The wait is over: it’s time for the 2021 NFL Draft, and Chicago Bears fans are eagerly anticipating what may or may not happen tonight.
While many fans are hoping for the best, the reality is, we must prepare for the worst. General manager Ryan Pace may be ready to pull the trigger on a trade, but there are a lot of factors that go into such a decision.
The 2021 NFL Draft is here and for the first time in three years, the Chicago Bears have a selection in the first round.
Any menthol ban will take years to implement and will likely face legal challenges from tobacco companies.
WASHINGTON — U.S. health regulators pledged again Thursday to try to ban menthol cigarettes, this time under pressure from African American groups to remove the mint flavor popular among Black smokers.
The Food and Drug Administration has attempted several times to get rid of menthol but faced pushback from Big Tobacco, members of Congress and competing political interests in both the Obama and Trump administrations. Any menthol ban will take years to implement and will likely face legal challenges from tobacco companies.
Thursday’s announcement is the result of a lawsuit filed by anti-smoking and medical groups last summer to force the FDA to finally make a decision on menthol, alleging that regulators had “unreasonably delayed” responding to a 2013 petition seeking to ban the flavor.
The deadline for the agency’s response was Thursday. The FDA said it aims to propose regulations banning the flavor in the coming year.
The action would also ban menthol and fruity flavors from low-cost, small cigars, which are increasingly popular with young people, especially Black teens.
“Taken together, these policies will help save lives and improve the public health of our country as we confront the leading cause of preventable disease and death,” Mitch Zeller, the FDA’s head of tobacco, said in a statement.
Menthol is the only cigarette flavor that was not banned under the 2009 law that gave the FDA authority over tobacco products, an exemption negotiated by industry lobbyists. The act did, though, instruct the agency to continue to weigh banning menthol.
The flavor’s persistence has infuriated anti-smoking advocates, who point to research that menthol’s numbing effect masks the harshness of smoking, likely making it easier to start and harder to quit.
The mint-flavored cigarettes are overwhelmingly used by young people and minorities, particularly Black smokers, 85% of whom smoke menthols. That compares to about a third of white smokers.
“The science is there, the data is there, so why are these products still on the market?” said Carol McGruder of the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council.
Her group sued along with Action on Smoking and Health, the American Medical Association and the National Medical Association, which represents Black physicians.
For decades, companies focused menthol marketing and promotions on Black communities, including sponsoring music festivals and neighborhood events. Company documents released via 1990s litigation also show companies viewed menthol cigarettes as good “starter” products because they were more palatable for teenagers .
“There was a specific, intentional focus on creating the next generation of smokers by making menthol cigarettes available in those communities,” said Dr. Nia Heard-Garris, who chairs the American Academy of Pediatrics’ group on minority health and equity.
In the late 1990s, new restrictions banned cigarette advertising from billboards, public transit and most event sponsorships. Companies shifted more promotions to retail locations like gas stations and convenience stores, which researchers have shown are heavily concentrated in Black neighborhoods
About a third of all cigarettes sold in the U.S. are menthol and its elimination would be a huge blow to tobacco companies, including Altria and Reynolds American, maker of the leading menthol brands, Newport and Kool. With the slow decline of smoking, tobacco companies have been diversifying into alternative products, including electronic cigarettes and tobacco pouches. But those ventures still account for a tiny slice of industry sales.
A spokeswoman for Reynolds American said the company would submit evidence countering FDA’s proposal.
“Published science does not support regulating menthol cigarettes differently from non-menthol,” she said in a statement.
An Altria spokesman said in a statement that “criminalizing menthol” would have “serious unintended consequences.”
Smoking can cause cancer, strokes and heart attacks and is blamed for 480,000 deaths each year in the U.S. About 14% of Americans smoke cigarettes, with rates roughly even between white and Black populations. But Black smokers are less likely to successfully quit, a trend that the U.S. Surgeon General and others have attributed to menthol cigarettes.
Menthol occurs naturally in mint plants. Known for its cooling effect, the chemical is used in cough drops and other medicines. Cigarette makers began adding the chemical in the 1920s after realizing it reduced the throat hit of cigarettes.
Past government efforts targeting menthol have faced opposition from lawmakers from traditional tobacco states like North Carolina, but also some members of the Congressional Black Caucus, many who have received campaign contributions from cigarette makers.
Some caucus members warned that banning menthol would create an illegal market for the products, subjecting Black communities to increased law enforcement.
But calls for action have been growing and last year the House of Representatives voted to ban the flavor with support from the majority of Black members. The bill stalled in the Republican-controlled Senate after Trump made clear he opposed the measure.
The FDA’s attempts to get rid of menthol have repeatedly been delayed or derailed by forces inside and outside government.
In 2011, an outside panel of FDA advisers recommended banning menthol after concluding that it increases smoking among young people and minorities and makes it harder for them to quit. But cigarette makers challenged the findings in court, claiming some panel members had conflicts of interest they hadn’t disclosed.
In 2013, the FDA conducted its own internal study and reached similar conclusions, but the Obama administration did not move ahead with a ban.
Under the Trump administration, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb tried to again restart the process but it was never greenlighted by the White House.
Massachusetts and California have passed laws banning menthol. But California’s ban was suspended in January after a legal challenge backed by tobacco companies; the issue is on the ballot next year.
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Follow Matthew Perrone on Twitter: @AP_FDAwriter
Here’s the latest news on how COVID-19 is impacting Chicago and Illinois.
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With two million vaccine doses administered and health metrics improving, Mayor Lori Lightfoot is reopening Chicago a little bit more — this time to let restaurants and theaters serve more patrons and allow fans inside the United Center for the first time since the start of the pandemic.
The new Phase Four rules, effective immediately, allow the Bulls and Blackhawks to close their seasons before roughly 5,250 fans per game — 25% of the United Center’s capacity.
The Blackhawks play at home Thursday and Saturday against the Florida Panthers, then finish their regular-season home schedule with two games in May. The Bulls have a home game Friday, the first of six regular-season games left.
That 25% rule also applies to Wrigley Field, Guaranteed Rate Field and Soldier Field, an increase from the current 20%. The 25% also includes churches, synagogues, mosques and other houses of worship.
Restaurants and bars can increase indoor capacity to 50% or 100 people, whichever is less. The cap had been 50% or 50 people.
Meetings, conferences and conventions held at large indoor venues like McCormick Place now can operate at 25% capacity or 250 people, whichever is less.
Festivals and, what the city calls “general admission outdoor spectator events” get the green light to welcome 15 people for every 1,000 square feet.
The same rules apply to flea markets, which can operate at 25% capacity.
Fran Spielman has the full story here.
Almost one in five Chicago Public Schools high schoolers was absent last week regardless of whether they signed up for in-person learning or chose to stay remote, according to district data released Wednesday.
The new attendance figures come as officials celebrate the reopening of all CPS high schools last week, a milestone reached after long negotiations with the teachers union and after 13 months of closures because of COVID-19.
District leaders have said offering in-person classes is the first step to recovering from the pandemic, but they’ll face challenges in the months ahead in reengaging students who haven’t had consistent or quality access to education.
Districtwide, including elementary schools, “we are continuing to see the majority of our students learning virtually, with an overall attendance rate of 89.5%,” Bogdana Chkoumbova, CPS’ chief of school management, said at Wednesday’s virtual Board of Education meeting.
Keeping with trends throughout this school year, Black students and children experiencing homelessness have had the highest absentee rates, largely because those populations have been most impacted by the various barriers to learning during the pandemic.
Nader Issa has the full story here.
Is it safe to go to big sporting events during the pandemic?
Not yet, but there are ways to make it safer if you go.
“Yelling, chanting, hugging and generally pouring out our sports enthusiasm is still not the safest activity,” noted Jennifer Dowd, associate professor of population health at University of Oxford and chief scientific officer of Dear Pandemic, a website that offers expert opinions.
If you do decide to go to a game, outdoor stadiums are safer than indoor arenas, which won’t be as well ventilated. Venues that limit attendance and require masks are safer as well. Some teams are requiring proof of vaccination or a negative test for the coronavirus.
Once at the stadium, avoid indoor bars, restaurants and box seating, Dowd said. “Spaces that are indoors with lots of people eating and drinking without masks are still among the riskiest,” she said.
Large commencements with hundreds of cheering parents, siblings and grandparents might not return for some time, but this year’s 8th graders and high school seniors will be able to take part in more traditional ceremonies than last year.
Both indoor and outdoor graduations and other end-of-year events can be held this spring with some capacity restrictions, Chicago Public Schools officials announced at Wednesday’s virtual Board of Education meeting.
“As we look for ways to honor our graduates after what’s been a very difficult year, the district developed a plan to celebrate graduates while ensuring the safety of each school community,” Bogdana Chkoumbova, CPS’ chief of school management, told the school board.
“Schools will have the option to hold indoor, outdoor or virtual graduation events where students can obtain their diplomas and take pictures in their caps and gowns,” Chkoumbova said. “Graduations can either be social events, where mingling can occur, or spectator events that are ticketed and seated with no mingling.”
Read Nader Issa’s full story here.
In the small Nebraska town of Oxford, the school district dropped its mask mandate last month in what was a fairly straight-forward decision: Cases were down dramatically, and it didn’t bother local officials that their move flouted Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.
Those federal mask guidelines just didn’t seem to fit local conditions well in the town of about 800 people where hardly anyone wears a mask.
“We haven’t paid a whole lot of attention to what is going on at the federal level — mainly what is coming out through the state,” Southern Valley Superintendent Bryce Jorgensen said. “You just can’t compare Chicago to Oxford, Nebraska. Things are just different.”
On Tuesday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention eased its guidelines on the wearing of masks outdoors, saying fully vaccinated Americans don’t need to cover their faces anymore unless they are in a big crowd of strangers. And those who are unvaccinated can go outside without masks in some situations, too.
For most of the past year, the CDC had been advising Americans to wear masks outdoors if they are within 6 feet of one another.
The decision marked the U.S. government’s latest step toward normalcy, but came as much of the country already had moved on from mask rules. The CDC essentially endorsed what many Americans have already been doing.
Criminals in street shootings don’t wear body cams, so TV footage is harder to come by. Uncomfortable facts are routinely ignored or suppressed to preserve the good-versus-evil storyline.
A suggestion for cable news programmers: Instead of filling every broadcast with the latest presumptive police outrage, try covering the latest drive-by killings. Show us more of what’s really happening on the streets where we live. Newspapers and local TV are already on it.
For example, the morning after police released video of the fatal shooting of 13-year-old Adam Toledo by a Chicago cop, the lead headline in the Chicago Sun-Times read: “Girl, 7, fatally shot at McDonald’s drive-thru.”
Witnesses told reporters they were astonished by the brazenness of the gang members who opened fire on a rival in front of many onlookers and several security cameras. The little girl seemingly got in the way.
Young Adam Toledo, of course, was involved in a shooting episode, as well, immediately before his deadly confrontation with police. Heaven knows, Chicagoans have reason to be leery of their city’s police department, but context is crucial.
Wednesday morning’s headline in the Little Rock newspaper was, “Peace urged after man killed, toddlers hurt by park gunfire.” The toddlers, aged 3 and 4, are expected to recover. More collateral damage, as it’s called when soldiers shoot civilians. Two young men playing basketball were the intended targets; one survived. Last month, however, a 10-year-old girl was killed in a similar incident in another city park.
In Miami last weekend, 3-year-old Elijah LaFrance was killed in a drive-by shooting after his own birthday party — the third little kid murdered there in recent months. The others were aged 7 and 6.
Criminals, however, don’t wear body cams, so TV footage is harder to come by. Also, because filing wrongful death lawsuits against street gangs is futile, CNN’s roving cast of pundits and personal injury lawyers aren’t primed to respond with appropriate indignation.
“When a suspect is a person of color, there is no attempt to de-escalate the situation,” said civil rights lawyer and ubiquitous talking head Ben Crump regarding a recent incident in Knoxville, Tennessee. “Police shoot first and ask questions later, time after time, because Black lives are afforded less value.”
Regarding the value of Black lives, here’s some important information: According to an extraordinary piece of reporting by Rick Rojas in The New York Times, Anthony J. Thompson, age 17, who was killed by Knoxville police in an armed confrontation in a cramped bathroom at Austin-East Magnet High School, was the fifth student from that campus to die of gun violence during this school year.
Five kids, all African American, all shot dead at one school in one year.
“It makes it harder to get out of the house every day knowing another child has lost their life,” one victim’s older sister said.
So far, however, this ongoing tragedy has drawn little commentary on CNN or MSNBC. “Among our elites,” my friend Bob Somerby writes, “no one cares about the gun violence which takes so many other lives. It doesn’t matter if Black people get shot and killed unless it’s done by police.”
At his website The Daily Howler, Somerby has been writing acid commentaries about the melodramatic coverage given police/civilian shootings. In the wake of the Derek Chauvin murder trial, the sad and dangerous truth is that on anything regarding cops and race, you pretty much can’t expect anything like accurate, dispassionate journalism from too much of the news media. Particularly not the cable networks.
Uncomfortable facts are routinely ignored or suppressed to preserve the good-versus-evil storyline. Pundits appear on national TV to opine about complex life-and-death situations without having the first idea what they’re talking about. Once the basic storyline gets laid down, it rarely changes.
Consider, for example, the tragic killing of Daunte Wright in a Minneapolis suburb by a veteran officer who says she mistakenly fired her handgun instead of a Taser — a story so improbable it almost has to be true, and will almost certainly result in a felony conviction. Wright apparently told his mother that he was stopped for having an air freshener hanging from his rear-view mirror.
Pundits at PBS, MSNBC, The New York Times and The Washington Post have given the air-freshener angle a workout. Al Sharpton mentioned it during an emotional eulogy at Wright’s funeral. So why were Brooklyn Center police arresting Wright, and why did he flee?
Well, it turns out that Wright had been charged with aggravated armed robbery in 2019, released on bail, subsequently picked up for carrying a pistol and fleeing police, released again, and then blew off a court hearing on the gun charge. He had to figure they’d keep him locked up this time.
So he tried to run. Terrible decision.
Not a capital crime, no. And still a tragedy.
But if you’re one of those posting indignant Facebook screeds about cops stopping drivers for minor infractions, now you know why.
Gene Lyons is a columnist for the Arkansas Times.
Send letters to [email protected].
John Amabile was charged earlier this month as part of the investigation that also led to charges and prison time for Gregory Paloian of Elmwood Park.
A former Melrose Park police officer pleaded guilty Thursday to his role in a gambling ring once run by a mob-connected bookie who already faces a prison sentence of more than two years.
John Amabile, 33, was charged earlier this month as part of the investigation that also led to charges and prison time for Gregory Paloian of Elmwood Park.
Paloian admitted in January that he ran the ring from 2015 until 2019 in Chicago, Elmwood Park and Melrose Park. But the feds have said they “know now that Paloian was running a bookmaking operation as early as 2012 and continuing until shut down by the FBI.”
They also said the ring involved 60 gamblers, and that “a veteran police officer from a local police department” was among Paloian’s “most prolific agents.”
Amabile’s father Joseph is a former Melrose Park police lieutenant. Amabile’s uncle James is a former Melrose Park fire lieutenant who was convicted in a mob-related extortion case in 2015, sentenced to six months in prison and released from custody in 2016, according to interviews and records.
Amabile’s brother Joe became a minor celebrity after appearing on “The Bachelorette” and, subsequently, other reality shows.
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Amabile’s late grandfather, also named Joseph, was a reputed “crime kingpin in the western suburbs,” and acolyte of high-ranking hoodlum Sam Battaglia, before his death in 1976, according to interviews and published accounts. The grandfather was convicted of extortion in 1967 and sent to prison, according to his Chicago Sun-Times obituary.
Over the years, members of the family have donated to political campaigns benefitting Melrose Park Mayor Ronald Serpico — who has presided after a number of scandals and embarrassments within his police department during his years in office.
“This young kid, I don’t know what he was doing,” Serpico said when Amabile was first charged. “I can’t control people. . . . Am I responsible for the world? I think the only thing we can be is responsible for ourselves.”
In 2017, former Melrose Park police Detective Greg Salvi was sent to prison for a drug-dealing scheme that included stealing narcotics from his department’s evidence room.
In 2013, a motorcycle club started by Melrose Park cops disbanded after a reporter discovered members were wearing patches pledging support for the Outlaws, a notorious biker gang that’s been described as a criminal enterprise by federal authorities.
In 2009, former Melrose Park Police Chief Vito Scavo was convicted in a racketeering and extortion scheme and sent to prison.
Paloian was previously sentenced in 2002 to 41 months in prison for running a mob-connected bookmaking operation. Federal prosecutors also recently revealed that his name was on the prison contact list for imprisoned Cicero mob boss Michael “The Large Guy” Sarno, who had been arguing for compassionate release. A judge denied Sarno’s request earlier this month.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amarjeet Bhachu wrote in a court filing that “Paloian has regularly sent money to Sarno’s prison account since he was imprisoned; these are no doubt the proceeds of his illegal gambling business.”
The first Saturday in May—perhaps the most iconic sporting day of the year is the home of the Kentucky Derby, horse racing’s version of the Super Bowl. After COVID-19 pushed the Derby from its annual post to September, the race is on for this Saturday and Kentucky Derby Parties Chicago is your one-stop-shop for the classiest mixing and watch party socializing the city has to offer. We’ve got your ticket, table reservations, and more for one of the best party days of the year!
If you’re unable to get down to Kentucky this year for the race, Chicago is the next best destination. In total, 8 of your favorite bars around the city will host exclusive events in coordination with Green Curtain Events. Broken Barrel Bar, Rebel & Rye, HVAC Pub, The Reveler, Fatpour Wicker Park, Hopsmith, Moe’s Cantina River North, and Woodie’s have come together for this incredible one-off Kentucky Derby party is your one-stop-shop for the perfect Derby atmosphere outside of Churchill Downs. You can expect the classiest mixing and watch party socializing the day has to offer in a safe and comfortable environment.
So gents, get those pastel suits and pocket squares in line and ladies throw on your best floppy race-day hat because you still have the option to get a bit toasty and place your bet on the best Kentucky Derby Parties around your neighborhood and join the Chicago Derby-watch craze with full details and package options below.
Note: Each bar comes with a different, custom event package and price point.
For more information call 312.579.3636 or email [email protected].
It’s important to remember: LET’S KEEP IT SAFE…
Your health & safety is our priority here at Green Curtain Events. We are monitoring the impacts of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic very closely based on the rules and recommendations set forth by the CDC, WHO, and local municipalities in which we operate.
Green Curtain Events will remain in compliance and follow the City of Chicago guidelines and checklists for Meetings and Social Events (At all times).
All Venues we are partnered with will follow the City of Chicago guidelines and checklists for Restaurants and Bars (At all times).
We ask our Patrons to do their part and follow CDC and local government guidelines for Social Gatherings.
Enjoy the Kentucky Derby with southern charm at Broken Barrel Bar; Lakeview’s favorite sports watching hot-spot with generous packages to offer.
Date: Saturday, May 1st
Hours: *3pm to 6pm – Guests Must Arrive by 3:30pm for Guaranteed Service.
Ticketed Reservations Include:
INDOOR SERVICE
Indoor Seating with Watch Package for 2: $130
Indoor Seating with Watch Package for 4: $250
Indoor Seating with Watch Package for 6: $360
PATIO SERVICE
Patio Seating with Watch Package for 4: $325
Patio Seating with Watch Package for 6: $475
**All Watch Package Include:
-Entry, Seating, and Reserved Service for 3 hours, Concluding at 6pm
-Featured Kentucky Derby Watch Action
-One Welcome White Claw Hard Seltzer Per Person
-Inclusive House Wells, Mint Juleps, and Domestic Drafts 3 to 6pm
-One Southern Inspired Appetizer Sampler for the Guest-Count Associated
Rebel & RyeEnjoy the Kentucky Derby in perfect form at Rebel & Rye; West town’s favorite party zone with indoor and outdoor patio table packages available for reserve.
Date: Saturday, May 1st
Hours: *3pm to 6pm – Guests Must Arrive by 3:30pm for Guaranteed Service.
Ticketed Reservations Include:
Table Reservation for 4: $40
-Entry, Seating, and Reserved Service for 3 hours, Concluding at 6pm
-Featured Kentucky Derby Watch Action
-One Welcome White Claw Hard Seltzer Per Person
Table Reservation for 6: $60
-Entry, Seating, and Reserved Service for 3 hours, Concluding at 6pm
-Featured Kentucky Derby Watch Action
-One Welcome White Claw Hard Seltzer Per Person
Indoor Table with Party Package for 6: $350
-Entry, Seating, and Reserved Service for 3 hours, Concluding at 6pm
-Featured Kentucky Derby Watch Action
-One “Kitchen Sink” of Assorted White Claw Hard Seltzers (10 cans)
-One Bottle of Old Forester Bourbon with D.I.Y. Mint Julep Kit
-One Bottle of Champagne
Patio Table with Party Package for 6: $375
-Entry, Seating, and Reserved Service for 3 hours, Concluding at 6pm
-Featured Kentucky Derby Watch Action
-One “Kitchen Sink” of Assorted White Claw Hard Seltzers (10 cans)
-One Bottle of Old Forester Bourbon with D.I.Y. Mint Julep Kit
-One Bottle of Champagne
Prizes & Give-Aways: Dress to Impress!!
(Courtesy of) Last Call Tavern Group and Rebel & Rye will be giving away BEST DRESSED PRIZES for two lucky and high-fashioned attendees…
FIRST PLACE: $100 Off Their Day-Of Tab + a $50 Gift Card for Future Use
SECOND PLACE: $50 Gift Card for Future Use
Enjoy the Kentucky Derby with supreme-party-viewing and LIVE Music at HVAC; Wrigleyville’s timeless attraction with group packages now on tap.
Date: *Saturday, May 1st
Hours: *3pm to 6pm – Guests Must Arrive by 3:30pm for Guaranteed Service.
Ticketed Reservations Include:
Seating with Watch Package for 2: $125
Seating with Watch Package for 4: $250
Seating with Watch Package for 6: $350
**All Watch Package Include:
-Entry, Seating, and Reserved Service for 3 hours, Concluding at 6pm
-Featured Kentucky Derby Watch Action
-LIVE Music
-One Welcome White Claw Hard Seltzer Per Person
-Inclusive House Wells, Mint Juleps, and Domestic Drafts 3 to 6pm
-Inclusive House Pizza for the Guest Count Associated
**Please Note that table locations may be placed Indoor, Outdoor, or on Second Floor at full venue discretion + factoring in weather determination.
**Packages are designed for guest-count associated and only ONE purchase is needed for the group.
The RevelerEnjoy the Kentucky Derby in a bar-watcher’s paradise at The Reveler; Lakeview’s neighborhood favorite and amazing viewing-party location.
Date: *Saturday, May 1st
Hours: *3pm to 6pm – Guests Must Arrive by 3:30pm for Guaranteed Service.
Ticketed Reservations Include:
Table Reservation for 4: $40
-Entry, Seating, and Reserved Service for 3 hours, Concluding at 6pm
-Featured Kentucky Derby Watch Action
-One Welcome White Claw Hard Seltzer Per Person
Table Reservation for 6: $60
-Entry, Seating, and Reserved Service for 3 hours, Concluding at 6pm
-Featured Kentucky Derby Watch Action
-One Welcome White Claw Hard Seltzer Per Person
Table with Party Package for 4: $250
-Entry, Seating, and Reserved Service for 3 hours, Concluding at 6pm
-Featured Kentucky Derby Watch Action
-Two Buckets of White Claw Hard Seltzer
-One Round of Welcome Mint Juleps
-One Bottle of Champagne
-One Assorted Appetizer Tray for the Group
Table with Party Package for 6: $325
-Entry, Seating, and Reserved Service for 3 hours, Concluding at 6pm
-Featured Kentucky Derby Watch Action
-Two Buckets of White Claw Hard Seltzer
-One Round of Welcome Mint Juleps
-One Bottle of Champagne
-One Assorted Appetizer Tray for the Group
Prizes & Give-Aways: Dress to Impress!!
(Courtesy of) Last Call Tavern Group and The Reveler will be giving away BEST DRESSED PRIZES for two lucky and high-fashioned attendees…
FIRST PLACE: $100 Off Their Day-Of Tab + a $50 Gift Card for Future Use
SECOND PLACE: $50 Gift Card for Future Use
**Please Note that table locations will be placed at full venue discretion + factoring in weather determination.
**Packages are designed for guest-count associated and only ONE purchase is needed for the group.
**Please inquire for Large Group and/or Private Room Service
Fatpour Wicker Park (SOLD OUT)2005 W Division St, Chicago, IL 60622
Enjoy the Kentucky Derby watch craze at Fatpour; a Wicker Park classic and perfect set-up for all your party needs.
Date: *Saturday, May 1st
Hours: *3pm to 6pm – Guests Must Arrive by 3:15pm for Guaranteed Service.
Ticketed Reservations Include:
Table Reservation for 2: $20
Table Reservation for 4: $40
Table Reservation for 6: $60
Booth Reservation for 5: $50
Booth Reservation for 6: $60
**All Reservations Include:
-Entry, Seating, and Reserved Service for 3 hours, Concluding at 6pm
-Featured Kentucky Derby Watch Action
-One Welcome White Claw Hard Seltzer Per Person
**Please Note that table locations will be placed at full venue discretion.
**Packages are designed for guest-count associated and only ONE purchase is needed for the group.
**Please inquire for Large Group and/or Private Room Service
Hopsmith (SOLD OUT)Enjoy the Kentucky Derby with high-stakes at Hopsmith’s outdoor dining experience. The Gold Coast’s perfect watch-party-location with class, tier-one service, and so much more.
Date: *Saturday, May 1st
Hours: *3pm to 6pm – Guests Must Arrive by 3:15pm for Guaranteed Service.
Ticketed Reservations Include:
Outdoor Table Reservation for 4: $40
-Entry, Seating, and Reserved Service for 3 hours, Concluding at 6pm
-Featured Kentucky Derby Watch Action
-One Welcome White Claw Hard Seltzer Per Person
Outdoor Table Reservation for 6: $60
-Entry, Seating, and Reserved Service for 3 hours, Concluding at 6pm
-Featured Kentucky Derby Watch Action
-One Welcome White Claw Hard Seltzer Per Person
**Please Note that table locations will be placed at full venue discretion + factoring in weather determination.
**Rain or Shine… packages will be protected, as our outdoor service has covering when needed.
**Packages are designed for guest-count associated and only ONE purchase is needed for the group.
**Please inquire for Large Group and/or Private Room Service
Enjoy the Kentucky Derby as a high-roller at Moe’s Cantina; Wrigleyville’s pop attraction with an indoor/outdoor party scene second to none.
Date: *Saturday, May 1st
Hours: *3pm to 6pm – Guests Must Arrive by 3:30pm for Guaranteed Service.
Ticketed Reservations Include:
Table Reservation for 4: $40
-Entry, Seating, and Reserved Service for 3 hours, Concluding at 6pm
-Featured Kentucky Derby Watch Action
-One Welcome White Claw Hard Seltzer Per Person
Table Reservation for 6: $60
-Entry, Seating, and Reserved Service for 3 hours, Concluding at 6pm
-Featured Kentucky Derby Watch Action
-One Welcome White Claw Hard Seltzer Per Person
Table with Party Package for 4: $220
-Entry, Seating, and Reserved Service for 3 hours, Concluding at 6pm
-Featured Kentucky Derby Watch Action
-One Welcome Mint Julep Per Person
-One “Party Bucket” of Assorted White Claw Hard Seltzers (8 cans)
-One Bottle of Champagne
-One Appetizer for the Table
Table with Party Package for 6: $360
-Entry, Seating, and Reserved Service for 3 hours, Concluding at 6pm
-Featured Kentucky Derby Watch Action
-One “Kitchen Sink” of Assorted White Claw Hard Seltzers (12 cans)
-One Bottle Premium Bourbon OR Vodka with Mixtures (Choice of One)
-One Appetizer for the Table
Indoor Table Reservation for 4: $40
-Entry, Seating, and Reserved Service on the Main Floor for 3 hours, Concluding at 6pm
-Featured Kentucky Derby Watch Action
-One Welcome White Claw Hard Seltzer Per Person
Indoor Table Reservation for 6: $60
-Entry, Seating, and Reserved Service on the Main Floor for 3 hours, Concluding at 6pm
-Featured Kentucky Derby Watch Action
-One Welcome White Claw Hard Seltzer Per Person
Indoor Table with Party Package for 4: $220
-Entry, Seating, and Reserved Service on the Main Floor for 3 hours, Concluding at 6pm
-Featured Kentucky Derby Watch Action
-One Welcome Mint Julep Per Person
-One “Party Bucket” of Assorted White Claw Hard Seltzers (8 cans)
-One Bottle of Champagne
-One Appetizer for the Table
Indoor Table with Party Package for 6: $360
-Entry, Seating, and Reserved Service on the Main Floor for 3 hours, Concluding at 6pm
-Featured Kentucky Derby Watch Action
-One “Kitchen Sink” of Assorted White Claw Hard Seltzers (12 cans)
-One Bottle Premium Bourbon OR Vodka with Mixtures (Choice of One)
-One Appetizer for the Table
**Please Note that table locations may be placed Indoor OR Outdoor at full venue discretion and factoring in weather, plus up-to-date city/covid regulations at the time of the event.
**Packages are designed for guest-count associated and only ONE purchase is needed for the group.
Enjoy the Kentucky Derby in style at Woodie’s in Old Town; with service and viewing fun, guaranteed to surpass all expectations.
Date: *Saturday, May 1st
Hours: *3pm to 6pm – Guests Must Arrive by 3:15pm for Guaranteed Service.
Ticketed Reservations Include:
Table Reservation for 4: $40
-Entry, Seating, and Reserved Service for 3 hours, Concluding at 6pm
-Featured Kentucky Derby Watch Action
-One Welcome White Claw Hard Seltzer Per Person
Table Reservation for 6: $60
-Entry, Seating, and Reserved Service for 3 hours, Concluding at 6pm
-Featured Kentucky Derby Watch Action
-One Welcome White Claw Hard Seltzer Per Person
**Please Note that table locations will be placed at full venue discretion.
**Packages are designed for guest-count associated and only ONE purchase is needed for the group.
**Please inquire for Large Group and/or Private Room Service
Kentucky Derby Parties Chicago Featured Image Credit: Green Curtain Events
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After months and months of discourse, mock drafts, and baseless character assassinations, we’ve finally made it to draft day. And I couldn’t be more terrified of what the Chicago Bears will or won’t do. There is an infinite number of alternate realities that exist out when it comes to projecting or mocking how the NFL […]
Chicago Bears Draft: Hope for the best, but expect the worst – Da Windy City – Da Windy City – A Chicago Sports Site – Bears, Bulls, Cubs, White Sox, Blackhawks, Fighting Illini & More
The bounce back for McDonald’s as restrictions were lifted across the U.S. was so strong in the first quarter that the company surpassed sales during the same period even in 2019, long before the pandemic broadsided the country.
McDonald’s revenue jumped 9% to $5.1 billion for the January-March period, better than most had expected.
Last year at this time stores were closing globally as the world sheltered from spiking COVID-19 infections, so an improvement in sales during the same stretch this year was expected. How easily it topped 2019’s first-quarter sales of $4.95 billion, however, was not.
U.S. same-store sales, or sales at locations open at least a year, rose 13.6% in the January-March period. Fewer diners visited, and many dining rooms remain closed. But those who did visit ordered more, with many picking up food for the entire family rather than for one person.
A new round of federal stimulus checks likely boosted first quarter sales, said McDonald’s U.S. President Joe Erlinger said. New products, including a long-awaited crispy chicken sandwich and spicy nuggets, also outperformed, he said.
“The positivity we saw in the first quarter was way beyond just the stimulus checks,” Erlinger said during a conference call Thursday with investors.
Drive-thru windows — available in nearly all U.S. stores — remain a competitive advantage. McDonald’s said around 90% of its U.S. sales came through drive-thru windows in the first quarter, up from around 70% before the pandemic. The company has made multiple changes to speed drive-thru times, including a more simple menu.
Demand for delivery has spiked for McDonald’s as well and is now available at 75% of its stores worldwide. Delivery orders tend to be larger than in-store orders.
The trick for McDonald’s will be to keep that sales momentum going even as more U.S. dining rooms reopen and customers return to pre-pandemic habits.
CEO Chris Kempczinski said the company’s experience in Australia and Japan indicates that even as dining rooms reopen, demand for drive-thru and delivery will remain elevated.
A new loyalty program being tested in the U.S. and Germany and celebrity meal deals could also boost sales as the year progresses, he said. McDonald’s plans to launch a meal collaboration with the South Korean pop group BTS in 50 countries on May 26.
McDonald’s expects its U.S. same-store sales to continue to outpace 2019 levels in the second quarter.
Worldwide, same-store sales rose 7.5%, well above the 5% gain analysts forecast. Strong sales in China and Japan helped offset softness in France and Germany, the company said.
About half of Europe’s dining rooms remain closed, and drive-thru is less prevalent in that market. Sales are also suffering in tourist-dependent markets like Italy and Spain, Kempczinski said. He said McDonald’s is hopeful that vaccine passports might help reopen travel in Europe this summer.
Net income rose 39% to $1.5 billion. Adjusted for one-time items, the company earned $1.92 per share, easily beating Wall Street’s forecast of $1.81, according to analysts polled by FactSet.
Other major fast food chains are seeing a similar rebound as most of the world emerges from the pandemic. Revenue at Yum Brands — which owns Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and KFC — jumped 18% in the first quarter. The company reported this week that same-store sales rose 9%, with an especially strong performance in the U.S.
Like McDonald’s, sales at Yum restaurants outpaced sales two years ago before COVID-19 shook the world.
Starbucks also reported better-than-expected results for the quarter this week, with sales up 11%.
McDonald’s roars back as restrictions easeon April 29, 2021 at 3:10 pm Read More »
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Almost one in five Chicago Public Schools high schoolers was absent last week regardless of whether they signed up for in-person learning or chose to stay remote, according to district data released Wednesday.
The new attendance figures come as officials celebrate the reopening of all CPS high schools last week, a milestone reached after long negotiations with the teachers union and after 13 months of closures because of COVID-19.
District leaders have said offering in-person classes is the first step to recovering from the pandemic, but they’ll face challenges in the months ahead in reengaging students who haven’t had consistent or quality access to education.
Districtwide, including elementary schools, “we are continuing to see the majority of our students learning virtually, with an overall attendance rate of 89.5%,” Bogdana Chkoumbova, CPS’ chief of school management, said at Wednesday’s virtual Board of Education meeting.
Keeping with trends throughout this school year, Black students and children experiencing homelessness have had the highest absentee rates, largely because those populations have been most impacted by the various barriers to learning during the pandemic.
Nader Issa has the full story here.
Is it safe to go to big sporting events during the pandemic?
Not yet, but there are ways to make it safer if you go.
“Yelling, chanting, hugging and generally pouring out our sports enthusiasm is still not the safest activity,” noted Jennifer Dowd, associate professor of population health at University of Oxford and chief scientific officer of Dear Pandemic, a website that offers expert opinions.
If you do decide to go to a game, outdoor stadiums are safer than indoor arenas, which won’t be as well ventilated. Venues that limit attendance and require masks are safer as well. Some teams are requiring proof of vaccination or a negative test for the coronavirus.
Once at the stadium, avoid indoor bars, restaurants and box seating, Dowd said. “Spaces that are indoors with lots of people eating and drinking without masks are still among the riskiest,” she said.
Large commencements with hundreds of cheering parents, siblings and grandparents might not return for some time, but this year’s 8th graders and high school seniors will be able to take part in more traditional ceremonies than last year.
Both indoor and outdoor graduations and other end-of-year events can be held this spring with some capacity restrictions, Chicago Public Schools officials announced at Wednesday’s virtual Board of Education meeting.
“As we look for ways to honor our graduates after what’s been a very difficult year, the district developed a plan to celebrate graduates while ensuring the safety of each school community,” Bogdana Chkoumbova, CPS’ chief of school management, told the school board.
“Schools will have the option to hold indoor, outdoor or virtual graduation events where students can obtain their diplomas and take pictures in their caps and gowns,” Chkoumbova said. “Graduations can either be social events, where mingling can occur, or spectator events that are ticketed and seated with no mingling.”
Read Nader Issa’s full story here.
In the small Nebraska town of Oxford, the school district dropped its mask mandate last month in what was a fairly straight-forward decision: Cases were down dramatically, and it didn’t bother local officials that their move flouted Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.
Those federal mask guidelines just didn’t seem to fit local conditions well in the town of about 800 people where hardly anyone wears a mask.
“We haven’t paid a whole lot of attention to what is going on at the federal level — mainly what is coming out through the state,” Southern Valley Superintendent Bryce Jorgensen said. “You just can’t compare Chicago to Oxford, Nebraska. Things are just different.”
On Tuesday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention eased its guidelines on the wearing of masks outdoors, saying fully vaccinated Americans don’t need to cover their faces anymore unless they are in a big crowd of strangers. And those who are unvaccinated can go outside without masks in some situations, too.
For most of the past year, the CDC had been advising Americans to wear masks outdoors if they are within 6 feet of one another.
The decision marked the U.S. government’s latest step toward normalcy, but came as much of the country already had moved on from mask rules. The CDC essentially endorsed what many Americans have already been doing.
