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 mostly sunny with a high near 76 degrees. Tonight’s low will be around 63 degrees. A taste of summer is in store for tomorrow, which will be sunny and humid with a high near 84 degrees.

Top story

La Grange teen accuses hockey team of disability discrimination

Morgan Urso tried many sports as a young child and didn’t like any of them. Everything changed at age 10 when she went to hockey practice with her brother.

“I ended up loving the game,” Morgan said. “The feeling of the fresh air hitting my face every shift is a feeling that I’d take any day.”

Now a high school sophomore, Morgan’s zeal for the game took a hit when her club hockey team unexpectedly banned her from practice, games and team activities.

The Urso family, who lives in La Grange, recently sued Team Illinois Hockey and the Amateur Hockey Association of Illinois for disability discrimination, claiming Morgan was suspended after she told a coach about her mental illness.

During her freshman year in 2019, Morgan experienced a severe depressive episode, resulting in her going to an outpatient program and being given new medication.

Morgan said her coach, Team Illinois Hockey Director Larry Pedrie, was initially supportive. “He said if I needed to be an assistant coach on the bench with him or if I wanted to go out and skate or miss, I could do whatever I needed to,” Morgan said.

Morgan’s mother, Kelly Urso, said she received a call the next day and was informed that Pedrie had spoken with Mike Mullally, USA hockey director at the Amateur Hockey Association of Illinois, and they had decided to bar Morgan from all Team Illinois practices, games and other activities.

“I remember saying, ‘What?’ a lot, like, how did he decide this,” Urso said. “He just kept saying, ‘I have [Team Illinois’] full board support, this is what AHAI has advised us to do.’ I ended up hanging up on him because I got so emotional.”

Read Mari Devereaux’s full story on the Urso family’s lawsuit, which they say was filed to prevent other families from undergoing a similar situation.

More news you need

1. A man has been charged with last year’s murder of Tray Savage, a rapper signed to Chief Keef’s record label, after he was extradited to Chicago from Texas. Investigators identified Demitri Jackson, 20, as the gunman from surveillance video, Cook County prosecutors said in a court document.
2. A 17-year-old boy was killed in a shooting in Little Village this morning. Police say the teen was walking in the 2700 block of South Drake Avenue when someone opened fire.
3. Illinois will lose one seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, the Census Bureau said today in announcing the redistribution of the 435 congressional seats based on population shifts in the 2020 Census. Over the past 50 years, Illinois, reflecting the results of each new census, has been allocated fewer and fewer members in Congress.
4. Chicago landlords, while at times not the most admired group of people in the city, wonder whether they’re being left behind in official pandemic recovery plans. David Roeder spoke with building owners who say a ban on evictions has left them with rent scofflaws and squatters, forced them to cut expenses and lowered the quality of the housing stock.
5. Mayor Lightfoot unveiled details of her five-year capital spending plan today at a press conference timed with the start of the 2021 street paving season. To emphasize the “equity” component of her plan, Lightfoot chose an arterial street resurfacing project at 81st Street and Damen Avenue in Auburn Gresham as the backdrop for the announcement.
6. The Chosen Few Picnic & House Music Festival, which takes place annually in Jackson Park, has postponed its usual slate of in-person activities in favor of a July 3 online event. The group wants to wait until it can hold the actual picnic and festival local house heads know and love.

A bright one

Buona launching plant-based Italian beefless sandwich

Where’s the beef?

It’s not in the latest sandwich offering from Buona.

The iconic Chicago purveyor of beef sandwiches is adding a plant-based Italian beefless sandwich to its restaurant menu starting Monday.

The vegetarian- and vegan-friendly seitan meat sandwich mimics its classic Original Buona Beef counterpart, except for the main ingredient. Everything from the vegetable-based gravy and bread to Buona’s iconic giardiniera was already vegan. The new sandwich retails for $7.99 (available only in the 7-inch size) and is now on the menu at all 24 Buona locations for a limited time.

Provded

“The sandwich is the result of a partnership with Upton’s Natural, a locally based creator of seitan,” said Candice Jordan, director of marketing for Buona. “We have separate production area where we make the ‘beef’ and seasoned vegan gravy on-site at our main distribution center, and then it is sent to each of our locations, which now have their own vegan production area.”

“It’s been almost two years of development to bring it to fruition. We went through a lot of flavorings until we got it right and the [Buona] family helped make sure the vegan sandwich was up to their authentic recipe.” The company, based in Berwyn, was founded 40 years ago by the Buonavolanto family.

Read Miriam Di Nunzio’s full story on this new spin on a classic Chicago sandwich.

From the press box

At the recommendation of doctors following his latest concussion, Blackhawks forward Andrew Shaw announced his retirement from the NHL this morning. “There comes a time when every athlete needs to realize when their health is a priority and a future with their family is what is most important,” Shaw said in a statement. “That point for me is now.”

Check out how we see the first round going in our latest 2021 NFL mock draft.

Your daily question ☕

What’s your favorite sandwich in Chicago? Tell us why.

Email us (please include your first name and where you live) and we might include your answer in the next Afternoon Edition.

Friday ahead of the 2021 Academy Awards, we asked you: What’s your favorite part of watching the Oscars each year? Here’s what some of you said…

“I haven’t seen any new movies this past year. I really miss movie theaters.” — Tony Galati

“Seeing all the good and bad fashion choices.” — Petra-Maryanne Lawler

“The ‘In Memoriam’ segment of all the stars that have passed in the last year” — Ken Neth

“The announcement of the big eight awards, tallying the scores for each movie, and the ‘In Memoriam’ section.” — Benjamin Nunis

“My favorite part? Hmmm. When I change the channel to watch something else.” — Douglas Ahle

“I no longer watch. It became more about politics than art.” — Phyllis O’Neill

Thanks for reading the Chicago Afternoon Edition. Got a story you think we missed? Email us here.

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Attorney Chantel Cherry-Lassiter watched a 20-second portion of body camera video with the family of Andrew Brown Jr. on Monday. She said Brown did not appear to be a threat to officers as he backed his vehicle out and tried to drive away.

ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. — A Black man killed by deputies in North Carolina was shot in the back of his head and had his hands on the car steering wheel when they opened fire, attorneys for the family said Monday after body camera video was shown to his relatives.

Attorney Chantel Cherry-Lassiter watched a 20-second portion of body camera video with the family of Andrew Brown Jr. on Monday. She said Brown did not appear to be a threat to officers as he backed his vehicle out and tried to drive away.

“He was not threatening them in any kind of fashion,” she told reporters at a news conference.

When asked whether Brown was shot in the back, attorney Harry Daniels said, “Yes, back of the head.”

An eyewitness account and emergency scanner traffic had previously indicated Brown was shot in the back as he tried to drive away.

Lassiter, who watched the video multiple times and took notes, said shooting started as soon as the video started. She said she counted as many as eight deputies in the video, some wearing tactical uniforms and some in plainclothes.

“They’re shooting and saying let me see your hands at the same time,” she said.

The family’s lawyers also criticized local authorities for only showing 20 seconds of the video and only showing them footage from a single body camera.

“They’re trying to hide something,” attorney Benjamin Crump said.

Earlier Monday, a search warrant was released saying deputies obtained the warrant that brought them there after investigators recorded him selling small amounts of cocaine and methamphetamine to an informant. Crump argued the authorities were trying to release negative information about Brown while shielding themselves by holding back the video.

Brown’s fatal shooting last Wednesday in Elizabeth City has prompted days of protests, calls for the public release of deputy body camera video and civil rights leaders decrying that warrants should not lead to a fatal shooting. Signs including emergency scanner traffic and an eyewitness account had already indicated Brown was shot in the back as he was trying to drive away. Authorities have released few details.

___

Drew reported from Durham, North Carolina.

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Among those killed was Bryone Dupart, who was found on the street Friday night in the 900 block of West 61st Street.

Four people were killed and 21 others were wounded in shootings across Chicago over the weekend, including a man killed Friday night in Englewood on the South Side.

About 10:35 p.m., officers found Bryone Dupart, 27, lying unresponsive on the street in the 900 block of West 61st Street, Chicago police said. He had suffered gunshot wounds to the abdomen and leg and was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

There were no witnesses and no additional details were available from police.

A 36-year-old man was shot to death early Sunday in Humboldt Park on the Northwest Side.

Duntae Manuel was sitting in a vehicle about 12:30 a.m. in the 3900 block of West Thomas Street when the gunman approached him on foot and fired shots, police said.

He was shot in the head and body and was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said. The Cook County medical examiner’s office hasn’t yet released details on his death.

Hours earlier, a 30-year-old woman was fatally shot late Saturday in Roseland on the Far South Side.

About 10:20 p.m., she was in the driver’s seat of a vehicle in the 500 block of East 103rd Street, when shots were fired, police said. She was struck in the head, body, and rushed to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where she was pronounced dead.

Saturday morning, a 62-year-old man was fatally wounded in the East Garfield Park neighborhood. Benjamin Barber was shot at 6:10 a.m. in the 3900 block of West Monroe Street, according to the medical examiner’s office.

He was on a sidewalk outside his home when someone came up, took out a handgun and opened fire, striking him in the groin area and hip, police said Barber was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he died at 9:48 a.m. Sunday, the medical examiner’s office said. No arrest had been made.

In nonfatal attacks, a 16-year-old boy was hurt in a shooting early Monday in West Pullman in the Far South Side.

The teen boy was standing on the sidewalk about 2:45 a.m. in the first block of East Kensington Avenue when someone inside a dark-colored vehicle fired shots, police said. He was shot in the leg and self-transported in good condition to St. Margaret Hospital in Hammond, Indiana, police said.

Officers initially said the boy was killed in the incident, according to police.

Also Saturday, another 16-year-old boy was shot in Little Village on the Southwest Side.

About 5:10 p.m., he was standing in the 3300 block of West 28th Street, when a vehicle approached, two people got out and fired shots, police said. He was struck in both legs, the hand, and rushed to Mt. Sinai Hospital in good condition.

At least 19 others were wounded in shootings between 5 p.m. Friday and 5 a.m. Monday.

Last weekend, 27 people were wounded, five fatally, in citywide shootings.

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

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Brooklyn Strong was 23rd on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard a week ago, which normally would lead to focusing on the Preakness or Belmont. An unusual number of dropouts paved the way for Brooklyn Strong to make it to Kentucky.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Brooklyn Strong needed a few horses to drop out to make the Kentucky Derby and now needs to make it to Churchill Downs at the latest possible minute.

The defection of trainer Brad Cox’s Caddo River on Sunday opened the door for Daniel Velasquez’s Brooklyn Strong to be the 20th and final horse in the field for the Run for the Roses. The New York-bred named after one of New York City’s five boroughs worked out at Parx outside Philadelphia on Monday and will be vanned overnight to Louisville to get settled in for his biggest race.

“It’s absolutely insane,” Velasquez said about the quick turnaround. “I can’t put it into words. ‘Chaos’ is the only thing I can think of because it’s just been that chaotic the last 24 to 48 hours.”

Brooklyn Strong was 23rd on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard a week ago, which normally would lead Velasquez and owner Mark Schwartz to give up on the chances of making it and look toward the Preakness or Belmont. An unusual amount of dropouts paved the way for Brooklyn Strong to make it after a disappointing fifth-place finish in the Wood Memorial on April 3.

“I almost stopped paying attention last week because I was just over it,” said Velasquez, who got a feeling this was coming when he only needed two more horses to exit to make it. “I told Mark: ‘Somebody’s going to be out. From the way they’re dropping out, we’re going to get in.’”

It’s still a surprise for a horse who has run only twice since November. Brooklyn Strong’s 10 qualifying points from winning the Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct in December are the fewest by any horse to make the Derby since Giant Finish in 2013, the year the points system was introduced.

“I’m going there now with no pressure,” Velasquez said in a phone interview from Parx in Bensalem, Pennsylvania. “Now I have zero pressure because I don’t think anybody expects me to do anything anyways, so I’m just going to enjoy it.”

Schwartz, who booked jockey Umberto Rispoli to ride and is trying to get friends and family tickets and accommodations for the weekend, pointed out that Brooklyn Strong beat Derby rival Known Agenda in the Remsen and is confident going into Saturday.

“He’s not a long shot in my mind,” said Schwartz, who didn’t know how much respect oddsmakers would give his horse. “If he’s ready like he was in the Remsen, if he runs like he did in the Remsen, I have no problems. He’ll be there. That’s how I feel. I think the horse is tremendous.”

The story around the horse is just as insane. Schwartz got into racing through a buddy he used to play hockey with, and Velasquez is still recovering from a serious accident a month ago.

Velasquez’s liver was lacerated and a labrum in one of his shoulders torn when a racehorse rear-ended his pony as he was leading another horse onto the track. He may still need shoulder surgery, but said that won’t keep him from getting Brooklyn Strong ready for the Kentucky Derby.

“I’m a little stubborn,” he said. “I shouldn’t even be saddling this horse, but I’m going to do it.”

KORNACKI TO DERBY

NBC News political correspondent Steve Kornacki, who has gained increasing fame since the presidential election, is taking his talents to the Kentucky Derby next. Kornacki will offer some insights on betting trends and analyze the top Derby contenders.

This isn’t Kornacki’s first foray into sports: He broke down the NFL playoff picture on NBC’s “Football Night in America” late last season. Kornacki will try to replicate one of his earliest horse racing memories, when he picked five consecutive harness winners at Scarborough Downs in Maine as a kid.

BLACK JOCKEYS HONORED

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear on Monday signed a proclamation honoring African-American contributions to racing. Beshear named the final week of April “Ed Brown Society Week” in the state after the 19th century Black trainer.

“I can’t imagine a better way to start Derby week then ensuring derby is truly available for everyone, and that we address and confront our past as it relates both to this and other industries,” Beshear said.

Owners Greg Harbut and Ray Daniels, who saddled Neckar Island in the 2020 Derby, were set to be on hand for the proclamation. They’re founders of the Ed Brown Society, which seeks to create a pipeline for Black executives and sprout a generation of new fans to diversify the sport.

LAST CALL

Midnight Bourbon closed the likely final Derby major workout among the 20 hopefuls strongly, clocking 1:02.40 over five furlongs Monday over a fast track at Churchill Downs.

His workout with exercise rider Wilson Fabian included splits of 24.40 and 49.60 and he galloped out six furlongs in 1:16.20 as the colt looked to improve from finishing second to Hot Rod Charlie at the Louisiana Derby in March.

“I’m very happy with how he went,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. “We got exactly what we wanted and he continues to do very well.”

Asmussen’s other colt, Super Stock, jogged a mile on Monday, two days after clocking 1:01.20 over five furlongs in Saturday’s final Derby work.

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Get the latest news on how COVID-19 is impacting Chicago and Illinois. Follow here for live updates.

The latest

Walk-ins now welcome at all six COVID-19 mass vaccination sites in suburban Cook County

Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times

Starting Monday, all six COVID-19 mass vaccination sites in suburban Cook County will start accepting walk-in appointments.

While scheduling appointments in advance are still encouraged, walk-ins will be welcomed at the county’s mass vaccination sites Monday through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For help finding an appointment in Chicago, visit zocdoc.com or call (312) 746-4835.

For suburban Cook County sites, visit vaccine.cookcountyil.gov or call (833) 308-1988.

To find providers elsewhere, visit coronavirus.illinois.gov or call (833) 621-1284.

Read Madeline Kenney’s full story here.

News

3:37 p.m. Pritzker announces $60 million state program to help combat vaccine hesitancy

Gov. J.B. Pritzker and health care leaders announced a new program Monday aimed at dispelling myths surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine in vulnerable communities and get resources into the hands of people who are still being infected by the virus.

“This program is about one-on-one connections involving established, trusted members of the community,” Pritzker said at the news conference. “Whether that is a federally qualified health center or a church, an LGBTQ+ center, a senior center or a local branch of the NAACP.”

The Pandemic Health Navigator program will help residents in over 100 counties statewide get vaccinated or answer any concerns have about the vaccine. It will also help those who have contracted the coronavirus by getting resources directly to them. Those resources include connecting families to food, educational resources, rental assistance and utility assistance.

Pritzker said his administration has worked hard to make the vaccine easily accessible with about 9 million people already receiving doses of COVID-19 vaccine, but the state needs to do more than make shots available to people.

Reporter Manny Ramos has more.

1:43 p.m. 2021 Chosen Few picnic postponed; online event scheduled for July 4 weekend

Chicagoans craving a semblance of live summer musicin the city are taking yet another hit to their plans as a popular local event rebrands as a virtual festival due to COVID-19 concerns.

The Chosen Few Picnic & House Music Festival, which takes place annually in Jackson Park, has postponed their usual slate of in-person activities in favor of a July 3, online event according to an official announcement Monday.

Last spring, the group consisting of DJs Wayne Williams, Jesse Saunders, Alan King, Andre Hatchett, Mike Dunn and Terry Hatcher, made a similar announcement, and despite ideas to hold an in-person socially-distanced show, the group wants to wait for an actual picnic and festival — a popular event on the social calendar of many Black Chicagoans — local house heads know and love.

Read the full story from Evan Moore here.

12:32 p.m. With graduations virtual, Chicago college students dream of in-person, multi-school ceremony at Soldier Field

With only weeks before Chicago colleges face yet another graduation period during the pandemic, many schools have again made plans for virtual ceremonies this spring.

That’s led some students to take matters into their own hands.

Three Columbia College Chicago students have launched a campaign called #CommenceAnyways to hold an in-person ceremony at Soldier Field — which would not involve campus administration in any way.

“I’ve learned and grown so much during my time being a college student, and it’s really this moment to be celebrated,” said organizer Nathan Branch.

Branch, along with classmates Jahmelah Miller and Alice Scharf, started the initiative as an event for CCC students, but have since opened up their Eventbrite ticket page for all Chicago-area graduating students.

According to the organizers, this would be the first in-person citywide graduation event in Chicago for college students, although last year, the city hosted a citywide virtual graduation for high school seniors.

“We set out to be the change we wanted to see,” Miller said. “After a few weeks of getting feedback we decided not only Columbia students deserved this effort but all college students. We have all worked so hard and deserve this moment.”

The campaign involves a social media push for donations on their gofundme page. In a video, several Chicago students expressed why they find the campaign important.

“As a first generation immigrant, graduation means a lot to me and my family,” said Bichoy Boutros, fashion design major at CCC,. “So thank you to #commenceanyways for making that happen.”

Read the full story here.

11:23 a.m. EU launches legal action against vaccine-maker AstraZeneca

BRUSSELS — The European Union’s executive branch said Monday that it has launched legal action against coronavirus vaccine-maker AstraZeneca for failing to respect the terms of its contract with the 27-nation bloc.

The AstraZeneca vaccine has been central to Europe’s immunization campaign, and a linchpin in the global strategy to get vaccines to poorer countries. But the slow pace of deliveries has frustrated the Europeans and they have held the company responsible for partly delaying their vaccine rollout.

European Commission spokesman Stefan De Keersmaecker said that Brussels launched the legal action against AstraZeneca last Friday “on the basis of breaches of the advance purchase agreement.”

He said the reason for the legal action was that “some terms of the contract have not been respected” and that “the company has not been in a position to come up with a reliable strategy to ensure a timely delivery of doses.”

AstraZeneca’s contract with the EU, which was signed by the Commission on behalf of the member countries last August, foresaw an initial 300 million doses for distribution among member countries, with an option for a further 100 million.

The British-Swedish drugmaker had hoped to deliver 80 million doses of that in the first quarter of 2021, but only 30 million were sent. According to the Commission, the company is now set to provide 70 million doses in the second quarter, rather than the 180 million it had promised.

AstraZeneca said in a statement that it “regrets” the Commission’s decision to take legal action and that it will “strongly defend” itself in court.

“We believe any litigation is without merit and we welcome this opportunity to resolve this dispute as soon as possible,” AstraZeneca said. It said deliveries are improving “following an unprecedented year of scientific discovery, very complex negotiations, and manufacturing challenges.”

“We are making progress addressing the technical challenges and our output is improving, but the production cycle of a vaccine is very long which means these improvements take time to result in increased finished vaccine doses,” it said.

Read the full story here.

10:09 a.m. From rotten teeth to advanced cancer, patients feeling effects of pandemic-era treatment delays

With medical visits picking up again among patients vaccinated against covid-19, health providers are starting to see the consequences of a year of pandemic-delayed preventive and emergency care as they find more advanced cancer and rotting and damaged teeth, among other ailments.

Dr. Brian Rah, chair of the cardiology department at Montana’s Billings Clinic, was confused in the early days of the covid pandemic. Why the sudden drop in heart attack patients at the Billings Clinic? And why did some who did come arrive hours after first feeling chest pains?

Two patients, both of whom suffered greater heart damage by delaying care, provided what came to be typical answers. One said he was afraid of contracting covid by going to the hospital. The other patient went to the emergency room in the morning, left after finding it too crowded, and then returned that night when he figured there would be fewer patients — and a lower risk of catching covid.

“For a heart attack patient, the first hour is known as the golden hour,” Rah said. After that, the likelihood of death or a lifelong reduction in activities and health increases, he said.

Read the full story here.

8:52 a.m. Community colleges hope to bring students back to campus this fall

Community colleges across Illinois are cautiously optimistic they will be able to bring back students for in-person classes this fall.

And while a few four-year schools in the Chicago area — including Loyola University Chicago, Columbia College and DePaul University — have announced that students will be required to be vaccinated before returning to campus, most community colleges do not plan to make vaccines mandatory.

After more than a year of nearly all remote coursework, most community colleges said they plan to offer classes four different ways this fall: fully in-person; a hybrid format involving a combination of both in-person and online instruction; virtual classes that involve online synchronous meetings; and fully asynchronous, online classes.

City Colleges of Chicago will offer a range of in-person and remote options for students to take classes this summer and fall, officials said.

“While we strongly encourage all Chicagoans who are eligible to get vaccinated, students will not be required to be vaccinated. We are currently running a COVID-19 testing pilot at three City Colleges of Chicago locations,” said a City Colleges spokeswoman.

Read the full story from Zinya Salfiti here.

New cases and vaccination rates

• State health officials on Sunday reported 2,035 new coronavirus cases and an additional 24 virus-related deaths. That brings the state’s pandemic totals to 1,321,033 cases and 21,826 deaths. The Chicago area accounted for 16 of Sunday’s fatalities, which included a Cook County woman in her 20s.
• The new cases were diagnosed among the 61,299 tests processed by the Illinois Department of Public Health in the last day. That kept the statewide seven-day positivity rate at 3.5%, the lowest its been since the beginning of this month.
• More than 8.8 million COVID-19 vaccine shots have now gone into the arms of Illinoisans since mid-December, including an additional 74,461 doses doled out Saturday, officials said.
• As of Saturday night, 3,769,787 people in Illinois were fully vaccinated, meaning two weeks removed from their final dose, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health’s website. That’s about 29.6% of the state’s populations — still well under 80% needed for herd immunity.

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Altogether, the U.S. population rose to 331,449,281, the Census Bureau said, a 7.4 increase that was the second-slowest ever.

WASHINGTON — The nation’s political center of gravity shifted further to the Republican-led South and West on Monday, with Texas, Florida and other Sun Belt states gaining congressional seats while chillier climes like New York and Ohio lost them.

Altogether, the U.S. population rose to 331,449,281, the Census Bureau said, a 7.4 increase that was the second-slowest ever.

The new allocation of congressional seats came in the U.S. Census Bureau’s first release of data from a 2020 headcount. The numbers chart familiar American migration patterns, and confirm one historic marker: For the first time in 170 years of statehood, California is losing a congressional seat, a result of slowed migration to the nation’s most populous state, which was once a symbol of the country’s expansive frontier.

The census release marks the official beginning of the once-a-decade redistricting battles. The numbers released Monday, along with more detailed data expected later this year, will be used by state legislatures or independent commissions to redraw political maps to account for shifts in population.

Those shifts have largely been westward. Colorado, Montana and Oregon all added residents and gained seats. Texas was the biggest winner — the second-most populous state added two congressional seats, while Florida and North Carolina gained one. States losing seats included Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

The reshuffling of the congressional map moved seats from blue states to red ones, giving Republicans a clear, immediate advantage. The party will have complete control of drawing the congressional maps in Texas, Florida and North Carolina — states that are adding four seats.

In contrast, though Democrats control the process in Oregon, Democratic lawmakers there have agreed to give Republicans an equal say in redistricting in exchange for a commitment to stop blocking bills. In Democratic Colorado, a nonpartisan commission will draw the lines, meaning the party won’t have total control in a single expanding state’s redistricting.

It’s been a bumpy road getting this far. The 2020 census faced a once-in-a-century coronavirus pandemic, wildfires, hurricanes, allegations of political interference with the Trump administration’s failed effort to add a citizenship question, fluctuating deadlines and lawsuits. Division of federal money to the states is also a stake.

The GOP can shape districts to maximize the influence of Republican voters and have a major advantage in upcoming elections — possibly enough to win back control of the U.S. House.

But in the long term, it’s not clear the migration is good news for Republicans. Many of the fastest growing states are increasingly competitive political battlegrounds where the new arrivals — including many young people and people of color — could at some point give Democrats an edge.

“What’s happening is growth in Sunbelt states that are trending Democratic or will soon trend Democratic,” said William Frey, a demographer at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C.

That means Republicans may be limited in how many favorable seats they can draw as Democrats move to their territory.

“It’s going to be harder and harder for the Texas Legislature to gerrymander advantageous congressional districts” for Republicans, said William Fulton, director of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Rice University in Houston. “Texas hasn’t flipped blue yet as a state, but the blue population centers are growing really fast.”

Fulton, who moved to Texas from California, said his former home has become “the new California — the big state that’s adding a lot of population.” He believes California risks becoming the new Northeast — which he characterized as a stagnant, crowded area that retains wealth and intellectual clout but loses innovators to more promising places.

Despite California’s slow growth, the state still has 10 million more residents than Texas.

North Carolina and Texas, Fulton said, are positioned to become the intellectual powerhouses of the new economy, as the South has snatched away major manufacturing industries like automobiles from the Rust Belt. “We are 10-20 years away from the South and the West being truly dominant in American culture and American society,” Fulton said.

But population booms also bring new burdens, like increased traffic, rising home prices and strains on an infrastructure already grappling with climate change — vividly illustrated when the Texas power grid failed in the winter storms of February.

The pattern outlined in the the Census data was one started in the 1930s with the invention of modern air-conditioning and has been steady since then, according to experts. The only change in the pattern was the halt in California’s growth.

That has happened as home prices have soared in California, contributing to a steady stream of residents leaving for other Western states. Those relocations helped turn Colorado and Nevada into Democratic states and made Arizona competitive.

“That’s the California exodus, blue state immigrants,” Frey said. “Californians are taking their votes and moving to other places.”

It’s not just Californians who are moving. Brad Baskin and his wife, Janie, moved from the Chicago suburbs to Orlando, Florida, three years ago to be closer to their daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren. Janie Baskin is a registered Democrat, while Brad Baskin hasn’t registered a party affiliation but was turned off by Trump.

The political views they have encountered in Florida have been a bit jarring, going from a state overwhelmingly dominated by Democrats to one where Republicans are in control at the state level, though Democrats control most municipal offices in the county that is home to Orlando.

Baskin, a photographer, said he recently made head shots for a client who told him, “It’s OK for you guys to move down here, but leave your liberal views up there.”

The power shift is also being driven by Hispanics. Over the decade, Hispanics accounted for around half of the growth in Arizona, Florida and Texas, according to figures from the American Community Survey, a Census Bureau program separate from the decennial census.

The state population figures known as the apportionment count determine not only political power but the distribution of $1.5 trillion in federal spending each year.

The legal deadline for turning in the apportionment numbers was Dec. 31, but the Census Bureau pushed back that date to April because of challenges caused by the pandemic and the need for more time to correct not-unexpected irregularities.

More detailed figures will be released later this year showing populations by race, Hispanic origin, gender and housing at geographic levels as small as neighborhoods. This redistricting data will be used for redrawing precise congressional and legislative districts.

___

Follow Mike Schneider on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MikeSchneiderAP

Follow Nicholas Riccardi on Twitter at https://twitter.com/NickRiccardi

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Let’s be honest….most of us are running on coffee, right? I know I have at least 2 to 3 cups of coffee a day and that’s just to get the day started (I know..not the best for me). And nothing compares to a GOOD cup of coffee. Chicago has some of the best coffee I’ve found (I know I’m a little biased) and I’m going to share with you 6 of the cutest coffee shops in Chicago you need to try this summer! Trust me, they won’t disappoint. 

Hero Coffee Bar 

22 E Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60604

Hero Coffee Bar actually has 4 Chicago locations but the most iconic one is located on East Jackson Street. The coffee shop first opened its doors in 2014 at 439 S. Dearborn. It was later purchased by Michelle Martinez and her partner Trey. They combined the initial concept from the founders and their new mission statement “to positively impact our communities one meaningful cup at a time.” The best part about Hero is their large overhead “Coffee” sign and the outdoor seating! It’s a perfect place to grab a cup of joe and take a cute Instagram pic! 

Dollop Coffee Company 

55 W Monroe St Chicago, IL 60603

Established in 2005, they are the roasters of beans and bakers of bread. They grind and laminate their doughs and are the concoctors of syrups, standard and seasonal. They have locations throughout the city with 14 cafes. They roast their own coffee and have a bakeshop where they make their deliciously baked pastries and bread. 

Heritage Bikes & Coffee

2959 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago IL 60657

With 7 locations around Chicago, Heritage Bikes & Coffee brings a new meaning to individuality. You can sip their coffee AND be surrounded by old and new bicycles. Aside from the good coffee (obviously), you should definitely take some cute pics. Oh did I mention that you should take a pic of their coffee too? All of their hot beverages come with a heart design in the foam! Makes it that much more luxe! 

Maison Marcel 

3114 N Broadway, Chicago, IL 60657

Maison Marcel is a French bakery located in the Lakeview neighborhood, offering a healthy menu with the freshest ingredients, in addition to the signature artisanal pastries by their Maître Boulanger from France. The scent of the freshly baked croissants and roasted coffee greets you the second you enter the doors. Grab a spot on the couch and catch up with a friend over pastries and a hot beverage of your choice, or re-energize after an intense workout a with their healthy smoothies at the juice bar, or bring your laptop or book and enjoy the natural lighting in the boho-inspired deco open space. They will make sure to make you feel right à la maison (at home).

Chiqueolatte

2643 N Milwaukee Ave Chicago, IL 60647

Step in one of the cozy houses of Chiqueolatte and talk with your friends or family while you immerse cookies and marshmallows in the chocolate fondue or go for a coffee that has a delicious cacao flavor. Relaxed music in the background ensures a wonderfully relaxing afternoon. The interior showcases hints of rich wood and industrial design. The best part though, is their delicious menu that showcases their iconic special drinks topped with whipped cream and cookies! 

Caffe Streets 

1750 W Division Chicago, IL 60622

Caffe Streets is a Specialty Coffee Shop featuring different roasters. In a social atmosphere they offer different brewing methods with an emphasis on quality, freshness and flavor. All of their hot beverages contain cute and classy designs that will make you WANT to take a picture. Take in the smells of freshly ground coffee as you sip and relax or work among their comfortable, wood inspired designs.

Coffee Shops Chicago Photo Credit: Pexels

The post 6 Cute Coffee Shops You Need To Try in Chicago This Summer appeared first on UrbanMatter.

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Chicago Bears: Ryan Pace given chance to save job and re-energize fan base by Patrick Sheldon

There was always just something about Andrew Shaw that stuck out. He wasn’t the best player on the Chicago Blackhawks ever but that didn’t mean much. He was a very good player but he was by no means an offensive superstar. He has a career of 544 games played with 116 goals and 131 assists for 247 points. His possession numbers and advanced analytics were always good so there is no doubt that he was a key contributor to winning.

That is partially why he is a two-time Stanley Cup Champion with the Chicago Blackhawks. Now, after those 544 games played, he is retiring from the National Hockey League because of concussions. It was a shorter career than he probably wanted to have but there is no doubt he left a long-lasting impact on the city of Chicago.

Andrew Shaw quickly became a Chicago Blackhawks fan favorite and always will be.

Andrew Shaw had a ten-year career in the NHL. 7 of those years were with the Hawks and he had three good years with the Montreal Canadiens right in the middle. It was the type of career filled with offensive points but he was also a very tough player to play against. Despite his small stature, he was not afraid to mix it up out there. He would have no problem trying to get players much bigger and stronger than him off of their game.

Andrew Shaw was not a forward that rode his way to two Stanley Cup rings just by being on a good team. He was an impressive player that had a lot to do with it on his own. He was able to be a fourth-liner if needed and he could be Patrick Kane’s winger if needed (which he was a lot). He even managed to score a Stanley Cup Final game-winning goal in 2013.

Truly one of a kind.

Thank you for your relentlessness, your laughs, your grit, your chirps, your energy, and your joy for the game.

Thank you Andrew Shaw! pic.twitter.com/yx6r6BWJKO

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) April 26, 2021

“Thank you for giving a Mutt a home.”

A message from Andrew Shaw (@shawz15er). #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/XAN3L6jv27

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) April 26, 2021

.@shawz15er, thank you for wearing your heart on your sleeve and leaving it all on the ice every night. Enjoy a well-deserved retirement! pic.twitter.com/NIcdz3G3k3

— Canadiens Montreal (@CanadiensMTL) April 26, 2021

It is less than ideal to see Shaw have to retire this way but that is the way it has to be. He will be remembered for being a great player on this team during the golden era but he will also just be remembered for being one of the most unique players that the team has ever had. Everyone on the team and in the fanbase seemed to like Andrew Shaw.

Related Story: An update on Jonathan Toews is available

Hopefully, we are lucky enough to see Shaw stick around the game a little bit. He is an amazing personality and the game is better when he is around. Congratulations to him on retirement, he was truly one of the most fun players that this team has ever had. We will always remember number 65 fondly.

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Chicago Blackhawks: Andrew Shaw was a true fan favorite by Vincent Parise

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(Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)

The Atlanta Falcons are in some cap trouble. That might cause them to make some big changes before the start of the 2021 season and the Chicago Bears might be smart to take advantage. If the Bears wanted to add another good wide receiver, Julio Jones might be a really good option.

There are some rumors out there that he is available right now. Ian Rapoport had a tweet today about the Falcons taking calls on the pick and what it might look like. The Bears should at least be on the phone seeing what it may cost. One of these three trade packages would make a lot of sense:

Bears Get

Julio Jones

Falcons Get

2022 First-Round Pick

2021 Second-Round Pick

Trade One

The Chicago Bears might have some leverage in a trade like this knowing their situation.

Everyone knows why the Atlanta Falcons want to trade Julio Jones. He is an elite player that can make plays when the ball is thrown at him. The Chicago Bears don’t really have a stable group of wide receivers right now so giving up next year’s first-round pick along with this year’s second-round pick might work for both sides.

Next year’s draft probably doesn’t have the future quarterback of the Bears so saving this year’s pick might be a good idea in case they figure out that this year could have the guy. Julio Jones would look nice lining up in the blue and orange so giving up this type of draft capital is not a bad idea.

The only question is who will be throwing him the ball and what other weapons will help him. If they can figure most of that out in this year’s draft, this is a no-brainer acquisition for them. The only question is what is it that gets the trade done.

Next: Trade Two is giving away just one draft pick

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The 26-year-old Taylor, an emergency medical technician who had been studying to become a nurse, was roused from sleep by police who came through the door using a battering ram.

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department is opening a sweeping probe into policing in Louisville, Kentucky after the March 2020 death of Breonna Taylor, who was shot to death by police during a raid at her home, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Monday. It’s the second such sweeping probe into a law enforcement agency by the Biden administration in a week.

The 26-year-old Taylor, an emergency medical technician who had been studying to become a nurse, was roused from sleep by police who came through the door using a battering ram. Her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, fired once. A no-knock warrant was approved as part of a narcotics investigation. No drugs were found at her home.

The new investigation is known as a “pattern or practice” — examining whether there is a pattern or practice of unconstitutional or unlawful policing — and will be a more sweeping review of the entire police department.

Garland last week announced a probe into the tactics of the police in Minneapolis following the death of George Floyd. The attorney general has said there is not yet equal justice under the law and promised to bring a critical eye to racism and legal issues when he took the job. Few such investigations were opened during the Trump administration.

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted last week of murder in Floyd’s death, but no one has been charged in Taylor’s, though her case, too fueled protests against police brutality and systemic racism.

Her death prompted a national debate about the use of so-called “no knock” search warrants, which allow officers to enter a home without waiting and announcing their presence. The warrants are generally used in drug cases and other sensitive investigations where police believe a suspect might be likely to destroy evidence. But there’s been growing criticism in recent years that the warrants are overused and abused.

Kentucky’s lawmakers passed a partial ban on no-knock warrants last month. The measure would only allow no-knock warrants to be issued if there was “clear and convincing evidence” that the “crime alleged is a crime that would qualify a person, if convicted, as a violent offender.” Warrants also would have to be executed between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.

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