The vote was 84-15. Raimondo, 49, was the first woman elected governor of Rhode Island and is serving her second term.

WASHINGTON — The Senate voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to confirm Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo to serve as President Joe Biden’s commerce secretary and help guide the economy’s recovery during and after the coronavirus pandemic.

The vote was 84-15.

Raimondo, 49, was the first woman elected governor of Rhode Island and is serving her second term. She is a Rhodes Scholar and a graduate of Yale Law School who went on to become a venture capitalist before turning to politics.

Raimondo will be responsible for promoting the nation’s economic growth domestically and overseas. Republican opposition to her confirmation focused on concerns that she would not be forceful enough in confronting the Chinese government’s efforts to gain an economic and technological edge through espionage.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in particular said he was concerned that she declined during her confirmation hearing to commit to keeping Chinese telecom giant Huawei on the department’s Entity List. U.S. companies need to get a license to sell sophisticated technology to companies on the list.

She subsequently told senators she had no reason to believe that companies on the list should not be there. But that answer failed to satisfy Cruz. He said it would have been a simple matter for Raimondo to commit to keeping Huawei and others on the Entity List.

“She refused to do so, repeatedly,” Cruz said before the vote. “This appears to be part of a pattern of a systemic decision to embrace communist China.”

Biden has said China is in for “extreme competition” from the U.S. under his administration, but that the new relationship he wants to forge need not be one of conflict.

The COVID-19 pandemic, which originated in China, has also strained the relationship between the two countries with members of both U.S. political parties working to highlight any accommodations they see the other side making toward China.

Much of Raimondo’s work will be focused on regional economic issues. Lawmakers from coastal states want help protecting valuable fishing industries. Lawmakers from rural states want greater investment in broadband. She confirmed her interest in working with them on those issues during her confirmation hearing and emphasized the need to tackle climate change. She noted as governor that she oversaw construction of the nation’s first offshore wind farm.

“We’re looking for someone who can come in and help, with private sector experience, to really move the agenda of this administration forward. So, for me, Gov. Raimondo’s private sector experience really means a lot,” said Sen. Maria Cantwell, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. “She knows how to invest in new technologies and things that are going to help us grow jobs for the future, and she knows how to match up a workforce with those job opportunities.”

The Commerce Department comprises a dozen bureaus and agencies, including the National Weather Service, the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Raimondo would oversee the work of more than 40,000 employees.

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Carter may absolutely be miscast as a center in certain matchups. He admitted on Tuesday that he’s undersized in a lot of situations. But until the Bulls can find a generational talent that erases opposing game plans, the warts on this team will continue to standout against the NBA’s best.

It’s easy to kick around Wendell Carter Jr. on Tuesday.

Heck, the Bulls center was at the front of the line doing it to himself.

“I’m a competitor,’’ Carter said in a Zoom call, before the team flew out to New Orleans. “For me to go out there and have those types of performances that I had, for us to lose, I kind of feel like it’s all on me.’’

Not even close, but for a player that is overly hard on himself like Carter has been going back to his high school days, it’s easy to see why he feels that way.

Ever since elite big man Joel Embiid took Carter to the woodshed with a 50-point, 17-rebound clinic less than two weeks ago, it’s been ugly for the Bulls center.

Getting outplayed by Embiid or watching Nikola Jokic go for 39 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists like he did in Denver’s Monday night win, isn’t ideal, but isn’t out of the ordinary for players with that size and skillset to make any NBA center look bad.

What’s concerning is Carter has also recently been out-played by the likes of Hassan Whiteside, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Deandre Ayton since the Embiid game. Towns? Understandable because of his skillset, but Carter should have easily won the physicality aspect against the Timberwolves big man, who has a reputation of being more like a roll of Charmin in the toughness department.

That’s why Bulls coach Billy Donovan was asked about the idea that Carter – who is listed at 6-foot-10, but that feels like a stretch – gets overwhelmed at that position too often because he is undersized.

Donovan agreed with that assessment to a certain degree, and also said that’s one of the reasons they were trying to get Carter to improve on his outside shot and range, so that he can transition to the four more easily in certain matchups and be a threat at that spot.

Even Carter admitted on Tuesday that there’s some tough situations he’s been thrown into, and will continue to be thrown into.

“I’m a center,’’ Carter said. “There are a lot of centers in this league 7 foot or over. I mean, it’s just physics. I’m shorter. I don’t necessarily think I’m not as strong but I’m just shorter. Whenever they can get a hook shot in, they’re usually shooting over me. What I have to do a better job of is using my strength, pushing catches out to make it more difficult for them to get to those areas around the rim. But that’s just physics. I’m shorter than them. That’s the end of the statement right there.’’

But there’s a bigger statement going on than Carter likely being in the wrong position in certain matchups. What the losses to Philadelphia and Denver are reminders of are the fact that the Bulls still lack a superstar talent.

Sure, Zach LaVine is taking strides in that direction, but in Year 7 for him, there’s still nothing promised. There’s a reason the Bulls have struggled against playoff teams since the rebuild began, and entered Tuesday 4-12 against teams above .500 this season [2-14 at the time that they played them].

Star power matters, and until the Bulls find that then picking on Carter being undersized or Coby White not being a true point guard doesn’t solve the obvious.

“I try not to take the approach of, ‘Hey, listen, if we don’t have one of those [superstars] it’s all for nothing. We just can’t compete,’ ‘’ Donovan said, when asked if the Bulls can only go so far without a generational-type player. “Our roster, our team, how do we get this group better instead of maybe having the approach of ‘Geez, if we don’t get one of these guys it’s going to be really hard.’ I mean, listen, you go against the Clippers, you go against the Lakers, you go against Denver, yeah, you’re having to deal with those guys.’’

Six-foot-10 or not.

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Chung Ha’s unmistakable ferocity is palpable immediately upon hearing her music or watching her videos. She’s among the biggest K-pop artists of the moment, and her rise to stardom wasn’t exactly a surprise. She was introduced to the world on the reality show Produce 101, and her first audition was a major highlight–the judges immediately recognized her as a star in the making. Chung Ha eventually became one of the program’s 11 winners and ended up in the resulting K-pop group, I.O.I. Since 2017, when I.O.I disbanded, Chung Ha has been better able to flaunt her talents through solo work, and on her debut album, Querencia (MNH Entertainment), she takes every opportunity to showcase who she is on 21 tracks that employ a multitude of genres. On lead single “Bicycle,” fluttering synth chords and dramatic horns highlight the ease with which Chung Ha can maneuver between nonchalant and forceful–and in both modes, her voice drips with an assertive cool. Of the album’s four singles, “Stay Tonight” is most alluring; its nocturnal, invigorating synth pulses buoy her impassioned cries for a lover to continue their tryst rather than leave in the night. Querencia is split into four parts (“Noble,” “Savage,” “Unknown,” and “Pleasures”), which makes the album a more digestible listen, though the songs within each section don’t seem tied together by any strong sonic or thematic thread. The production on the majority of these songs is unassailable, but about a third of them feel bloodless; Latin-influenced tracks such as “Masquerade” and “Demente” sound especially predictable in their crossover attempts. But when Chung Ha is on her A game, the results are lustrous: “All Night Long” is sumptuous R&B for sultry slow dances, “Bother Me” is all disco-tinged gloss, and “Flying on Faith” vacillates between serrated electro-pop and piano balladry. The most delightful track is “Unknown,” a brief frenetic jungle instrumental interlude that’s unlike anything I’ve ever heard on a mainstream K-pop album. For better or worse, Chung Ha pulls no punches on Querencia, and what it lacks in consistency it makes up for in excitement–it’s a thrill to watch her stretch herself outside a group context and flex her potential as a solo artist. v

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A vacant apartment building in Aurora was destroyed in a blaze that put firefighters on the defensive Tuesday morning in the western suburb.

Although initial reports indicated a person was trapped inside, the building was actually empty and no one was injured, Aurora Fire Department Battalion Chief Jim Rhodes said.

The fire spread quickly through the three-and-a-half story wooden frame apartment building in the 200 block of West Downer Place, Rhodes said.

Aurora Fire Department/Facebook

Neighbors called 911 about 7 a.m. after noticing the fire, he said. Firefighters saw smoke billowing from the home soon after they left the station and found flames shooting from the side of the home when they arrived.

“It was a pretty labor-intensive fire,” Rhodes said. Firefighters were forced to exit the home a couple times when the fire became too dangerous, he said.

“We were ultimately able to get back in there and put out the fire,” he said.

Crews were still on scene at 9:30 a.m. at the home, which Rhodes said was a total loss.

Neighboring homes were undamaged by the flames, he said.

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Chicago Bears: Buster Skrine replacements that make them better by Vincent Parise

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Chicago Bears (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)

The Chicago Bears are involved in trade rumors for Russell Wilson but should think about the players they will want to keep around.

The Bears have been involved in major trade possibilities for a new quarterback. Most recently, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson named the Bears, along with three other teams, as organizations he would like to be traded to — if the Seahawks were to trade him.

Last season, the duo of Mitch Trubisky and Nick Foles did not work out for the team. In short, neither of the two ranked in the top half of quarterbacks for QBR nor passer rating. The offense itself scored just 22.4 points per game, ranking 23rd in the NFL. This has led to the likely release of Mitch Trubisky and the hunt for a new starting quarterback.

Now that Wilson has picked the Bears as an organization he may lean towards, Bears fans have found hope for a quarterback that could drastically enhance the offense. Wilson was excellent last season, ranking in the top-ten in yards, completion percentage, touchdowns, QBR, passer rating, and many more promising passer statistics. More importantly, his team was 12-4 last year.

Related Story: Chicago Bears Russell Wilson Trades

It’s unlikely the Bears, nor the Bears community, would declare any “untouchables” for acquiring a quarterback like Russell Wilson. The Bears have never had a quarterback of the caliber of Russell Wilson’s quarterback play, so the front office will most likely do whatever it takes to acquire one. It will take a lot of draft capital and big-name players to get a quarterback like Wilson. However, it would be preferable to keep these three players on board for the coming future.

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Please send scores and corrections to [email protected]

Tuesday, March 2, 2021

CATHOLIC – WHITE

Providence at St. Joseph, 7:00

CENTRAL SUBURBAN – CROSSOVER

Deerfield at Evanston, 5:30

Highland Park at Maine South, 6:00

Maine East at Glenbrook North, 5:30

Maine West at Glenbrook South, 5:30

Niles North at Niles West, 5:30

Vernon Hills at New Trier, 5:30

DU PAGE VALLEY

Metea Valley at Waubonsie Valley, 7:00

Naperville Central at Neuqua Valley, 7:00

Naperville North at DeKalb, 7:00

EAST SUBURBAN CATHOLIC

Carmel at St. Viator, 7:00

Marian Catholic at Benet, 7:00

Marian Central at Notre Dame, 7:00

Nazareth at Joliet Catholic, 7:00

St. Patrick at Marist, 7:00

FOX VALLEY

Crystal Lake South at Crystal Lake Central, 7:00

ILLINOIS CENTRAL EIGHT

Coal City at Reed-Custer, 6:45

Herscher at Manteno, 7:00

Peotone at Wilmington, 7:00

Streator at Lisle, 7:00

KISHWAUKEE RIVER

Harvard at Johnsburg, 7:30

Richmond-Burton at Marengo, 7:30

Woodstock North at Woodstock, 7:30

METRO SUBURBAN

Aurora Central at St. Francis, 7:00

Elmwood Park at IC Catholic, 7:00

McNamara at Riverside-Brookfield, 7:00

Ridgewood at Chicago Christian, 7:30

St. Edward at Aurora Christian, 7:30

Westmont at Wheaton Academy, 7:30

MID-SUBURBAN – EAST

Elk Grove at Hersey, 7:30

Prospect at Buffalo Grove, 7:30

MID-SUBURBAN – WEST

Barrington at Palatine, 7:30

Conant at Fremd, 7:30

Schaumburg at Hoffman Estates, 7:30

NIC – 10

Auburn at Harlem, 7:30

Belvidere North at Boylan, 7:30

Freeport at Hononegah, 7:30

Guilford at Jefferson, 7:30

Rockford East at Belvidere, 7:30

NORTH SUBURBAN

Lake Zurich at Waukegan, 7:30

Mundelein at Zion-Benton, 7:30

Warren at Lake Forest, 7:30

NORTHEASTERN ATHLETIC

Our Lady Sacred Heart at Christian Liberty, 6:00

NORTHERN LAKE COUNTY

Grayslake Central at Antioch, 3-12 PPD

North Chicago at Grayslake North, 7:15

Round Lake at Grant, 7:15

Wauconda at Lakes, 6:45

PUBLIC LEAGUE RED SOUTH-CENTRAL

Corliss at Brooks, 5:00

Curie at Bogan, 5:00

Hyde Park at Morgan Park, 5:00

Kenwood at Simeon, 5:00

Longwood at Phillips, CNL

PUBLIC LEAGUE WHITE-CENTRAL

Catalyst-Maria at Solorio, 5:00

Dunbar at Urban Prep-Englewood, 5:00

King at Kennedy, 6:30

Richards (Chgo) at Hubbard, 5:00

Tilden at Lindblom, 5:00

PUBLIC LEAGUE WHITE-SOUTH

ACE Amandla at South Shore, 5:00

Agricultural Science at Urban Prep-Bronzeville, 7:0

Dyett at Perspectives-Lead, 5:00

Fenger at Vocational, 5:00

Harlan at Carver, 5:00

PUBLIC LEAGUE BLUE-CENTRAL

DuSable at Kelly, 5:00

Gage Park at Englewood STEM, 5:00

Hancock at Excel-Englewood, 5:00

Harper at Acero-Soto, 5:00

Horizon-Southwest at Back of the Yards, 5:00

Instituto Health at Acero-Garcia, 5:00

PUBLIC LEAGUE BLUE-SOUTH

Bowen at Goode, 5:00

EPIC at Air Force, 5:00

Excel-South Shore at Chicago Military, 5:00

UC-Woodlawn at Hirsch, 5:00

Washington at Julian, 5:00

SANGAMON VALLEY

Clifton Central at Paxton-Buckley-Loda, 7:00

Momence at Dwight, 7:00

Watseka at Iroquois West, 7:30

SOUTH SUBURBAN – CROSSOVER

Esienhower at Bremen, 5:00

Oak Forest at Evergreen Park, 7:30

Thornton Fr. North at Reavis, 7:30

Tinley Park at Shepard, 6:00

SOUTHLAND

Rich at Kankakee, 7:00

Thornridge at Bloom, 5:00

Thornton at Crete Monee, 5:00

SOUTHWEST PRAIRIE – CROSSOVER

Minooka at Plainfield East, 7:00

Oswego at Plainfield South, PPD

Oswego East at Joliet West, 7:00

Plainfield North at Romeoville, 7:00

West Aurora at Joliet Central, 7:00

Yorkville at Plainfield Central, 7:00

SOUTHWEST SUBURBAN – BLUE

Homewood-Flossmoor at Lincoln-Way East, 6:30

SOUTHWEST SUBURBAN – RED

Lincoln-Way Central at Lincoln-Way West, 6:30

TRI-COUNTY

Henry-Senachwine at Putnam County, 7:00

Marquette at Midland, 7:00

Roanoke-Benson at Lowpoint-Washburn, 5:30

Seneca at Woodland, 7:00

UPSTATE EIGHT

Fenton at West Chicago, 7:30

Glenbard East at Bartlett, 7:30

Glenbard South at Streamwood, 7:30

Larkin at East Aurora, 7:30

South Elgin at Elgin, 7:30

WEST SUBURBAN – GOLD

Addison Trail at Downers Grove South, 7:00

Proviso East at Leyden, 7:00

Willowbrook at Hinsdale South, 7:00

WEST SUBURBAN – SILVER

Glenbard West at Lyons, 6:00

Hinsdale Central at Downers Grove North, 7:00

York at Proviso West, 6:30

WEST SUBURBAN – CROSSOVER

Oak Park-River Forest at Morton, 7:00

NON CONFERENCE

Flanagan-Cornell at Serena, 7:00

Kenwood at Simeon, 5:00

Lake Forest Academy at Latin, 6:00

Young at St. Rita,

RIVER VALLEY TOURNAMENT

Grace Christian at Donovan, 5:30

Illinois Lutheran at Tri-Point, 5:30

St. Anne at Gardner-So. Wilmington

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Billy Corgan wrestled with how to keep the NWA afloat during a pandemic.

His wrestling company back from a hiatus, Corgan is set to return to the studio and produce more smash hits.

Yes, Corgan is working on new music with Smashing Pumpkins, but the frontman is set to relaunch the National Wrestling Alliance with a March 21 pay-per-view titled “Back For The Attack” that will stream on FITE. The NWA will then resume its schedule of “NWA POWERRR” each Thursday at 5:05 p.m. Chicago time starting March 23 and available on FITE via a low-cost subscription bundle.

Corgan revitalized the concept of studio wrestling — where matches and interviews are shot at an Atlanta TV studio and normally in front of just a few rows of fans — and seemed to have a hit when he purchased the NWA in 2017. The NWA, founded in 1948 and the once-proud stamping grounds of Ric Flair, Lou Thesz and Harley Race, was treated like a start-up company under Corgan, and the low-budget setup was far removed from the glitz and pyrotechnics of WWE and All Elite Wrestling. The NWA’s old-school weekly show aired on the company’s YouTube channel and gained a cult following.

“What I didn’t anticipate was how much people would love the format and want more of it and not less of it,” Corgan said. “In our downtime, we did a fan survey and the No. 1 thing was, don’t get rid of ‘Power.'”

FITE has also arranged to offer the PPV event via its cable and satellite partners.

“I feel like we’re finally taking the steps we were hoping to take a year ago,” Corgan told The Associated Press.

Unlike the well-funded major wrestling companies that survived on TV money as touring stopped during the pandemic and fans were largely banned from attending events, the NWA was one of several smaller promotions forced to suspend operations. NWA pulled its videos from its YouTube channel over the weekend — some fans feared the worst for the promotion — but it was necessary as part of the move to FITE.

“We were never in any financial peril,” Corgan said. “We were totally on a growth pattern. The plan for last year before things kind of hit the skids was to start pivoting. We were in discussions with Live Nation about running live events to help bring in revenue and expand who was watching the product. It was more about growing pains stuff, but we didn’t have any problems internally with the product.”

The NWA brand was a household name for wrestling fans until it petered out in the early 1990s and became overshadowed and obsolete for most of the past 30 years. The NWA name was licensed to other companies and considered a dead brand by fans.

The 53-year-old Corgan brought credibility and buzz to the company, which served as a proving ground for young talent along with the occasional dash of nostalgia with classic acts like the Rock ‘n’ Roll Express.

Some NWA talent during the shutdown moved on to other promotions. Thunder Rosa defended her women’s championship on AEW’s “Dynamite” show (“she proudly wants to display her NWA women’s title,” announcer Jim Ross said) in front of hundreds of thousands of fans on cable television. Rosa would lose the championship to AEW’s Serena Deeb.

Corgan was thrilled to partner with AEW and founder Tony Khan and keep NWA active in some form.

“Obviously, the company’s been down and he’s helped keep the brand up in people’s minds, and he’s been a great friend in that way,” Corgan said.

NWA World’s Heavyweight Champion Nick Aldis is expected to compete on the PPV — which will be dedicated to the memory of wrestler Joseph “Jocephus” Hudson — though all events will be held without fans and without artificial crowd noise, giving it a more natural feel, like a UFC show.

Corgan, a longtime wrestling executive in multiple companies, hasn’t quit his day job: He arrived Monday in Nashville, Tennessee, to start work on new Smashing Pumpkins music.

“If we’re lucky, we would have music out by the end of this year,” he said. “I don’t know if we’d put out a full album, but we’d at least have some music out.”

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PLEASE NOTE: Events may be postponed or simply canceled. Please call ahead to make sure they are still scheduled to take place.

1

SEASONAL

Spring Flower Show: Saturation

After a long and cooped-up winter, get a taste of spring warmth at the Garfield Park Conservatory’s indoor flower show. For this year’s edition, flowers are grouped by color to show off a wide spectrum of tints and hues. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, advance reservations are required.
Through May 9. Garfield Park Conservatory. East Garfield Park. Free. garfieldconservatory.org

2

RECREATION

Chicago Polar Plunge

Organizers of this annual fundraiser for Special Olympics Chicago usually host a giant in-person dip into frigid Lake Michigan from North Avenue Beach. But this year, they’re asking participants to submit photos and videos of solo “plunges” — think snowbanks, kiddie pools, or bathtubs — which can be shared on social media and incorporated into a livestreamed “Virtual Meltdown Party” on March 7.
FREE Mar. 1–7. sochicago.org

3

ART

Museum of Contemporary Art reopening

With the MCA’s reawakening comes a renewed opportunity to see The Long Dream, an exhibition featuring more than 70 Chicago-based working artists that opened shortly before the museum shut down operations in mid-November; it now runs through May 2. Later in the month, explore a solo exhibition of painter Christina Quarles’s intimate, abstract figurative portraits, on view from March 13 to August 29.
Mar. 2. Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. Streeterville. Free–$15. mcachicago.org

4

ART

In Focus: The Chicago Freedom Movement and the Fight for Fair Housing

In 1966, Martin Luther King Jr. moved his family to Chicago for several months to mount a campaign against unjust housing practices such as redlining. This exhibit centers on photographs by activist Bernard J. Kleina of the marches, rallies, and clashes that took place across the city that year, supplemented by maps, newspaper articles, and first-person accounts.
Mar. 4–June 10. Elmhurst Art Museum. Elmhurst. $15. elmhurstartmuseum.org

5

ZOO

Lincoln Park Zoo reopening

Chicago’s 153-year-old animal kingdom on the lake welcomes visitors again, and admission is free as always, but reservations must be made in advance to limit capacity. Indoor exhibits like the Helen Brach Primate House and the Regenstein African Journey will remain closed for now.
FREE Mar. 5. Lincoln Park Zoo. Lincoln Park. lpzoo.org

6

MULTIMEDIA

Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes

If they could, comics fans would soar through the sky to this traveling exhibition devoted to the world of characters like Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, and the Avengers. The show is heavy on costumes and props featured in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but you’ll also get to inspect rare comic-book artifacts (like Gil Kane and Dave Cockrum’s original art for the cover of Giant-Size X-Men #1).
Mar. 7–Oct. 24. Museum of Science and Industry Chicago. Hyde Park. $9–$40. msichicago.org

7

FOOD

Yotam Ottolenghi

The British chef and restaurateur gives a cooking demo using one of the plant-based recipes from his latest cookbook, Ottolenghi Flavor, in this Chicago Humanities Festival virtual program. He’ll be joined in conversation about the book and his approach to cooking by fellow author Claire Saffitz.
FREE Mar. 17. 7 p.m. chicagohumanities.org

8

FOOD

Chicago Restaurant Week

If that newfound joy of cooking you found at the beginning of lockdown has withered and died 12 months on, how about treating yourself to a meal made by someone else? Participating restaurants — ranging from newer hot spots like Virtue and Galit to chestnuts like Gene & Georgetti — offer special prix fixe menus that are often more affordable than ordering à la carte. And due to ongoing capacity restrictions, this year’s edition will include delivery and takeout options for the first time.
Mar. 19–Apr. 4. Various locations. $25–$55. choosechicago.com/chicago-restaurant-week

9

THEATER

Chicago Sings Rock & Roll Broadway

Porchlight Music Theatre’s annual concert fundraiser goes streaming this year, with a slate of more than 40 performers set to shake, rattle, and roll in numbers from rock-flavored Broadway shows like Hair, Rent, and Jagged Little Pill. Following its premiere, the program will be available on-demand through April 18.
Mar. 20. 7 p.m. $25. porchlightmusictheatre.org

10

NEW MUSIC

Spektral Quartet

In Something to Write Home About, the Grammy-nominated local string ensemble plays pieces by five Chicago composers, interspersed with prompts to spark viewers at home to compose postcards to loved ones. The program features works by Samuel Adams, Eliza Brown, Tomeka Reid, Gene Knific, and Nathalie Joachim; it streams on the Harris Theater’s Virtual Stage platform.
FREE Mar. 30. harristheaterchicago.org

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