Through family foundation, ex-McDonald’s CEO adds education as focus in helping entrepreneursMaudlyne Ihejirikaon April 15, 2021 at 2:58 am

Former McDonald’s CEO Don Thompson and wife Elizabeth launched The Cleveland Avenue Foundation for Education to support diversity in teaching, and economic mobility in the Black community. On April 28, they’ll dole out $1 million to each of five organizations achieving those goals nationwide, in an online event headlined by luminaries including Common and Earvin “Magic” Johnson.
Former McDonald’s CEO Don Thompson and wife Elizabeth launched The Cleveland Avenue Foundation for Education to support diversity in teaching, and economic mobility in the Black community. On April 28, they’ll dole out $1 million to each of five organizations achieving those goals nationwide, in an online event headlined by luminaries including Common and Earvin “Magic” Johnson. | Provided

On April 28, former McDonald’s CEO Don Thompson and wife Elizabeth will dole out $1 million to five organizations achieving the goals of diversity in teaching and economic mobility in the Black community in an online event headlined by such luminaries as hip-hop artist Common and basketball legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson.

Before former McDonald’s CEO Don Thompson and wife Elizabeth launched their vision of supporting food and beverage entrepreneurs through their successful venture capital firm, they’d dreamed of helping youth access the education that had propelled a couple from Cabrini-Green to the pinnacles of success.

Cleveland Avenue, LLC, launched upon Thompson’s retirement in 2015 — to focus on new food, beverage and restaurant concepts — is widely known for its incubator, Taste 222, and its backing of the uber successful, plant-based meat substitute firm, Beyond Meat.

But a year before that, the duo launched their family foundation, the Cleveland Avenue Foundation for Education, (The CAFE), in order to give back to the Black community.


“Don and I are just two kids from Chicago. I grew up in Cabrini-Green. Don grew up four blocks from me, on the same street, Cleveland Avenue. But we would not discover that until we met at Purdue University, on our first date,” said “Liz” Thompson, president of The CAFE.

“That’s who we are at our core. We always refer back to that, and we’re successful because of — not in spite of — where we’re from. College was the launchpad for two successful careers, so we know how important education is as a springboard for young people.”

On April 28, The CAFE will unveil “The 1954 Project,” launched in 2019 to support goals of investing in innovative and culturally affirming approaches to teaching and learning, expanding educator and leadership diversity, and increasing economic mobility in the Black community.

The CAFE will dole out $1 million to each of five organizations achieving those goals nationwide at a virtual event headlined by folks like Chicago hip-hop artist Common, basketball legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson and wife Cookie, actor/philanthropist Jay Ellis, and others: “The 1954 Project Presents: The 2021 Luminary Awards.”

The CAFE aims to provide financial and capacity-building support to Black nonprofit leaders in education, to accelerate their impact — leaders like Aimee Eubanks Davis, founder and CEO of Braven, Inc., of Chicago, who is among the recipients.

Founded in 2013 to help underrepresented college students develop the skills, experience and networks to secure strong first jobs after graduation, Braven, Inc. has helped more than 3,300 students gain the confidence and connections needed to find good-paying jobs.

Braven provides training and employment mentorship through partnerships with four universities — Rutgers University in Newark, N.J., San Jose State University in San Jose, Calif., Lehman College in The Bronx, N.Y., and National Louis University in Chicago — as well as through partnerships with several nonprofits in the college and career-readiness arena.

“Over the course of eight years at Teach For America, I saw first-generation college students from low-income backgrounds applying from great colleges, with great GPAs, but completely unprepared to sit at the interview table and compete — not only head-to-head, but enough to pull ahead of the pack of those from higher-income backgrounds,” Davis said.

“These students, often identifying as Black or Brown, and underrepresented in general in the workforce, were coming out of college earning 66 cents on the dollar, compared to their counterparts, the same dynamic with women and the gender pay gap,” she said.

“And unless these students are able to access the same skills and networks their counterparts sort of get naturally, I’m not sure we can ever bridge the racial wealth gap.”

Aimee Eubanks Davis, CEO of Chicago-based Braven, Inc., founded the organization in 2013 to help underrepresented college students develop the skills, experience and networks to secure strong first jobs after graduation, Braven, Inc. has helped more than 3,300 students gain the confidence and connections needed to find good-paying first jobs.
Provided
Aimee Eubanks Davis, CEO of Chicago-based Braven, Inc., founded the organization in 2013 to help underrepresented college students develop the skills, experience and networks to secure strong first jobs after graduation, Braven, Inc. has helped more than 3,300 students gain the confidence and connections needed to find good-paying first jobs.

The 1954 project gets its name from the Brown v Board of Education 1954 U.S. Supreme Court case outlawing racial segregation of children in public schools.

“The promise of Brown vs. Board was that state-sanctioned segregation would no longer be the law of the land and that all children would have access to a quality education,” Liz Thompson noted.

“However, upon implementation, integration basically went in one direction. Young Black children were integrated into white schools, but there was no appetite to have white children be integrated into Black schools or taught by Black teachers,” she said.

“Over 44,000 Black educators lost their jobs, and that’s had decades-long impact. We want people to understand that consequence of the 1954 decision.”

Also receiving $1 million grants are:

  • Sharif El-Mekki, Center for Black Educator Development, Philadelphia, Pa.
  • Nicole Lynn Lewis, Generation Hope, Washington, D.C.
  • Adrian Mims, The Calculus Project, Boston, Mass.
  • Hiewet Senghor, Black Teacher Collaborative, Atlanta, Ga.

“We are inspired by the ubiquitous talent and genius of Black leaders within the education field and aspire to fully nurture the ideas generated from this extraordinary collective of thought leaders and practitioners,” Liz Thompson said of herself and her husband, married 32 years.

“The one thing we really wanted to do was to be able to ask others to join us on the journey to do this work. The 1954 Project was born at a breakfast diner with Melinda Wright of the Walton Family Foundation, an African-American woman also seeking to work in this arena.”

Davis danced, upon receiving the notification in a Zoom call with Wright and Thompson.

“It was like Oprah had given me a car,” Davis said. “What was deeply special was receiving such support from women that looked like me, that this money originated from this amazing couple and their deep commitment to the Black community.”

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Through family foundation, ex-McDonald’s CEO adds education as focus in helping entrepreneursMaudlyne Ihejirikaon April 15, 2021 at 2:58 am Read More »

White Sox’ Carlos Rodon takes perfect game into eighth inningDaryl Van Schouwenon April 15, 2021 at 2:13 am

Carlos Rodon of the White Sox delivers during the first inning against the Cleveland Indians at Guaranteed Rate Field on April 14, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images) | Getty

Yermin Mercedes’ three-run homer keys six-run first vs. Indians’ Zach Plesac

Shoulder and Tommy John surgeries have sidetracked Carlos Rodon. Not receiving a contract offer from the team that drafted and developed him and made him its Opening Day starter two years ago shook him up.

You didn’t think an upset stomach was going to knock the White Sox left-hander off course, did you?

Two days after missing his second start of the season with a stomach bug that was going around his family — Rodon and his wife have two young children — Rodon took on the Cleveland Indians Wednesday night at Guaranteed Rate Field, and his bounce-back season from a rough 2020 campaign took another dazzling step forward by taking a perfect game into the seventh inning.

Wednesday’s start followed his first one, in which the former No. 3 overall draft pick stymied the Mariners with five scoreless innings and nine strikeouts last Monday. And that came on the heels of an impressive spring that oozed optimism as Rodon, competing for the fifth spot in the rotation, allowed two runs over four outings covering 13 2/3 innings, striking out 16 and walking only one batter.

A six-run first inning, keyed by Yermin Mercedes’ three-run, 431-foot homer, provided a comfy cushion for Rodon to work against the Indians. Andrew Vaughn doubled and scored, and Leury Garcia and Nick Madrigal had RBI singles as the Sox knocked Indians starter Zach Plesac out in the first.

Luis Robert’s ground rule RBI double added a seventh Sox run, and Yoan Moncada got grazed on the wrist by a pitch from Phil Maton with the bases loaded as the Sox extended their lead to 8-0.

Through seven innings, Rodon relied less on strikeouts as he had in his first start and in spring training, fanning three batters. Mixing his changeup and slider with a four-seam fastball that touched 97 mph when he needed it, Rodon was at 84 pitches (53 strikes) through seven.

After the Sox non-tendered Rodon this offseason, he committed to a healthier diet and went to work on altering some mechanical issues, making fixes in his delivery that have helped him command pitches better and would seen to bode well for a healthier future.

The Sox came back with a one-year contract at $3 million, which he accepted knowing a good season and staying healthy would set him up for a bigger payday when he becomes a free agent after the season. So there is that incentive working

“This is a free agent year,” Rodon told the Sun-Times in March. “The way I look at it is, go out there and compete and things will take care of themselves.”

Just how many innings Rodon will log this season is an unknown. His career high is 165 in 2016.

“That’s a good question,” he said. “I don’t even know the answer to that. I’d like to make as many starts as I can. Now, knowing what will keep me healthy for the next several years I’m not sure. What an innings limit will look like, I don’t know the outlook on that.’’

Or the outlook on what his career holds.

“As long as I can wake up and throw the baseball, that’s how long I want to play,” he said.

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White Sox’ Carlos Rodon takes perfect game into eighth inningDaryl Van Schouwenon April 15, 2021 at 2:13 am Read More »

Elected Chicago school board, expanded fertility treatment coverage, teaching Asian American history advance in SpringfieldRachel Hintonon April 15, 2021 at 2:50 am

The Illinois House meets in Springfield in 2015.
The Illinois House meets in Springfield in 2015. | Seth Perlman/AP file

State Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz said she introduced a bill that would require Illinois schools to teach students about Asian American history because Asian Americans “are part of the American fabric, but we are often invisible.”

An elected school board in Chicago and expanding fertility treatment coverage to include same-sex couples and women over 35 were among the measures that advanced in the General Assembly Wednesday, the second day legislators met in Springfield — and virtually — for session.

House members voted in favor of legislation that would amend the state’s insurance code to provide coverage for the “diagnosis and treatment of infertility … without discrimination on the basis of age, ancestry, color, disability, domestic partner status, gender, gender expression, gender identity,” according to the language of the bill.

State Rep. Margaret Croke, D-Chicago, the lead sponsor of the bill, said it’s “about equal access to coverage and will make Illinois insurance far more inclusive.

“Everyone should be able to receive the same insurance coverage regardless of gender, sexuality, medical history or relationship status,” she said.

State Rep. Margaret Croke last year.
Rich Hein/Sun-Times file
State Rep. Margaret Croke last year.

But state Rep. Mark Batinick, R-Plainfield, urged his colleagues to vote no on the bill, saying he thinks it covers “situations that I wouldn’t consider a medical condition.

“I think insurance is for medical conditions. We have really high insurance rates in the state. We keep tacking onto the costs,” Batinick said.

The bill passed 68 to 43 and now heads to the state Senate.

The House also passed a bill Wednesday that would require Illinois schools to teach students about Asian American history following a spike in violence against Asian Americans and the killing of six Asian American women in Atlanta.

State Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz said she introduced the bill because Asian Americans “are part of the American fabric, but we are often invisible.”

“We have been the victims of racialized violence and exclusion throughout American history,” she said, adding that her grandparents faced “discrimination and deportation under racist policies codified in the Chinese Exclusion acts” but she was taught nothing about that in elementary or secondary school.

State Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz in 2018.
Rich Hein/Sun-Times file
State Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz in 2018.

The proposed unit of education would include the history of the exclusion acts, the internment of Japanese Americans and the military service of Asian Americans throughout American history.

Speaking in support of the bill, state Rep. Theresa Mah recalled an instance of hate directed at her less than two years ago. A group of middle school students passing Mah and another Asian American yelled a slur at them.

“In that moment we were denied the full measure of our humanity by a preteen child,” the Southwest Side Democrat said. “One question that this bill is trying to answer is whether that child or other children would have uttered those words if they understood that Asian Americans are not perpetual foreigners to be objectified, but are part of the history that built this country.”

State Rep. Theresa Mah, D-Chicago, speaks to reporters outside the Post Office in Pilsen about allegations of discrimination against non-English speaking customers last year.
Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times file
State Rep. Theresa Mah, D-Chicago, speaks to reporters outside the Post Office in Pilsen about allegations of discrimination against non-English speaking customers last year.

That bill passed, 98 to 13, and now also heads to the Senate.

The Senate’s Executive Committee passed a Senate bill that would create an elected Chicago school board starting in 2022. Mayor Lori Lightfoot is opposed to the legislation and its House counterpart.

The Senate bill could move onto the Senate floor for debate, though some committee members wanted outstanding issues with the bill addressed before it faces a final floor vote.

Some opponents to the bill called for a hybrid model that allows for both elected and appointed members. Claiborne Wade, a parent liaison at Oscar DePriest Elementary School and a member of the parent advisory board at Kids First Chicago, said the bill should “be guided by what CPS parents want.”

“I strongly feel that my wife and I know what’s best for our four children, it would not make sense for lawmakers to make decisions on behalf of our family without our input or addressing our concerns,” Wade said. “A representative board should guarantee at least half, or a majority, of parent members, with a diversity that reflects the demographics of the student body, not the city of Chicago.”

Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford voted for the bill, but said it was important to continue negotiations to “come up with the absolute best process and the best model that we can” for students and families.

“There’s so much that goes into this huge change that we will be making, for the better is my hope, but we can’t do it because we’re siding with this group versus that group,” the Maywood Democrat said.

State Sen. Rob Martwick, sponsor of the bill, said he was open to amending it, but the Northwest Side Democrat said concerns mentioned Wednesday were already considered.

“Whether it does it adequately or not, I guess we can debate about that,” he said. “I am always open to hearing how we can improve it.”

Rachel Hinton reported from Chicago, Andrew Sullender from Springfield

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Elected Chicago school board, expanded fertility treatment coverage, teaching Asian American history advance in SpringfieldRachel Hintonon April 15, 2021 at 2:50 am Read More »

Fingerprints for FOID cards? Rival gun control bills spark potshots from legislators, police, gun lobbyAndrew Sullenderon April 15, 2021 at 12:55 am

A customer browses firearms at Marengo Guns in Marengo in January.

Both bills seek to reform and improve the FOID card, which Illinois residents must have to legally own firearms or ammunition. But each side accuses the other of missing the target.

SPRINGFIELD — Dueling gun control bills are heading for a showdown on the floor of the state Legislature.

One would require potential gun owners to be fingerprinted to obtain a Firearm Owner Identification Card, entail more frequent renewal of the card and mandate background checks for the private sale of firearms.

The other bill is designed to lessen the strain on gun owners and the Illinois State Police by automatically renewing and digitizing FOID cards in Illinois. It has the backing of the police agency, which issues the cards and handles background checks for gun purchases.

Both bills seek to reform and improve the FOID card, which Illinois residents must have to legally own firearms or ammunition. But each side accuses the other of missing the target.

Supporters of the more stringent measure named it the Block Illegal Ownership Bill. They call the competing bill a “gun-lobby backed” measure that “guts critical background checks” included in their legislation.

Guns on display at Kee Firearms and Training in New Lenox.

The Illinois State Police director fired backed that the FOID card system, which the Block Illegal Ownership Bill fortifies, is “antiquated, outdated, inefficient, and ineffective.”

The stricter bill was first introduced after the 2019 shooting in Aurora in which the shooter obtained a firearm even though his FOID card had been revoked and he had felony convictions in other states.

“That’s why we need the fingerprints and background checks for all gun sales,” said Kathleen Sances, president of Gun Violence Prevention PAC Illinois. “We see weaknesses in our licensing system that allow people who are not lawfully allowed to have guns get their hands on them, and they’re killing people.”

State Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, sponsor of the tougher bill, said that the Aurora shooting illustrates why the state needs to remove firearms from those who have their FOID card revoked.

“Right now, more than 27,000 Illinoisans may still be armed despite losing their right to own a gun. And that is a direct result of not making sure that the Illinois State Police has the resources they need to make sure … people that shouldn’t have firearms don’t,” Villivalam said.

State Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, in 2018.

The bill passed the House in 2019, but didn’t advance during last year’s pandemic-truncated legislative session.

The bill would also require FOID card holders to renew the card every five years instead of 10, increase fees for that renewal, and fund support for mental health services of communities affected by gun violence.

Richard Pearson, president of the Illinois State Rifle Association, said his firearm owners’ rights organization would “fight this bill tooth and nail” in the Legislature and in the courts.

“There is no other civil right where you have to offer up your finger to exercise it,” he said. “If a $2 poll tax is too much to pay for the civil right of voting, then … this is certainly too much.”

Pearson said the bill would also add a “mountain of paperwork” for the Illinois State Police, which his organization is already suing for not approving FOID card applications in the time required by state law.

Staff work at Kee Firearms and Training in New Lenox in January.

But Villivalam said his bill would actually “break through the bureaucracy” and help the Illinois State Police, because if the agency “has someone’s fingerprints, it is much easier for them to ensure who that person is, and what their background is, and if they should legally own a firearm.”

The competing bill set its sights more squarely on the issues plaguing the state police.

State Police Director Brendan Kelly and a bipartisan group of legislators held news conference on Wednesday to promote the measure.

Their bill would automatically renew FOID cards for those obtaining a concealed carry permit or voluntarily submitting their fingerprints, allow the use of an electronic FOID card, and create a prohibited persons portal to help the police identify those who have revoked FOID cards.

“Our goal is to ensure that we are keeping firearms out of the hands of people who are a danger to themselves and others,” said state Sen. Dave Koehler, D-Peoria, the bill’s sponsor. “Our goal is not, however, to hassle safe, responsible gun owners. Through the modernization and streamlining of the FOID card process, I believe we can successfully accomplish both of our objectives.”

Research by the Illinois State Police helped craft the bill, Kelly said.

“This bill will make it harder for the bad guys and simple and safe for the good guys,” the police agency chief said.

Following the news conference, the Gun Violence Prevention PAC released a scathing statement against Koehler’s bill.

Firearms on display at Marengo Guns in Marengo in January.

“Senator Koehler’s gun lobby-backed bill guts real universal background checks in exchange for nothing,” said Sances.

The Illinois State Rifle Association denied backing Koehler’s bill, saying that they were “neutral.”

But Pearson’s group is firing blanks, said a spokesperson for the gun control PAC.

“The gun lobby speaks pretty loudly on just about every piece of gun legislation under the sun, so their silence or claims of neutrality on this bill is deafening,” the spokesperson said.

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Fingerprints for FOID cards? Rival gun control bills spark potshots from legislators, police, gun lobbyAndrew Sullenderon April 15, 2021 at 12:55 am Read More »

What did the Chicago Sky do with the last five years of first-round draft picks?Annie Costabileon April 15, 2021 at 1:01 am

Diamond DeShields and Gabby Williams were drafted with the No. 3 and No. 4 picks in the 2018 WNBA draft. | Michael J. LeBrecht II/NBAE via Getty Images

Here’s a look back at the team’s first-round selections over the last five years.

As the Sky and coach James Wade prepare for the second virtual WNBA Draft, Thursday at 6 p.m. on ESPN, here’s a look back at the team’s first-round selections over the last five years.

2020: No. 8 Ruthy Hebard, Oregon, Forward

The Chicago Sky’s most recent draft pick was an instant contributor, and that’s something Wade is looking to emulate in this year’s draft. Hebard came in and despite challenges presented by the 2020 season, averaged 5.7 points and 3.9 rebounds in 22 games.

2019: No. 4 Katie Lou Samuelson, UConn, Guard/Forward

In her rookie season with the Sky, Samuelson averaged 2.4 points in 20 games played. Wade traded her to the Dallas Wings for Azura Stevens head of the 2020 season. Stevens came in and before suffering a knee injury, was an asset to the Sky averaging 11.5 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 13 games. She was a starter for all 13.

2018: No. 3 Diamond DeShields, Tennessee, Guard and No. 4 Gabby Williams, UConn, Forward

The 2018 draft was the Sky’s most successful in the last five years. Drafted by former coach Amber Stocks, DeShields and Williams were instant contributors, and DeShields has grown into a franchise player. Both are restricted free agents in 2022.

2017: No. 2 Alaina Coates, South Carolina, Center and No. 9 Tori Jankoska, Michigan State, Guard

Since being drafted with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 draft, Coates has bounced around the league, playing for four teams in four years. Coates officially signed with the Sky in 2018 after an ankle injury sidelined her and averaged 3.4 points and 3.2 rebounds in her rookie season. Coates was traded to Minnesota in 2019 for a 2020 third-round pick. After being waived by the Lynx, Coates signed with the Atlanta Dream, where she played nine games. She was signed by the Washington Mystics in 2020 and averaged 2.5 points and 2.8 rebounds in 20 games.

Jankoska was waived by the Sky ahead of the 2017 season. After playing professionally for the Polish basketball club Basket Gdynia, she entered the coaching ranks in 2018-19 as the Director of Recruiting Operations and Player Personnel at Maryland. Currently, she’s the Missouri State women’s basketball team’s assistant coach.

2016: No. 10 Imani McGee-Stafford, Texas, Center

McGee-Stafford averaged 6.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game during her rookie season and was named to the WNBA All-Rookie Team. In the middle of the 2017 season, McGee-Stafford and Tamera Young were traded to the Atlanta Dream for Jordan Hooper and the Dream’s first-round pick in the 2017 draft.

She was traded to the Dallas Wings in 2019 and was placed on the team’s suspended list ahead of the 2020 season after informing the team she’d be pursuing a law degree.

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What did the Chicago Sky do with the last five years of first-round draft picks?Annie Costabileon April 15, 2021 at 1:01 am Read More »

From Orlando to Chicago, new Bull Nikola Vucevic discusses the journeyJoe Cowleyon April 15, 2021 at 1:05 am


It’s been a whirlwind since the big man was traded at the deadline, but he still remembers where he came from and also where he wants to go with the Bulls franchise.

The wardrobe has been limited.

Enough so that Nikola Vucevic can rattle off the items of clothing quite easily.

“Three sweat suits, two jeans, and two sweaters,’’ the Bulls big man said on Wednesday.

Basically, all Vucevic has been wearing since being traded from Orlando to the Bulls at the Mar. 25 deadline, and then playing nine of his first 10 games with his new team living out of a quickly-packed suitcase on the road.

“I do wash them,’’ he made sure to add.

So while the first showdown against his former Orlando teammates should have brought more emotion to his doorstep – like the tears that crept out when he was first traded – that would have required time for him sit around and think. Time he really hasn’t been allotted.

Traded on that Thursday, in Chicago for physicals and the playbook Cliff’s Notes on Friday, and then dropping 21 points and nine rebounds against the Spurs on a Saturday.

Nine different cities and three weeks later, Vucevic was playing his former team, as well as just his second game in his new home arena.

“My team in Orlando was very special to me,’’ Vucevic said. “I came there as a kid and I left nine years later, but what I’m most proud of is the last couple years because we went through a lot, went through a rebuild and then a rebuild a kind again, and then we finally made the playoffs two years in a row, and I was able to become a two-time All-Star.

“Hopefully fans will always remember me as someone who played hard, competed and gave his best. Hopefully they’ll remember my legacy there as something good. … At least now I can talk about it without crying, which is not bad. It’s a step forward.’’

At the same time, Vucevic knows there’s new steps to climb. Maybe even more daunting. Orlando does have some basketball history, but not like the banner-filled rafters he now plays under. When the Bulls gave up draft picks to add to this roster – specifically adding Vucevic – it wasn’t to stay in play-in game territory or even be a one-and-done in the playoffs like the Magic were.

Laker standout Anthony Davis calls Chicago the “Mecca of Basketball,’’ and has backing from the likes of Doc Rivers and Patrick Beverly.

There’s new expectations Vucevic is now playing with. More pressure. Maybe when he gets a minute to actually weigh that it will kick in. Hopefully not.

“This is like my second or third day in Chicago,’’ Vucevic said. “We haven’t played in front of fans or anything. I haven’t really got that feel yet fully of playing for the Bulls as I hope I can soon with fans in the arena. That’s the real thing.

“I put a lot of pressure on myself to bring it every night and compete and play the best I can to help the team win. I don’t think that will change much as far as, ‘Oh, it’s Orlando or Chicago.’ I always want to win. You want to help your team get to the highest level possible. I enjoy those moments.’’

Untouchables

Billy Donovan was once again asked about struggling rookie Patrick Williams in the starting lineup and possible changes moving forward, and while there are no plans to make a move, the coach made it very clear he will always do what’s best for the team.

“I wouldn’t say he’s untouchable,’’ Donovan said. “Patrick I don’t think is any different from any guy on this team. He would do whatever he could to help the group.’’

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From Orlando to Chicago, new Bull Nikola Vucevic discusses the journeyJoe Cowleyon April 15, 2021 at 1:05 am Read More »

Ford extends closure at Chicago assembly plantDavid Roederon April 15, 2021 at 12:33 am

Ford’s Chicago factory at 12600 S. Torrence Ave. | Getty Images

It orders more factory shutdowns or productions cuts to deal with a shortage of microchips.

Ford’s Chicago assembly plant, 12600 S. Torrence Ave., will be closed for two additional weeks as the company deals with a shortage of microchips.

The company said Wednesday the plant, which closed this week, will also be shut the weeks of April 19 and 26. About 5,800 people work there to build the Ford Explorer, Lincoln Aviator and Police Interceptor SUV.

A global shortage of microchips that run the electronic systems has forced all automakers to curtail production. A fire at a chip supplier in Japan has worsened the situation, Ford said.

The company ordered similar shutdowns for the last two weeks in April at plants in Flat Rock, Michigan, and Kansas City, Missouri. Flat Rock produces the Ford Mustang and Kansas City turns out the F-150 pickup.

Ford also said its truck plant in Louisville will be closed the weeks of April 26 and May 3 and will have reduced production for most of May. Certain production lines at a plant for medium- and super-duty trucks in Avon Lake, Ohio will be idle the weeks of April 19 and 26.

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Ford extends closure at Chicago assembly plantDavid Roederon April 15, 2021 at 12:33 am Read More »

13 shot, 2 fatally Tuesday in ChicagoSun-Times Wireon April 15, 2021 at 12:45 am

Thirteen people were shot, two fatally, April 13, 2021, in Chicago.
Thirteen people were shot, two fatally, April 13, 2021, in Chicago. | Sun-Times file photo

In the day’s first reported shooting, two people were shot in an alley in the 2400 block of West Grenshaw Street, in Lawndale on the West Side.

Two people were killed and 11 others wounded Tuesday in Chicago including a 20-year-old man who was fatally shot in Chatham on the South Side.

Nykere Curtis was in the street about 7 p.m. in the 300 block of East 86th Street when someone opened fire, striking him in the chest, Chicago police said.

Curtis was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 7:17 p.m., police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office said.

An hour earlier, a man was found shot to death in Hegewisch on the Far South Side.

About 6:06 p.m., the 43-year-old was found wrapped in a quilt in the 12400 block of South Torrance Avenue, Chicago police said. He had been shot multiple times in the head and his death was ruled a homicide.

The Cook County medical examiner’s office hasn’t released his name.

In nonfatal attacks, a 20-year-old man was shot to in Chicago Lawn on the Southwest Side.

About 11:50 p.m., he was on the sidewalk in the 6200 block of South Troy Street, when he heard shots and felt a pain, Chicago police said. He was struck in the right hand, grazed by a bullet on his head, and brought to Christ Medical Center in good condition.

A man was hurt in a shooting in West Lawn on the Southwest Side. He was on the sidewalk about 9:30 p.m. in the 3800 block of West 64th Street, when someone fired shots from a black sedan, police said. The 30-year-old was grazed in the head and taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn in good condition.

A 17-year-old boy was shot in Gresham on the South Side. The boy was on the sidewalk about 6:50 p.m. in the 7700 block of South Aberdeen Street, when a person approached and fired shots, police. He suffered a gunshot wound to the left arm and was transported to the University of Chicago Medical Center in good condition.

A man was shot in Chatham on the South Side. He was in a park about 4:35 p.m. in the 300 block of East 79th Street, when someone opened fire, striking him in the foot, police said. The 38-year-old was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in good condition.

A woman was shot in Albany Park on the Northwest Side. About noon, the 30-year-old was near the sidewalk in the 4000 block of North Kimball Avenue, when two unknown males approached and fired shots, police said. She was struck in the hand and brought herself to Swedish Convenient Hospital in good condition.

Minutes prior a man was shot while he was driving in Lawndale on the West Side. About 11:40 a.m., he was driving when shots were fired in the 1900 block of South Ridgeway Avenue, police said. He drove to the 1900 block of South Avers Avenue, and was brought to Mt. Sinai Hospital in critical condition with a gunshot wound to his chest.

A man was critically wounded in a shooting in Pullman on the Far South Side. The 36-year-old was sitting in a parked vehicle about 8:50 a.m. in the 12300 block of South Parnell Avenue, when someone approached on foot and fired shots, police said. He suffered gunshot wounds to the chest and abdomen and was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn in critical condition.

A 33-year-old man was shot in Burnside on the South Side. About 3:05 a.m., he was sitting in a parked vehicle in the 9300 block of South University Avenue, when shots were fired, police said. He was struck in the back and rushed to the University of Chicago Medical Center in serious condition.

Less than an hour prior an 18-year-old woman was wounded in a drive-by in Chatham on the South Side. About 2:15 a.m., she was a passenger of a vehicle when a passing black SUV fired shots in the 400 block of West 81st Street, police said. She was struck in the left foot and brought to the University of Chicago Medical Center in good condition.

In the day’s first reported shooting, two people were shot in Lawndale on the West Side. About 1 a.m., they were in an alley in the 2400 block of West Grenshaw Street, when someone approached them and fired shots, police said. One man, 25, was struck in the back and the other man, 23, was struck in the right side of his body. They were both brought to Mt. Sinai Hospital in serious condition.

Sixteen people were shot, one fatally, Monday citywide.

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

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13 shot, 2 fatally Tuesday in ChicagoSun-Times Wireon April 15, 2021 at 12:45 am Read More »

Fingerprints for FOID cards? Rival gun control bills spark potshots from legislators, police, gun lobbyAndrew Sullenderon April 15, 2021 at 12:49 am

A customer browses firearms at Marengo Guns in Marengo in January.

Both bills seek to reform and improve the FOID card, which Illinois residents must have to legally own firearms or ammunition. But each side accuses the other of missing the target.

SPRINGFIELD — Dueling gun control bills are heading for a showdown on the floor of the state Legislature.

One would require potential gun owners to be fingerprinted to obtain a Firearm Owner Identification Card, entail more frequent renewal of the card and mandate background checks for the private sale of firearms.

The other bill is designed to lessen the strain on gun owners and the Illinois State Police by automatically renewing and digitizing FOID cards in Illinois. It has the backing of the police agency, which issues the cards and handles background checks for gun purchases.

Both bills seek to reform and improve the FOID card, which Illinois residents must have to legally own firearms or ammunition. But each side accuses the other of missing the target.

Supporters of the more stringent measure named it the Block Illegal Ownership Bill. They call the competing bill a “gun-lobby backed” measure that “guts critical background checks” included in their legislation.

Guns on display at Kee Firearms and Training in New Lenox.

The Illinois State Police director fired backed that the FOID card system, which the Block Illegal Ownership Bill fortifies, is “antiquated, outdated, inefficient, and ineffective.”

The stricter bill was first introduced after the 2019 shooting in Aurora in which the shooter obtained a firearm even though his FOID card had been revoked and he had felony convictions in other states.

“That’s why we need the fingerprints and background checks for all gun sales,” said Kathleen Sances, President of Gun Violence Prevention PAC Illinois. “We see weaknesses in our licensing system that allow people who are not lawfully allowed to have guns get their hands on them, and they’re killing people.”

State Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, sponsor of the tougher bill, said that the Aurora shooting illustrates why the state needs to remove firearms from those who have their FOID card revoked.

“Right now, more than 27,000 Illinoisans may still be armed despite losing their right to own a gun. And that is a direct result of not making sure that the Illinois State Police has the resources they need to make sure … people that shouldn’t have firearms don’t,” Villivalam said.

State Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, in 2018.

The bill passed the House in 2019, but didn’t advance during last year’s pandemic-truncated legislative session.

The bill would also require FOID card holders to renew the card every five years instead of 10, increase fees for that renewal, and fund support for mental health services of communities affected by gun violence.

Richard Pearson, president of the Illinois State Rifle Association, said his firearm owners’ rights organization would “fight this bill tooth and nail” in the Legislature and in the courts.

“There is no other civil right where you have to offer up your finger to exercise it,” he said. “If a $2 poll tax is too much to pay for the civil right of voting, then … this is certainly too much.”

Pearson said the bill would also add a “mountain of paperwork” for the Illinois State Police, which his organization is already suing for not approving FOID card applications in the time required by state law.

Staff work at Kee Firearms and Training in New Lenox in January.

But Villivalam said his bill would actually “break through the bureaucracy” and help the Illinois State Police, because if the agency “has someone’s fingerprints, it is much easier for them to ensure who that person is, and what their background is, and if they should legally own a firearm.”

The competing bill set its sights more squarely on the issues plaguing the state police.

State Police Director Brendan Kelly and a bipartisan group of legislators held news conference on Wednesday to promote the measure.

Their bill would automatically renew FOID cards for those obtaining a concealed carry permit or voluntarily submitting their fingerprints, allow the use of an electronic FOID card, and create a prohibited persons portal to help the police identify those who have revoked FOID cards.

“Our goal is to ensure that we are keeping firearms out of the hands of people who are a danger to themselves and others,” said state Sen. Dave Koehler, D-Peoria, the bill’s sponsor. “Our goal is not, however, to hassle safe, responsible gun owners. Through the modernization and streamlining of the FOID card process, I believe we can successfully accomplish both of our objectives.”

Research by the Illinois State Police helped craft the bill, Kelly said.

“This bill will make it harder for the bad guys and simple and safe for the good guys,” the police agency chief said.

Following the news conference, the Gun Violence Prevention PAC released a scathing statement against Koehler’s bill.

Firearms on display at Marengo Guns in Marengo in January.

“Senator Koehler’s gun lobby-backed bill guts real universal background checks in exchange for nothing,” said Sances.

The Illinois State Rifle Association denied backing Koehler’s bill, saying that they were “neutral.”

But Pearson’s group is firing blanks, said a spokesperson for the gun control PAC.

“The gun lobby speaks pretty loudly on just about every piece of gun legislation under the sun, so their silence or claims of neutrality on this bill is deafening,” the spokesperson said.

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Fingerprints for FOID cards? Rival gun control bills spark potshots from legislators, police, gun lobbyAndrew Sullenderon April 15, 2021 at 12:49 am Read More »