Minicamp is over, and the Bears will be off until late next month when they open training camp and begin urgent preparations for this season. Until then, here are seven big questions they face:

How did Andy Dalton look this spring?

It was only in shorts and without pads, but Dalton looked the part of 10-year starting NFL quarterback on the back side of his career — a quarterback capable of taking advantage of a strong supporting cast. An upgrade over Nick Foles? Probably. But we never saw Foles in a similar scenario with the Bears because of the coronavirus. And Foles also was put in a worst-case scenario with a deteriorating offensive line. So even that’s not a sure thing.

What surprised me the most about Justin Fields in practice was …

The touch on his throws. At least in a relatively non-competitive situation of offseason practices, Fields showed an ability to put the ball where only his receiver can get it. And — perhaps contrary to scouting reports — he reacts quickly to opportunity. When the play is there he hits it — where other quarterbacks might hesitate for a split-second and lose the opportunity.

Matt Nagy’s quarterback plan is …

What it is. Giving Andy Dalton the best chance to succeed as he learns a new system is fair. So Dalton getting all of the first-team reps with Justin Fields on the roster is more prudent than coaching malpractice. If I’m reading between the lines correctly, if Fields shows promise in the preseason, Dalton will have to be pretty good to keep the job. Matt Nagy’s standard will be key once the regular season begins.

The Bears’ defensive starters no-showing OTAs was ….

No big deal. You could see it as an affront to rookie coordinator Sean Desai — or a show of unity if you’re an optimist. In reality, the NFL Players Association’s weak attempt to flex muscle it doesn’t have played out reasonably: the offense that needed the work showed up; the defense that knows the scheme, did not. Desai is tweaking the defense, not overhauling it. The on-field work the players missed shouldn’t make a difference.

What is the Bears’ biggest concern heading into camp?

Almost regardless of the quarterback, do the Bears have an offense? Do they have an offensive scheme? Do they have an offensive play-caller who can outwit the opposing defensive play-caller? On defense, will nose tackle Eddie Goldman be there? Will Robert Quinn be healthy? But the biggest issue is Matt Nagy’s offense.

Will Allen Robinson get his contract extension by the July 15 deadline?

Doubtful. The Bears just don’t seem to value Robinson as much as everybody else does. He’s the biggest play-maker on an offense desperate for play-makers. He is the embodiment of the cherished culture at Halas Hall — on and off the field. Considering Ryan Pace’s history of signing players who have earned long-term deals, it’s mystifying why Robinson wasn’t first in line. But also telling.

Lakefront or Arlington Heights?

All things being equal, the Bears should be playing in Chicago, preferably by the lakefront. But if the choice is a state-of-the-art stadium in Arlington Heights or antiquated Soldier Field on the lakefront, the suburbs would be the better option.

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After much speculation, the Bears took a concrete step towards moving the historic franchise by placing a bid to buy the Arlington International Racecourse property Thursday — and as expected fans had much to say.

Some fans applauded the move, as they hoped for a larger new stadium that could be more accessible by car or Metra — while others were outraged by the mere idea of the team leaving the city.

Nicole Richardson, a lifelong fan, told the Sun-Times that Soldier Field is “iconic” even with the renovation that some have compared to a “spaceship.”

“It’s the ‘Chicago Bears,'” Richardson wrote. “If the owners want to move outside of the city they need to relinquish the name.”

Mayor Lori Lightfoot took to Twitter and shared a similar statement, affirming her commitment to “keeping the ‘Chicago’ name in our football team.”

Other city fans had similar feelings.

“We are the Chicago bears not the AH bears, that’s one big reason,” one fan tweeted. “Second, I’m born and raised and have spent majority of my life so far in Chicago so I’d rather we play there than in some soulless metal and glass monstrosity in the suburbs to make suburban fans happy.”

Tweeted another: “Because a stadium in Arlington Heights just doesn’t feel right. Part of the appeal of Soldier Field is that it’s on the lake right in the heart of Chicago.”

In the announcement Thursday, team president Ted Phillips said the Bears are exploring “every possible option,” adding if their bid is selected it would allow them to “further evaluate the property and its potential.”

But other fans support the move.

“Having a stadium on the lakefront is cool but if the @ChicagoBears can build an awesome modern stadium with great amenities and a DOME, im down,” one tweeted.

Jamal Neff hopes it will make games more accessible and affordable.

As an adult, Neff said in an interview that he has been to only one game at Soldier Field.

“When I was there, the price of the tickets was just outrageous — to sit in an angle that was cumbersome [and] to look at playing that was atrocious,” Neff said.

Like many others, Neff remembers the excitement of the ’85 Super Bowl season but says the stadium itself had nothing to do with that.

“I remember the city being electric, the neighborhoods coming alive,” Neff said. “I remember the song and how it united the city and it wasn’t really about being at the stadium or in the Museum Campus. It was just about being in the neighborhoods that make up Chicago.”

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Thank you for seeing us — labeled by sociologists as the “permanent underclass” — as Black gold to be refined by education and love.

This week’s column is a tribute to Paul J. Adams, executive chairman and founder of Providence St. Mel School, John Fountain’s alma mater.

Dear Dad, thank you for loving me. For choosing to call me your son. For being keeper of the emerald grass that still grows pristine on the West Side, where hopes and dreams too often are deferred until they dry up like a raisin in the sun.

Thank you for standing as the roaring lion of West Garfield. As protector of those who still find safe-haven in the hallowed halls of the towering brick castle on South Central Park. Thank you, for staying when the Archdiocese of Chicago 43 years ago declared that it was done and withdrew its funds.

Thank you for choosing not to run.

For seeing us — labeled by sociologists as the “permanent underclass,” as “the American Millstone,” as future drug dealers, killers and thugs — as Black gold to be refined by education and love. Thank you.

For dreaming of educating poor Black children mislabeled as ineducable in a place where broken glass, violence and gunfire run thick like a muddy river of hopelessness, I am grateful.

For building that old steady ship that still stands glistening as Providence St. Mel School — which existed long before the explosion of charter schools, of school reform and “No Child Left Behind” — thank you. For educating young Black minds.

For being the epitome of strength, love and fatherhood — in the face of prevailing stereotypes about Black males. For standing through all the hell…

The hell of uncertain days when the dream seemed more a haze, and trying to make payroll left you discouraged and dazed, and yet, still standing.

The hell of those most ungrateful, of critics so hateful. The hell of those words that sting and sometimes ring with bitterness that can steal one’s joy. The hell of those who cast aspersions or magnify perceived faults or shortcomings. Who choose to see the speck in your eye but not the wooden log in their own — and not yet having made a fraction of your sacrifice or impact on Black children’s lives. Facts.

You — and (former principal) Jeanette Butala — gave your lives to this cause. I will never forget that.

Thank you, for never abandoning ship. For being pure in heart and unwavering in your commitment to saving us. For being brave enough to face enemies far and near. For seeing clearly that a quality education is neither Black nor white, just right.

That our Blackness as a people is and always will be. But education must be attained, and excellence, hopes and dreams worked for and gained.

Thank you for embodying Black manhood.

For being wearing your regal Afro crown and standing rooted in the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., with whom you marched across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama. Thank you for caring most about what was in our heads, not what was on our heads.

For establishing school codes intended to make us uniform, to teach us values and order but never stole our Black pride or cool. I wore my braids back then, just not to school. And I still respect your rules.

Thank you for being a true gangster for education, for true emancipation. For embracing the call to envision ghetto children from a little West Side school that could, gaining academic scholarships and entry to the nation’s top colleges and universities (100% since 1978) — then matriculating.

Thank you for excavating Black gold on the other side of the tracks. For your vision carried on at Providence St. Mel and based on one simple fact: Black children can achieve. Every single one.

I am so proud to call you father and humbled that you call me your son. Happy Father’s Day.

Email: [email protected]

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The woman, man and child were driving in a vehicle in the 2800 block of West 79th Street when someone, possibly in a burgundy Dodge Durango, pulled up alongside them and fired several shots, Chicago police said.

A woman was killed and a man critically wounded in a shooting Friday afternoon in Ashburn Park on the Southwest Side. A child riding in their car was not harmed but hospitalized as a precautionary measure.

Just before 3 p.m., the group was traveling in a vehicle in the 2800 block of West 79th Street when someone, possibly in a burgundy Dodge Durango, drove up alongside them and fired several shots, Chicago police said.

The woman, 25, was struck in the head and pronounced dead at the scene, according to police.

The man, 29, suffered gunshot wounds to the back and hand and a graze wound to the head, police said. He was transported to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn in critical condition.

The child, whose age was unknown, was not injured but taken to the same hospital as a precaution, police said.

The group’s vehicle came to a stop after crashing into the median while the shooter fled the scene, police said.

No one is in custody.

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

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Chicago Bulls rookie small forward, Patrick Williams, 19, was snubbed out of selection for the NBA All-Rookie first team but instead was selected to the All-Rookie second team. Williams, also known as PWill or PDub, had an outstanding rookie season with the Chicago Bulls. The Chicago Bulls saw Patrick William have a fantastic season in 2020-21. […]

Chicago Bulls: Patrick Williams snubbed of All-Rookie first team – Da Windy City – Da Windy City – A Chicago Sports Site – Bears, Bulls, Cubs, White Sox, Blackhawks, Fighting Illini & More

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Today’s update is a 5-minute read that will brief you on the day’s biggest stories.

Good afternoon. Here’s the latest news you need to know in Chicago. It’s about a 5-minute read that will brief you on today’s biggest stories.

This afternoon will be partly sunny with a high near 90 degrees. Tonight will be mostly cloudy with scattered thunderstorms and a low around 70. Tomorrow will be mostly sunny with a high near 92.

Top story

Eleventh-hour compromise reached on civilian police review over Lightfoot’s objections, but mayoral ally refused to consider it

Mayor Lori Lightfoot was spared a bitter political defeat today on the pivotal issue of civilian police oversight by the narrowest of margins.

By a 10-9 vote, the Committee on Public Safety refused to consider an eleventh-hour compromise hammered out without the mayor’s input that would give a civilian oversight panel the final say on police policy disputes.

About an hour before the vote, Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35th) predicted that the votes would be there to approve the stronger oversight ordinance over Lightfoot’s strenuous objections after proponents agreed to “split out” a binding referendum that, if passed, would give the civilian panel even broader powers.

But Public Safety Committee Chairman Chris Taliaferro (29th) refused to consider the compromise distributed to aldermen only 30 minutes earlier.

“We’ve waited four years to vote on this matter. … A majority of the City Council is on board,” said a disappointed Ald. Harry Osterman (48th), City Council champion for civilian oversight.

Fran Spielman has more on the midday spar over police oversight here.

More news you need

1. COVID-19 case totals are continuing to move in the right direction as state health officials reported 102 new cases this afternoon — the fewest in a day since St. Patrick’s Day last year. Two-thirds of Illinoisans 12 or older are now vaccinated against the virus.
2. Annette Nance-Holt, the first woman ever to serve as Chicago’s fire commissioner, vowed during her confirmation hearing today to diversify the Chicago Fire Department. CFD has a long and well-documented history of discrimination and racism.
3. Three years ago, five paramedics accused their bosses of sexual harassment, alleging CFD fails to “discipline, supervise and control” its officers. Now, Chicago taxpayers will pay the price to the tune of $1.825 million.
4. Some religious orders have balked at posting lists of predator priests, but the Claretians’ U.S. websites don’t even mention the scandal, how they’ve responded or how victims can complain. Robert Herguth reports on how the order is closing its eyes to sexual abuse by clergy.
5. After her SUV was stolen, Kiama Doyle tried for hours to report the theft to 311 and was repeatedly hung up on — and she’s not the only one who’s had trouble. Callers this year have experienced long delays in getting through to 311, records show.
6. More than 360 Chicago police officers have retired this year — a higher number than in all of 2018, figures from the police pension board show. More are expected to retire in July.
7. Now that a bill for an elected Chicago school board has passed, significant unanswered questions remain. Nader Issa and Fran Spielman break down the hurdles and next steps facing the bill.
8. Gov. Pritzker signed legislation into law yesterday that, among other things, will push back the state’s primary to June and establish permanent vote-by-mail registries. The bill also allows the spending plan for Illinois’ next fiscal year to be implemented by July 1.
9. Tomorrow marks Juneteenth and Chicago is kicking off the weekend-long celebration of freedom today. Evan F. Moore has a full list of where you can find parades, music, block parties and more highlights.

A bright one

Chicago’s Alligator Records celebrates 50th anniversary in ‘home of the blues’

Bruce Iglauer, founder and president of independent Blues record label Alligator Records, says he initially came to Chicago in 1966 as a “blues pilgrim” who wanted to check out the University of Chicago Folk Festival.

Decades later, ahead of Mayor Lori Lightfoot declaring June 18 as “Alligator Records Day” in Chicago, Iglauer is looking back at the nuances of starting an influential record label in a blues mecca.

“I’ve recorded blues artists all over the country, but I started here in Chicago because this is still the home of the blues in this country,” said Iglauer, a Wyoming, Ohio, native who founded Alligator Records in 1971.

Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times

Iglauer and Alligator Records won’t rest on their laurels for long. In fact, the label’s legendary roster of blues artists is featured on the Edgewater-based label’s anniversary release, “Alligator Records: 50 Years Of Genuine Houserockin’ Music,” which be available today on LP and three-disc CD set.

Billy Branch, a singer and harmonica player, says Alligator Records emerged in an era when the music and its record companies were abundant. He calls the label “the last man standing.”

“There were quite a few Chicago labels, and Bruce has maintained a catalog of some of the greatest artists that ever lived,” said Branch.

Read Evan F. Moore’s full story here.

From the press box

• As the Bears take their summer break after minicamp, Patrick Finley answers seven key questions still facing the team.
• When the Bears announced yesterday that they put in a bid to buy the Arlington International Racecourse property, it was a reminder that the team has been here before. Literally. On the same piece of land.
• Cubs right-hander Adbert Alzolay is progressing well and could return from a finger blister soon.
• Sky star Candace Parker is showing some love to local basketball legends with throwback jerseys.

Your daily question ☕

What advice do you have for this year’s graduates?

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

Yesterday, we asked you: How do you feel about the possibility of a new Bears stadium in Arlington Heights? Here’s what some of you said…

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The paintings of Barack and Michelle Obama will be on display until Aug. 15.

People lined up Friday at the Art Institute under banners that read “From Chicago … to the White House … and back again” to be among the first to see “The Obama Portraits” in the place where Barack and Michelle had their first date 32 years ago.

“I think that they are a really wonderful and drastic departure from the conventional presidential portrait where somebody’s standing in a library or in front of a fireplace,” said Antar Jackson, 38, of Wicker Park. “It’s a commitment to modern society and embracing Black artistry.”

Jackson enjoyed how Michelle’s portrait leaned into the abstract.

“I love it so much because of the color contrast of it instead of doing something that was hyper-realistic,” he said. “You’re soaked in her ambition, love, desire, focus and everything that makes Michelle who she is.”

The portraits of the former president and first lady were painted by Black artists Kehinde Wiley and Amy Sherald.

Wiley’s 2018 portrait shows the 44th president seated on a chair amid a background of foliage.

Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times

Paden Brown, 13, of Beverly, loved the flowers’ significance. “The flowers represent him being from Chicago and his Hawaiian roots,” Paden said. “It’s nice to see the first Black president and first lady painted by Black artists.”

“Obama was the first president I got to vote for,” said Hannah MacCloud, 27, of Minneapolis. “It’s important for young people to see [the Obamas] in those roles and be inspired.”

In her portrait, Michelle posed in a gown of geometric shapes and bold patterns. Her skin and facial features are in grayscale — part of Sherald’s signature.

“Classic, beautiful, elegant — just like her,” said Lashanda McCoy, 26, of Lawndale, as she stood before Michelle Obama’s portrait.

Tayina Deravile, 34, of Fort Lauderdale, said, “My favorite part is seeing [the portraits] in real life. Just breathing in the same space, as weird as that sounds.”

Candice Washington, founder and executive director of Brown Books & Paint Brushes, brought some of her students to see the portraits. Her program educates young children about Black culture through art literacy and civic engagement.

“I like the texture and color,” said one of Washington’s 9-year-old students. “I was surprised by how big it was.”

“I like the linework and inclusion of the geometrical patterns from African American quilt work,” said Christina Greenlaw, 21, of Calumet City.

Chicago is the first stop in a five-city tour organized by the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in Washington. “The Obama Portraits” will travel to the Brooklyn Museum, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, High Museum of Art in Atlanta, and the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston.

Tickets for the exhibit are sold out through June 27. Tickets for July 1-15 will be available beginning June 24 via the Art Institute’s website, https://www.artic.edu/.

Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times

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The boy was found in his bedroom with a gunshot wound to his head, police said.

The death of a 16-year-old boy found fatally shot Thursday in Roseland on the South Side has been ruled a homicide.

Deshon Reed was found in his bedroom with a gunshot wound to his neck about 11:50 a.m. in the first block of West 109th Place, Chicago police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office said.

The teen was pronounced dead at the scene, Chicago fire officials said. Police said the circumstances of the shooting were unclear.

Autopsy results released Friday said Reed died of a gunshot wound to his neck and the death was ruled a homicide, the medical examiner’s office said.

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

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