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Morris fire officials decide to let fire burn at abandoned building, fearing more explosions of lithium batteries insideon July 1, 2021 at 6:34 pm

Lithium batteries exploded loudly overnight inside a burning former paper mill in northern Illinois that officials had believed was long abandoned, and fire officials have decided to let the blaze burn out because they fear trying to extinguish it could trigger more explosions.

The fire that started in Morris Tuesday prompted city officials to order the evacuation of 3,000-4,000 people in some 950 nearby homes, a school, church and small businesses.

On Wednesday, as thick, black smoke continued to billow from the building, Police Chief Alicia Steffes said the evacuation order would remain in place until at least 9 p.m. and “might be extended.”

Police are stationed throughout the area to prevent people from entering, although anyone who can prove they live there may return to retrieve essential medicine, she said.

Fire Chief Tracey Steffes said thus far air quality tests were “coming back favorable,” but he cautioned that changing weather conditions and other factors could cause the air quality to deteriorate.

Mayor Chris Brown urged anyone experiencing respiratory problems to contact their physicians.

The fire chief said he’s gathering information from fire departments and other experts on how to fight the fire in a building that — to the surprise of his department and other city agencies — was being used to store nearly 100 tons of lithium batteries ranging in size from cellphone batteries to large car batteries.

Steffes’ firefighters stopped using water on the blaze minutes after they arrived when they discovered the batteries because water and firefighting foam can cause batteries to explode. And he said while he has heard some ideas on how to battle the blaze — road salt has been suggested — he won’t send crews to battle the fire because of the unknowns about what’s inside.

“I don’t know 100% what was stored in that building, only what they’re telling us what was stored in that building,” he said.

Further, Steffes said that while his department and other agencies have fought fires at buildings that contain lithium batteries, he had thus far found nobody with fires that involve so many batteries. He said the battery explosions overnight could be heard across the city.

The mayor said the city didn’t know the building was being used to store batteries until it caught fire, and that he knows very little about the company that owns them.

“The name of the company is Superior Battery … and we didn’t know they existed until yesterday afternoon,” said Brown. Apparently nobody else at City Hall did either, because there’s no record of a business license or any communication between the company and any city department, he said.

Barely concealing his anger at the very serious danger his firefighters were in, Steffe suggested that he couldn’t trust any information coming from the company as a result.

“We had no way of knowing they were doing business … there,” said Steffes, adding a company official told him they had occupied the building for about a year. Steffes said the paper mill had been vacant for decades.

No information was immediately available on Superior Battery. The fire chief said company representatives were not invited to Wednesday’s news conference.

The mayor said the police department will conduct an investigation about the storage of the batteries and that other agencies, including the state fire marshal and the Illinois Attorney General’s office, have already been contacted.

Morris is about 70 miles southwest of Chicago.

The Morris fire came two weeks after an explosion and massive blaze at a chemical plant near Rockton, an Illinois town along the Wisconsin border, forced the evacuation of hundreds of homes for several days. Nobody at the plant or the surrounding community was injured by the June 13 fire that officials later determined was started accidentally during maintenance work.

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Morris fire officials decide to let fire burn at abandoned building, fearing more explosions of lithium batteries insideon July 1, 2021 at 6:34 pm Read More »

Tenure for Hannah-Jones sure says a lot about what’s being taught in journalism.on July 1, 2021 at 5:03 pm

The Barbershop: Dennis Byrne, Proprietor

Tenure for Hannah-Jones sure says a lot about what’s being taught in journalism.

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Tenure for Hannah-Jones sure says a lot about what’s being taught in journalism.on July 1, 2021 at 5:03 pm Read More »

At halfway point, shootings and homicides are up in Chicago from year ago, though violence has dropped last two monthson July 1, 2021 at 3:56 pm

Halfway through the year, more people have been shot and more people have been killed in Chicago than this time last year, when violence reached levels not seen since the mid-1990s.

Chicago has seen at least 336 homicides for the first six months of the year, just two more than at this point in 2020 but 33 percent more than 2019’s 252 homicides, according to an analysis by the Sun-Times.

In all, 14 neighborhoods have seen more murders this year than the same time last year. led by Austin with 28, North Lawndale with 21 and Englewood with 18.

The city has recorded at least 1,892 shootings through June 28, the most recently available statistics, an increase of almost 12 percent compared to 2020’s 1,692 and a 53 percent increase over 2019’s 1,234 shootings during the same time.

Last year was one of the deadliest in the city in decades, with 775 killed, a sharp spike from the 500 homicides in 2019.

In a press release Thursday summarizing the year so far, the Chicago Police Department emphasized a drop in violence this past May and June, bolstering their argument that the rate of increase from last year is slowing.

Both months saw a drop in shootings and homicides, according to Sun-Times data, though they were still much higher than in 2019.

The department said its data also shows there have been fewer murders this year than last year, but those numbers do not count killings on expressways that are investigated by the Illinois State Police. The department’s numbers also do not include police-involved homicides.

The Sun-Times data includes all deaths labeled homicides by the Cook County medical examiner’s office. By that measure, this has been a deadlier year so far than last year.

The department did acknowledge in its release that hundreds of more people have been shot in the city this year than last year, with numbers roughly the same as the Sun-Times’.

Nineteen aldermen have called for a special Chicago City Council meeting Friday morning and have demanded that Chicago Police Supt. David Brown show up to discuss his department’s response to the violence. It’s not known if they will have a quorum to meet, or if Brown will show up.

The superintendent has scheduled a news conference for Thursday afternoon.

One of the last shootings in June was an attack in Little Village that wounded two 15-year-old boys and two other teens. The Sun-Times reported last month that more children 15 or younger have been shot so far this year.

In Wednesday’s shooting, the teens were walking in the 2200 block of South Millard Avenue when a dark-colored SUV approached and someone inside began firing about 8:20 p.m., police said.

One of the 15-year-olds suffered a gunshot wound to the buttocks and was taken to Stroger Hospital, where his condition was stabilized. The other 15-year-old was struck in the left thigh and taken to the hospital in good condition.

An 18-year-old man suffered a gunshot wound to the leg and was listed in serious condition at the hospital. Another 18-year-old was struck in the foot and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where his condition was stabilized. The dark-colored SUV fled the scene.

One of the first shootings in July in Chicago was an attack in Roseland on the Far South Side that killed a woman and wounded an 8-year-old girl and another woman.

The girl was inside the house when a bullet fired from a car outside hit her in the arm. Two women sitting on the porch were also shot, one of them fatally.

There have been at least 12 homicides in Roseland this year, up from nine for the same time last year, according to Sun-Times data. It ranks 11th among neighborhoods for homicides this year.

Roseland is in the Calumet Police District, which has seen a 73% increase in homicides this year and a 49% percent increase in shootings, according to statistics kept by the Chicago Police Department.

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At halfway point, shootings and homicides are up in Chicago from year ago, though violence has dropped last two monthson July 1, 2021 at 3:56 pm Read More »

Meghan McCain exiting ‘The View’ in late Julyon July 1, 2021 at 4:29 pm

NEW YORK — Meghan McCain, whose outspoken conservative views have frequently led to verbal fireworks and compelling television on ABC’s “The View,” said Thursday that she is quitting the daytime talk show after four years.

McCain, daughter of the late Arizona Sen. John McCain, announced on the air that she would leave after the show’s season ends in late July.

“I will be here another month, so if you still want to fight a little more, we have four more weeks,” McCain said.

The 36-year-old commentator is usually the only conservative voice among the cast of five women, and not afraid to mix it up when she disagrees with them. In the past two months, for example, she’s had contentious exchanges with lead host Whoopi Goldberg and frequent foil Joy Behar.

The show, invented more than two decades ago by Barbara Walters, has done well in the ratings with a mix of celebrity guests and, most prominently, the combustible “hot topics” session where they kick around the day’s news.

Like many television shows during the COVID-19 pandemic, the hosts have been appearing remotely instead of meeting in a New York studio. McCain, married to conservative commentator Ben Domenech and mother of a baby daughter, said she didn’t want to leave her life in the Washington area to commute again to work.

“This was not an easy decision,” she said. “It took a lot of thought and counsel and prayer.”

ABC News said in a statement that it respected and understood her decision, and thanked McCain for her “fierce determination and vast political knowledge and experience.”

As the conservative voice on “The View,” McCain filled a role where producers had trouble finding the right person after Elisabeth Hasselbeck left in 2013. McCain has said she was going to turn down an offer to join “The View,” but her father said it was too good an opportunity to pass up.

Like her father, she’s no big fan of former President Donald Trump. But her job often compelled her to explain to her co-hosts what people who supported Trump were thinking.

“This is no shade at women who have been here before, but I knew going in that I couldn’t be intimidated by the others and their strong opinions,” she told The Associated Press after her first season. “These are all smart, strong women. I had to stay true to my convictions and my politics and not let the physical audience in front of me, which is normally very liberal, or the audience on social media impact my politics. Because a lot of things I say are unpopular.”

She rarely backed down, and the words between the hosts frequently became sharp.

That was evident June 17, when McCain criticized President Joe Biden’s treatment of CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins at a news conference, for which the president later apologized. Goldberg noted that Biden’s predecessor — she refuses to say Trump’s name — never apologized, and that lit a fuse igniting a schoolyard brawl. Both hosts later apologized to each other.

In May, Behar took exception when McCain said she didn’t hear enough criticism of the spate of antisemitic hate crimes.

“I’ve been talking about antisemitism on this show for 25 freakin’ years,” Behar said. “Don’t tell me what I’m supposed to be saying, Meghan, OK? You do your thing, we do ours.”

Behar noted after McCain’s announcement that they’ve had their fights but also some interesting drinking sessions.

“I have really, really appreciated the fact that you were a formidable opponent in many ways and that you spoke your mind,” Behar said. “You’re no snowflake, missy.”

On her way out, McCain criticized media coverage of “The View,” saying the show was covered with deep misogyny and sexism. She said if the show’s hosts were five men instead of women, they’d have Pulitzer Prizes.

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These tips may help you avoid a heat-related illnesson July 1, 2021 at 3:00 pm

The West is currently experiencing a massive heat wave that’s setting record daily high temperatures across the region, resulting in more than 40 million Americans in eight states being under heat warnings.

While people may power up their air conditioners and blast their fans to escape the heat, places such as California and Texas have been advised by power companies to conserve energy to avoid possible rolling blackouts.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that over 700 people die annually from extreme heat in the United States. As more places in the country could face higher temperatures as the season goes on, here are some expert tips to stay cool for now and the rest of an expected hot summer.

What happens to your body when it is hot?

Dr. Daniel Vigil, a health science clinical professor at UCLA, said the human body reacts if the core temperature is too hot or too cold. In the case of dealing with extreme heat, when the body temperature gets into the 100 degrees range, things such as liver and kidney failure, as well as brain dysfunction may occur.

“Your body just starts to fail,” Vigil said.

Signs your body is suffering from heat

Signs of heat-related illness include headaches, dizziness, nausea and confusion, according to the CDC.

Dr. David Nester from the Mayo Clinic told reporters on Wednesday there are different levels of heat illness.

He says the first thing is heat cramps, which also include heavy sweating and thirst. Next is heat exhaustion, which includes a rapid heart rate. The last, and most severe level, is heatstroke which can cause permanent damage to your body.

“This is a true medical emergency,” Nester said. “It can absolutely result in death.”

Who is susceptible to heat illness?

The CDC says young children, people 65 and older, and those who are overweight or physically ill are at a higher risk of succumbing to extreme heat.

When places known for their cooler weather, like Denver, experience extreme heat, it may feel different than someone that lives in Southern California, Vigil said. He added it has to do with the concept of acclimatization, or adjusting to a new environment.

“If you’re in a place where you’re just not used to having such an abrupt heat elevation, your body’s not used to it, you’re not climatized. So your ability to dissipate heat, and to maintain a proper body temperature, is going to be challenged,” Vigil said.

What if I don’t have an AC unit or a cool place to be in?

Dr. Grant Lipman, clinical professor of emergency medicine at Stanford, said that one of the easiest ways to cool down is to avoid humid areas and maximize your body’s evaporative cooling.

“Get a spray bottle, get a fan, put the two together and spray yourself with water and fanning it down,” Lipman said. “You’re basically inducing more evaporative cooling, so I think that’s the easy fix.”

Lipman added that if you or someone you know is suffering from the heat, the best immediate thing to do is cool them down.

“Cover their head with cold water to get that wet cooling going because every second that’s delayed, you have cells that are being destroyed and the mortality goes up significantly,” he said.

Staying hydrated …

Drinking water and staying hydrated may seem the obvious thing to do when it’s hot, but it’s actually not that simple.

“[People] shouldn’t just drink plain water all day, they should try to have something with it. A juice is fine, and this is where the sports drinks actually really come in handy,” Nestler said.

Vigil said a reason why people shouldn’t drink just water is because when the body sweats, there are some electrolytes in the sweat which sports drinks can help replenish.

Vigil and Lipman also both warn that drinking too much water can cause water intoxication, which can be fatal.

“Try not more than a liter per hour and be eating salty snacks at the same time,” Lipman said.

… but not with alcohol

As perfect as a cold beer sounds on a hot day, Lipman said drinking excess amounts of alcohol isn’t the best thing to do because it increases urination and dehydration, meaning people can get hotter faster.

“Excess alcohol with excess heat is a recipe for disaster,” he said.

Things not to do

Lipman said there are multiple things people shouldn’t do like stay in direct sunlight for too long or not wear sunscreen, and he highlighted the importance of having a plan.

“Everyone realizes that they have a plan of cold weather by bundling up in layers, people don’t think of how they can prepare for this hot weather by taking some simple precautions,” Lipman said. “The reality is that you can get a whole bunch of trouble really easily in these kinds of conditions.”

Vigil added that people shouldn’t ignore symptoms of heat stress, as taking action may save someone.

“For a person to recognize it or for a friend to recognize it in the suffering person and do something about it is not just appropriate, but actually could be life-saving,” he said.

Read more at usatoday.com

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Africa’s COVID-19 envoy blasts EU, COVAX over vaccine crisison July 1, 2021 at 3:39 pm

NAIROBI, Kenya — The African Union special envoy tasked with leading efforts to procure COVID-19 vaccines for the continent is blasting Europe as Africa struggles amid a crushing third surge of infections, saying Thursday that “not one dose, not one vial, has left a European factory for Africa.”

Strive Masiyiwa also took aim at the global effort meant to distribute vaccines to low- and middle-income countries, accusing COVAX of withholding crucial information including that key donors hadn’t met funding pledges. He didn’t name which donors.

“The situation could be very different had we known back in December that ‘Listen, this help is not coming, do for yourselves,'” Masiyiwa told reporters, adding that “many countries were just sitting back saying, ‘the vaccines are coming.’ … We as Africans are disappointed.”

The criticism revealed African leaders’ sheer exasperation at the world’s dramatic vaccine divide, with Masiyiwa describing vaccinated, unmasked Europeans attending football matches while just 1% of Africans are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The continent has the lowest vaccine coverage in the world.

Masiyiwa stressed that Africa has purchased 400 million vaccine doses and can buy more, but he challenged donors: “Pay up your money … We will no longer measure pledges, we will measure vaccines arriving at our airports.”

The African continent of 1.3 billion people is now in the grip of a third surge of infections that is “extremely aggressive,” the head of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, John Nkengasong, told reporters. Health officials have described overflowing COVID-19 wards, dangerous oxygen shortages and a growing spread of the virus to extremely vulnerable and unequipped rural areas.

Masiyiwa said COVAX had promised to deliver 700 million vaccine doses to Africa by December. But at mid-year, Africa has received just 65 million doses overall. Less than 50 million doses via COVAX have arrived.

“We are very far away from our target,” Nkengasong said. “We don’t want to be seen as the continent of COVID … (In Europe) the stadiums are full of young people shouting and hugging. We can’t do that in Africa.”

Spokespeople for COVAX did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The World Health Organization in a separate briefing said COVID-19 case numbers are doubling in Africa every three weeks and the highly contagious delta variant is driving the new wave of infections.

And the Lancet COVID-19 Commission African Task Force made an urgent appeal for at least 300 million vaccine doses so every African country can fully vaccinate at least 20% of its people by the end of August. It said 46% of the U.S. population is fully vaccinated, with about 33% in the European Union and about 40% in China.

Nkengasong and Masiyiwa did announce some vaccine progress, saying the first shipments of Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer doses based on U.S. support will begin arriving next week. It was not clear how many doses would be in the shipments. Meanwhile, more African-purchased doses will arrive in August, Masiyiwa said.

The African continent has had 5.5 million confirmed COVID-19 infections and has seen a “remarkable” 23% increase in deaths over the past week, the Africa CDC director said.

He said the continent needs 1.6 billion doses in a double-dose regime, or 800 million for a single-dose regime, to meet the goal of vaccinating 60% of the population.

Masiyiwa gave a frank accounting of where global efforts to vaccinate the world against COVID-19 had sputtered. “It became pretty clear by December that the hope that we would all as a global community buy vaccines together through COVAX was not being adhered to, particularly by the rich and powerful nations,” he said.

COVAX aimed to provide 20% of Africa’s vaccine needs, with African nations stepping up for the rest, he said. But “it really doesn’t matter how much money your country has, they couldn’t buy vaccines … I never saw presidents try so hard, calling chief executives.”

The African continent has relied on vaccine manufacturing capabilities elsewhere in the world, but the COVID-19 vaccine crisis has jolted African leaders into pursuing their own production.

Step by step, Masiyiwa laid out the challenges: Vaccine suppliers require advance purchases, and the World Bank could only lend to countries once vaccines are available. African nations scrambled via the Africa Export-Import Bank, owned by member states, to come up with some $2 billion. African countries created a purchasing platform to improve their buying power.

But the vaccines have been hard to find as countries with manufacturing capabilities imposed controls on export sales in the interest of vaccinating their own citizens first. “It was the same whether we were talking to the East, to the West, whatever,” Masiyiwa said. “This has created a massive crisis.”

He took aim at Europe: “When we go to talk to their manufacturers, they tell us they’re completely maxed out meeting the needs of Europe, we’re referred to India.” But the EU now imposes public health restrictions on people vaccinated with Covishield, the Indian-produced version of the EU-accepted AstraZeneca vaccine.

“So how do we get to the situation where they give money to COVAX, who go to India to purchase vaccines, and then they tell us those vaccines are not valid?” Masiyiwa said.

Without mentioning the EU issue, COVAX in a statement on Thursday warned against turning away people “protected by a subset of WHO-approved vaccines,” saying it would “effectively create a two-tier system, further widening the global vaccine divide.”

Some countries engage in so-called vaccine diplomacy and those bilateral donations are welcome, Masiyiwa said, but they’re not enough to “move the needle.”

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Ask Chicago: Why Does Cracker Jack Have So Many Birth Dates?on July 1, 2021 at 3:00 pm

I’ve seen both 1871 and 1896 given as Cracker Jack’s birth date, which would make this year its 150th or 125th anniversary. What gives?

The makers of the sugary globs of peanuts and popcorn love any excuse for a party. Previous owner Borden celebrated the centennial three separate times: in 1972, commemorating the creation of F.W. Rueckheim & Bro., the Chicago company that invented Cracker Jack (the recipe was developed the year before); in 1993, to mark the World’s Columbian Exposition, even though there’s no evidence it was sold there; and in 1996, for when it was named. Why so many anniversaries? Marketing, says Hyde Park resident Theresa Richter, president of the Cracker Jack Collectors Association. Big dates lend themselves to splashy campaigns. In 2012, for example, in honor of a hundred years of prizes, current owner Frito-Lay gave out special trinkets, including one that winked at a famous Breakfast at Tiffany’s scene: a real diamond ring.

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5 Best Chicago Happy Hours to Hit Up For Julyon July 1, 2021 at 3:29 pm

Are you stressed, overworked, or maybe just looking for a good time? Luckily, we have the solution for you! There is nothing better than getting off work early and having a sip of your favorite cocktail, right? Right. With Chicago now being fully open, it means that Happy Hour is back! There are so many specials going on right now, just in time for summer. But I have found 5 of the BEST Chicago Happy Hours to hit up for July. Trust me they won’t disappoint! 

150 N. Riverside Plaza, Chicago, IL 60606

Porter Kitchen & Deck features two standout outdoor areas for guests to take in the city scenery. The restaurant spills out onto an expansive lower patio overlooking the river and the second outdoor space, known as the Deck, features lounge seating and tables. Their menu features classic American cuisine in an elegant and relaxed setting. Porter Kitchen & Deck is open Tuesday – Friday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Saturday from 4:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

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Happy Hour Special: $7 Svedka Mules, $8 Classic Margaritas, $9 Old Fashion, $9 Select Wines by the Glass

Time: Thursday & Friday | 3-6 pm

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1500 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60610 

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Whether it’s brunch, happy hour, or dinner, dine at 80 Proof al fresco style on their sidewalk patio surrounded by greenery. Their patio is dog-friendly too! 80 Proof features a vegan menu, alongside a selection of classic items. The menu introduces a new take on fun vegan bar food, such as Nashville Boneless Cauliflower, Mac and Cheese, a vegan Gringo Burrito made with Beyond chorizo, and the Bahn Mi Mushroom Sandwich with crispy oyster mushrooms.

Happy Hour Special: $5 Jimador shot, $5 draft beer, $15 Bam! (Big Ass Mixers)

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Time: Wednesday-Friday | 5-7 pm

2727 North Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago, IL 60647

The Walk In is a Chicago cocktail lounge and bar located in Logan Square that is connected to the Red Star Liquor store by way of a walk-in cooler door. ‘Friendly as Fuck, with a nod to the ’60s and 70’s gritty funk, soul, & Rock N’ Roll, it’s impossible for you not to tap your foot while sipping your cocktail. Housed in a vintage building over 100 years old, this cozy watering hole pours beer and cocktails in a modern-industrial lounge setting with booths and drink rails, vintage speakers, and rolling garage doors that open to a seasonal patio.

Happy Hour Special: $6 cocktails, $4 select drafts

Time: Monday through Friday | 5-8 pm

12 West Elm St, Chicago, IL 60610

Inspired by the great hotel lobby bars of Chicago,  Sparrow is iconic in its look, service, and offerings.  1930s-era rum-focused cocktails lead the offerings along with a rotating shortlist of classics, a small European-focused wine list, and 10 rotating draft handles. The classic art deco apartment building and its lobby bar are a true reflection of the sophistication and maturity of the surrounding Gold Coast neighborhood. This lobby bar has been restored after 75 years. They are open Monday through Saturday from 4 pm to 2 am and until 3 am on Saturdays. 

Happy Hour Special: $5 Drafts, $10 Wines by the Glass

Time: Monday through Friday | 4-7 pm

Streeterville: 671 N. St. Clair Street, Chicago, IL

Fulton Market: 834 W. Fulton Market St, Chicago, IL 

River North: 519 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL

Beatrix is a neighborhood coffeehouse, restaurant, and meeting place in Chicago’s River North, Streeterville, Fulton Market, and Oak Brook neighborhoods. The menu features healthy meets delicious options and is known for its iconic coffee and bakery counter, including signature cookies and in-house pastry favorites. 

Happy Hour Special: $5 Select Beers, $7 Select Wines, $9 Select Hand-Crafted Cocktails

Time: Monday through Thursday | 3-5 pm

Featured Image Credit: 80 Proof Chicago on Facebook

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Was justice served by Derek Chauvin’s twenty two and a half year sentence?on July 1, 2021 at 3:24 pm

The Chicago Board of Tirade

Was justice served by Derek Chauvin’s twenty two and a half year sentence?

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Was justice served by Derek Chauvin’s twenty two and a half year sentence?on July 1, 2021 at 3:24 pm Read More »

When I think about freedom, I remember a lion named Elsa and a black lab named Biffon July 1, 2021 at 2:31 pm

Americans celebrate Independence Day because freedom is more important than food and water for making us feel alive.

And the physical, sensual and emotional meaning of freedom was never more poignantly dramatized than in the award-winning feature film “Born Free.”

The 1966 movie is based on a true story of Joy Adamson (played by Virginia McKenna), wife of African game warden George Adamson (Bill Travers), who adopts an orphaned lion cub that she names Elsa.

As Elsa matures into a 300-pound adult, and the perils of keeping her become obvious, Adamson can’t bear the idea of her being caged in a zoo and resolves to return her to the wild.

The rest of the film chronicles the risks, difficulties and seeming impossibility of teaching the lioness to survive on her own in the jungle. But perfect, selfless love enables Adamson, in a heartbreaking scene, to drive away her beloved Elsa so that she might live out her days in pure freedom.

Craving freedom for ourselves and those we love is a basic human need, something I felt in my gut after relocating to the North Woods.

My family’s “Africa” was a million and a half acres of woods and waters in Wisconsin’s Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, and our base camp was an 800-square-foot cabin we built on the shore of little Bluegill Lake.

No lions or elephants, but a paradise of forested ridges, valleys and streams, dense with red and white pine, aspen and balsam, free of asphalt, fences and other human constraints, and teeming with wildlife, including wolves, elk and deer.

A Chicagoan, I was an alien in this environment. But the black labrador retriever we adopted at eight weeks was essentially a native, On his first morning walk to the water’s edge, his black puppy hair stood up like porcupine needles upon sniffing fresh tracks of black bear that had passed in the night.

Biff had yet to see a mouse or even a rabbit in his young life, but ancient knowledge of the woods was carried in his DNA.

Thus, he became our guide in the wilds. Never knowing a leash, he was our geiger counter for nature, alerting us to nearby wildlife or predators on the prowl. He saw, scented or heard what we were incapable of perceiving, by whining, pointing or leading us to the source, which even included the approach of distant thunderstorms whose static electricity he sensed in the atmosphere and telegraphed with his trembling.

Every daybreak, I went outside and unlocked the door where my daughter Jackie slept in the little guest bunkhouse, and Biff would spring out to lope alongside on my morning jog. Invariably, new smells sent him on side trips of exploration, giving short-lived chase to a deer, and once treeing a bobcat, another time, a yearling bear. He almost always rejoined my circuitous route back home, except for the morning he was lured by a pack of coyotes, when I feared he’d never return. But he was back in the afternoon, thirsty and muddy and chastised, wearily wagging his tail.

He so cherished his freedom that he required a bribe (Liva Snaps) to ride in the pick-up. Nor did he appreciate the confines of a boat from which he’d leap while I was fishing, to visit the family of loons, or pursue his own piscatorial quarry in Bluegill’s crystal-clear depths.

At summer’s end, when we returned to Illinois, Biff made it his mission to escape prison. A door left slightly ajar, and our too short (48 inches) chain link fence, and he bolted for freedom.

Phone calls from understanding dog people, and an overnight search in the dark, led to a taller fence, better security and an uncomprehending but affectionately resigned dog. He settled for burning his excess energy on the snow-covered bike path with my son Mike practicing for the cross-country team; and long walks with Jackie and Janet, when he was excited though unrequited by the scent of raccoon, skunk or rabbit from the nearby golf course.

He adapted to domesticity, sneaking onto our couch at night, hopping down before I came out in the morning — incriminating shiny black hairs left behind.

But the following summer, and each one thereafter for the next nine years, my family relished the return to the wild as much or more so than Biff, exhilarating in his freedom as if it were our own.

On his last side trip, not of his choosing, I held him in my arms, while recalling for his vet a memorable walk with Janet and me the previous April through melting snow along the Chippewa River. How he had plunged into the rushing water and swam to the other side, keeping us in his sights as we explored opposite banks.

When I whistled time to go, he raised his head, paused, and galloped 80 yards upstream before leaping back into the icy Chippewa, paddling and riding the current to emerge precisely where we stood.

Many years later, a feeling of longing and love for our “Elsa,” and for the gift of freedom, is what we savor and remember on the Fourth of July.

David McGrath is a emeritus professor of English at the College of DuPage and author of the essay collection “South Siders.”

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When I think about freedom, I remember a lion named Elsa and a black lab named Biffon July 1, 2021 at 2:31 pm Read More »