bend pool halls had he been able to cash in on his fame. Instead of having to claim that he was “the finest freelance gambler ever to attend Notre Dame,” his smiling visage could have graced billboards for DraftKings.

Joe Montana was years from morphing into Super Joe, but his rise from seventh-string afterthought as a freshman from Monongahela, Pennsylvania, to the unlikely leader of a national championship outfit in 1977 might have brought him out of his shell to do some shilling for a fledgling pizza joint called Barnaby’s.

Clearly, there’s no shortage of marketable personalities who have passed through campus. All would be justified in wondering if they were born ahead of their time, at least in terms of the marketing machine that whirred to life on July 1.

Thirteen states now have laws on the books that lay out at least some sort of NIL guidelines, and five more will by New Year’s Day 2022.

There will be no NCAA clearinghouse for NIL opportunities. In states without formal legislation, it will be left up to the individual schools and their student-athletes to determine what is appropriate.

Which Golden Domer would have had the most earning potential? For Jonathan A. Jensen, a Notre Dame graduate and assistant professor of sport marketing at North Carolina, the answer is clear.

It’s Raghib “Rocket” Ismail, who starred for the Irish from 1988-90 and was a 2019 inductee to the College Football Hall of Fame.

“‘Rocket’ hit the scene immediately,” Jensen said. “He caught a touchdown pass in the national title game as a freshman, won a national title as a freshman and then — bam! — right out of the gate, sophomore year, No. 1 vs. No. 2, at Michigan, returns two kickoffs for touchdowns.”

His speed was captivating enough. Add in all the other attributes, including a powerhouse program under Lou Holtz that went 33-4 with Ismail on the roster, and it’s hard to think of any company that wouldn’t have wanted to be associated with Ismail.

“He had built up enough equity in his first (13) games that I think the sky would have been the limit for him in 1990,” Jensen said. “Notre Dame contended for the national title in all three of his years.

”Then he had the nickname, he had the performances, he was very outgoing. He had a big personality.”

Notre Dame’s status as a national program figures to boost the earning potential of its modern generation of student-athletes. This week Mission BBQ became the official sponsor of the Notre Dame offensive line, all 17 of the big hungries.

The reputation of the Mendoza College of Business, where student entrepreneurship dovetails nicely with the sudden need to boost individual profiles throughout the region, should only strengthen a multiyear recruiting resurgence under Brian Kelly.

Group licensing is the “low-hanging fruit,” Jensen said, for all Power Five programs that seek to spread the wealth already flowing freely from video games, apparel sales and the game-worn memorabilia market.

In time we’ll find out which modern Irish stars might transcend a crowded NIL marketplace, but it’s hard to imagine another ”Rocket” launching anytime soon.

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Football players should be able to cash in at high-profile Notre DameMike Berardinoon July 10, 2021 at 12:00 pm Read More »

3 killed, 10 wounded, in Chicago since Friday nightSun-Times Wireon July 10, 2021 at 12:01 pm

Thirteen people have been shot, three fatally, in citywide gun violence since Friday night.

Three men were shot to death in as many hours on the South Side. A man was killed and another wounded in a shooting Friday in West Pullman on the Far South Side.

They were inside of a residence about 5:20 p.m. in the 11800 block of South State Street when someone opened fire, striking them both, Chicago police said.

Shawn Young, 47, was shot in the head, buttocks and was pronounced dead at the scene, police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office said. The other man, 34, was struck in the hand and shoulder. He was in critical condition at Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.

An hour later, a man was killed in a shooting in Roseland on the South Side.

He was on the sidewalk about 6:20 p.m. in the 11000 block of South Vernon Avenue when a light-colored vehicle pulled up and someone inside unleashed gunfire, police said.

The 39-year-old was struck in the chest and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, police said. His name hasn’t been released.

Another man was fatally shot Friday in Gresham on the South Side.

He was on the sidewalk about 7:30 p.m. in the 600 block of West 80th Street when someone approached him and opened fire, striking him in the head and neck, police said. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. He has not been identified.

In nonfatal shootings, a man was wounded in a shooting Friday in West Englewood on the South Side.

He was in a parked vehicle about 6:12 p.m. in the 5600 block of South Wolcott Avenue when someone opened fire, police said. The 26-year-old suffered a gunshot wound and was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where his condition was stabilized.

A 59-year-old man was wounded in a shooting late Friday in the University Village neighborhood.

The was walking about 10:15 p.m. in the 1300 block of South Blue Island Avenue when he heard shots and felt pain, police said. He was suffered a gunshot wound to the body and was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was in fair condition.

The suspects were walking nearby but he wasn’t able to give officers a description, according to police.

On Saturday, two men were seriously hurt in a shooting in West Garfield Park.

They were standing with a group of people about 1 a.m. in the 4100 block of West Adams Street when someone opened fire, police said.

A 32-year-old was shot twice in the chest and self-transported to Stroger Hospital, where his condition was serious, police said. The other, 48, was struck in the back, chest and arm and self-transported to Mt. Sinai hospital, also in serious condition.

There were no cooperating witnesses, according to police said.

At least five other people were wounded in shootings since 5 p.m. Friday.

Last weekend in Chicago, 104 people were shot, 19 fatally, making it the deadliest and most violent this year.

Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.

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3 killed, 10 wounded, in Chicago since Friday nightSun-Times Wireon July 10, 2021 at 12:01 pm Read More »

Chicago Blackhawks: 3 TB Lightning players to steal in free agencyVincent Pariseon July 10, 2021 at 12:00 pm

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 07: Kevin Lankinen #32 of the Chicago Blackhawks stops a shot by Blake Coleman #20 of the Tampa Bay Lightning at the United Center on March 07, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – MARCH 07: Kevin Lankinen #32 of the Chicago Blackhawks stops a shot by Blake Coleman #20 of the Tampa Bay Lightning at the United Center on March 07, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
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Chicago Blackhawks, Steven Stamkos

(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

They actually did it! The Tampa Bay Lightning are the Stanley Cup champions for the third time in franchise history and second year in a row. They have overcome a lot over the last half-decade or so to win this thing and now they are on top of the hockey world again. Chicago Blackhawks fans might remember how tough they were when the Hawks beat them in 2015. It is a very strong organization that might look a little bit different next year.

Of course, the elite players will remain. You can expect Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov, Victor Hedman, Brayden Point, and Andrei Vasilevskiy to all be wearing blue and white next season. However, it was Tampa Bay’s incredible depth that allowed those stars to shine the brightest in the playoffs. That is the part of their roster that is going to take a big hit in 2021-22.

The Tampa Bay Lightning, to the dismay of a lot of people, was well over the salary cap during the playoffs. Nikita Kucherov missed the entire regular season due to injury but was able to return for game one of the playoffs. That allowed the Lightning to have better depth players taking up the cap space that was supposed to be taken by Kucherov if he wasn’t hurt. The Lighting manipulated the cap within the rules and it paid off for them, like it or not.

The Chicago Blackhawks could jump on some free agents over the summer.

With that in mind, you can be certain that it won’t happen again because a highly paid player like Nikita Kucherov or Steven Stamkos isn’t missing the entire season next year. They are going to be a different-looking team as others get paid elsewhere. These are three Tampa Bay free agents for the Blackhawks to consider:

Next: Player One

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Chicago Blackhawks: 3 TB Lightning players to steal in free agencyVincent Pariseon July 10, 2021 at 12:00 pm Read More »