Two strong-armed robberies were reported in March in Calumet Heights. | Sun-Times file photo
In each incident victims were robbed of their cellphone as they approached restaurants to pick up food.
Chicago police are warning of two strong-armed robberies reported recently in Calumet Heights on the South Side.
In each incident victims were robbed of their cellphone as they approached restaurants to pick up food, Chicago police said in a community alert.
The robberies happened about 5 p.m. March 25 in the 8700 block of South Stony Island Avenue, and about 9 p.m. March 26 in the 8500 block of South Stony Island Avenue, police said.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Area Two detectives at 312-747-8273.
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Roger Powell Jr. (left, with Drew Timme) has been an assistant coach at Gonzaga under Mark Few for two seasons. The Bulldogs have gone 61-2 during that span. Getty Images | Ethan Miller, Getty
The former Illini returns to the Final Four 16 years later as an assistant coach with Gonzaga.
Roger Powell Jr. is back in the Final Four.
Powell was a key player for the Illinois team that lost to North Carolina in the 2005 NCAA national championship game. Before that, he was a star high school player at Joliet.
Now Powell’s reputation is growing as a college coach. He’s in his second season under coach Mark Few as an assistant at Gonzaga. Powell has been part of a two-year run in which the Bulldogs have gone 61-2.
The Chicago Sun-Times spoke with Powell the morning after Gonzaga’s Elite Eight victory against USC.
Sun-Times: The buzzer sounds Tuesday, and you know you’re going to the Final Four for the first time as a coach. What were your immediate thoughts?
Powell: To be honest, it was crazy. Cutting down the net last night took me back to beating Arizona in the Elite Eight when I was playing for Illinois. That feeling of sacrificing, competing, grinding, all to get to the biggest stage in college basketball. That’s a special feeling.
S-T: Is there more of an appreciation for how difficult a journey it is to actually get to this point, to get to the Final Four?
Powell: Without a doubt. I’ve been coaching for 10 years, and it’s the first time that I’ll be coaching in the Final Four. And it’s taken 16 years since I was a part of it as a player. Taking it in now is much more surreal.
S-T: What has been the most difficult challenge in this tournament run in Indianapolis?
Powell: Obviously, being in a hotel for three weeks and not seeing family, trying to keep our guys active, busy and excited. . . . That was a big challenge. We did this Topgolf thing as a team, and they took us to the zoo, so those things do help break up the monotony of being in a hotel. On the other hand, it’s helped us stay focused. We haven’t had the distractions of flying home. We have just been able to be together, and in a way, it’s helped with our chemistry.
S-T: How much talk has there been within the program about the possibility of being the first unbeaten national champion in 46 years?
Powell: Our guys have seen it enough on TV. Every time you look, you’re being reminded of it because someone is saying something about Gonzaga. You’re hearing and seeing it enough, so when we are together, we just stick to the process.
S-T: A lot of people are asking about when it will be your time to become a head coach.
Powell: I kind of always told myself I wanted to be an assistant for 10 years before I felt like I was ready to take over a program. Now this is Year 10. I didn’t realize that after 10 years I would be as blessed and experience as much success as I’ve been fortunate enough to have. Even with the success, I’ve had challenging years also. It’s all brought me to a place where I think I’m ready. But I’m not in a rush. I can continue to get better, continue to learn, and we can continue to win at a high level here.
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There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions. The moon is in Sagittarius.
Aries (March 21-April 19)
Today you want to mentally probe deeper issues to discover the core truth about something. You will examine, scrutinize and probe everything that comes your way. You have a strong desire to get to the bottom of something so that you know more about whatever it is you seek. “Ah ha!”
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
In discussion with friends and groups, you will be very convincing if you are excited about something or you feel you have discovered something new. You will want to share your new knowledge with others, and you won’t stop until they hear what you have to say!
Gemini (May 21-June 20)
You will be convincing if you talk to superiors, bosses and employers— as well as parents. You believe what you’re saying and you want to persuade other people to understand where you’re coming from. You will see changes that you think are improvements.
Cancer (June 21-July 22)
Today you’re engrossed in studying anything that lies below the surface of everyday reality — psychology, astrology, the occult or any belief system about self-regeneration. You’re eager to learn as much as possible and then share your knowledge with others.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)
You will leave no stone unturned if you’re dealing with questions regarding shared property, inheritances, taxes or debt. This is because you want to get to the bottom of things, whether it’s online banking, disputed charges or finding “lost money.”
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
Conversations with partners and close friends will be intense today. You might want to make someone over or change their views. Possibly, this works in reverse? Someone might want to make you over or convince you about something? Could go either way.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
You want to get to the bottom of things at work today and if possible, introduce reforms and improvements. You also want others as well to see how these improvements work. Likewise, you might want to introduce methods to improve your own health because you’re gung-ho to get to the essence of something.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
Your love of mystery is strong today, which is why you will be attracted to whodunits, mystery movies and solving puzzles. Whatever you do to be playful will also be quite intense, especially because you might want to persuade others to go along with your ideas.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
Today the moon is in your sign dancing with the sun, which makes you feel happy and uplifted. Nevertheless, family conversations will be intense and they might reveal secrets. You want to get to the bottom of something. You might tackle repairs to plumbing, bathroom and recycling.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
Discussions with parents and people at home will be positive today. Nevertheless, whatever happens, you will be unusually persuasive, especially because you want to get the facts and understand exactly what’s going on. You might also want to persuade someone to agree with you.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
This is a positive day for finances and money-making ideas. One thing is certain, you’re interested in secrets and behind-the-scenes activities. Furthermore, if you make a new discovery about something, you will want to share this discovery with everyone. (Well, at least someone.)
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)
Your love of mystery today is ignited! Not only do you want to know all about secrets, you will examine, scrutinize and improve everything that comes your way. If you have a question, you will insist on finding the answer — and then sharing it with everyone. “Now hear this! Now hear this!”
If Your Birthday Is Today
Actor David Oyelowo (1976) shares your birthday. Because you are a person of conviction and strong faith, you are determined and straightforward. You are courageous and resilient. Now you are entering a new cycle, which means it’s time to define some goals to determine what you want for yourself in the next few years. Be confident and physically energetic about going after what you want. Just do it!
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With the guard sidelined with a right ankle sprain, that meant another life for Lauri Markkanen in the starting lineup. And while the 7-footer had a solid game, the perimeter defense continued to be an issue in the loss.
Zach LaVine missed the game against Phoenix on Wednesday, with a right ankle sprain that didn’t seem to care how important the showdown was for the Bulls.
And rightfully so, as not one eyebrow was raised with the decision, especially because it was the first game the All-Star guard had missed this season.
“Obviously he’s carried a huge load for us during the course of the first half of the season, certainly played at a really elite level,’’ coach Billy Donovan said of the decision to sit LaVine in the eventual 121-116 loss. “I just don’t think physically he’s been right the last couple games.
“I think the starting, the stopping, the planting, the jumping, the explosiveness, I think he’s felt like he’s lost a lot of that. And we just got to help him try to get that back. I don’t know how long it will be.’’
With LaVine down – as well as Garrett Temple (hamstring) and Coby White (neck) – that also meant yet another opportunity for Lauri Markkanen.
Opportunities that could be running out with the Bulls (19-27).
It’s been a strange season for the fourth-year forward. In reality, it’s been a strange four seasons. The 7-footer is part unicorn, part enigma, part ceiling-never-reached. And in a handful of months, the restricted free agent could be elsewhere.
After the loss to Phoenix, Markkanen had 26 regular-season games left to not only leave an impression with his current organization, but the entire Association.
Considering he lost his starting job on Monday, and was only back with that first group because of an injury, it’s not exactly screaming investment worthy.
Markkanen, however, was at least trying to change some minds. He looked aggressive in finishing with 16 points, especially in the first half, but it was nice to also see him grab 10 rebounds. It was only the second time this season Markkanen has reached double-digits in that category.
Still, even with Markkanen’s double-double, as well as Nikola Vucevic finishing with 24 points and 10 rebounds, there wasn’t enough on the perimeter to slow down Phoenix’s backcourt. Chris Paul finished with 19 points and 14 assists, while Devin Booker was a headache all night, hitting the 45-point mark on 17-for-24 shooting.
That included a dagger of a layup with 34.1 seconds left that put the Suns (33-14) up five.
Another lesson for rookie Patrick Williams, who was matched up on Booker a good chunk of the game.
“I thought Patrick really worked,’’ Donovan said of the assignment. “I thought Booker had a big night because he hit all his mid-range jump shots. I thought Patrick battled him. It was all off the dribble. With a player like that you’re going to have to live with a lot of things.’’
True, but Patrick Williams wanted the finger pointed directly at himself.
“For sure it was tough,’’ Williams said of defending Booker. “He’s a tough-shot taker, tough-shot maker. In the second half I kind of upped the physicality, but by then he was already comfortable. That’s on me. He had 45 [Wednesday]? Yeah, that’s on me.’’
As for Markkanen, there’s still improvements Donovan obviously wants to see from him.
The trade deadline obviously changed a lot. In bringing in two bigs, it meant looking for the best matchup combinations. After one game, Donovan felt it was Vucevic starting alongside Thad Young. That sent Markkanen to the bench temporarily.
“I feel like we’re all competitors and you always want to start,’’ Markkanen said of that decision. “I trust Billy. I mean I’m really not gonna do anything that’s gonna harm the team. Like I said, disappointing personally but it is part of it and just I’m gonna do whatever I can do to help the team and control what I can control.’’
What he can control is being that third scoring option, and more importantly, just be consistent. Any questions or concerns about that? Markkanen knows where he can go. Donovan understands Markkanen’s contract situation, but also what’s important for the team.
“Listen, these guys are all human, and they’re men, and there’s obviously a lot of money on the line for all these guys, I understand that,’’ Donovan said. “He’s never really spoken to me about any of that [contract] stuff. He’s been more of the mindset of what can he do to help the team, and he’s really been a great guy as it relates to that. I’ve always told him that if he needs to come to me and talk to me about things or things that may be on his plate or on his mind that he feels that he needs to express, that I was always available to talk to him, and he’s never really done that.’’
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James Taylor performs at Jazz at Lincoln Center in 2019 in New York City. | Getty Images
Tickets for the original 2020 tour dates will be honored.
Live music is returning to the United Center.
James Taylor on Wednesday announced his postponed 2020 world tour with special guest Jackson Browne will kick off at the Chicago venue on July 29.
Tickets purchased for the original 2020 dates will honored for the trek that wraps up Nov. 1 in San Diego. (The tour was originally slated for a stop June 9 the United Center; refunds are available at point of purchase for those unable to make the new date.)
Taylor postponed the tour last April due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which shut down all live music/theater venues across the country. Browne contracted coronavirus last March, revealing at the time he suffered only minor symptoms and recuperated while quarantining at home.
“(Jackson and I/James and I) want to thank all those who have graciously held onto their tickets; we appreciate your continued patience as we navigate these unchartered waters. We didn’t want to have to cancel this tour that we’ve been waiting so long to perform together, so we’ve been working to get these dates rescheduled to a time period when the U.S. is reopened and safe to gather for a concert,” the two legendary singer-songwriters said in a joint statement.”
Currently, there are no plans in Chicago or the state for the reopening of indoor arenas/theaters in the wake of the recent uptick in COVID cases. Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the mayor earlier this week concurred the surge has put a halt to further easing reopening restrictions.
“Of course we will be keeping a close eye and abide with all health and safety protocols throughout each venue and state. We can’t wait to get back on stage and see you out there soon,” Taylor and Browne’s statement said.
Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. concert are available at ticketmaster.com.
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A woman was found shot to death March 31, 2021 in suburban Joliet. | Adobe Stock Photo
Officers found a woman shot dead inside a home in the 200 block of Illinois Street.
A 56-year-old woman was found shot to death Wednesday morning inside a Joliet home.
Officers found a woman who had been shot dead inside a home about 6:45 a.m. in the 200 block of Illinois Street, according to a statement from Joliet police.
The Will County coroner’s office later identified her as Sonja Underwood.
Joliet police are conducting a homicide investigation.
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A shooting in the city of Orange Wednesday left at least four people dead, including a child, and two others injured, including the suspected shooter, police said.
Officers responded to reports of a shooting in the 200 block of West Lincoln Avenue around 5:30 p.m. and arrived as shots were being fired, the Orange Police Department said. Police found “multiple victims at the scene, including fatalities.”
“An officer-involved shooting occurred” and the suspect was taken to a hospital, Lt. Jennifer Amat said, but she didn’t immediately know their condition.
The shooting was on the second floor of the building, Amat said. She had no details about the confrontation, what may have sparked the attack or why a child may have been at the building.
No officers were injured.
In a tweet Wednesday night, Gov. Gavin Newsom called the shooting “horrifying and heartbreaking.”
Rep. Katie Porter issued a statement in response to the shooting: “I’m deeply saddened by reports of a mass shooting in Orange County, and I’m continuing to keep victims and their loved ones in my thoughts as we continue to learn more. My team and I will continue to monitor the situation closely.”
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.
For the first time since 2019, fans will be in the stands at Wrigley Field Thursday for the Chicago Cubs’ home opener, and if you’re going to be one of the lucky fans in the seats of the Friendly Confines, you’re going to want to bundle up.
Big time.
That’s because the forecasted temperature at first pitch, set for 1:20 p.m. against the Pittsburgh Pirates, will be a frigid 34 degrees, according to the NBC 5 Storm Team.
To make matters worse, the wind is expected to be howling in from the north, meaning that even colder air will be pumped into the stadium during the contest. The wind and cold will combine for a wind chill of approximately 24 degrees when Kyle Hendricks throws the first pitch of the season, according to current forecast models.
Fans likely won’t have much of a chance to stand up and applaud big home runs, either. With the wind coming out of the north at more than 20 miles per hour, the wind will be blowing in from left field at Wrigley, knocking down potential home run balls by Kris Bryant, Javier Báez and company.
For fans lucky enough to have tickets to games later in the series against the Pirates, we have some good news. Temperatures Saturday and Sunday are expected to climb into the low-to-mid 60s, and even warmer temperatures are possible at the start of the new work week.
For fans curious about next Thursday’s home opener for the White Sox, current forecast models are calling for afternoon showers and temperatures in the mid-to-upper 50s.
A block of coronavirus vaccination appointments in suburban Cook County were snapped up in a matter of minutes on Wednesday evening.
The 8,000 appointments, released by Cook County Health at 6 p.m. Wednesday, were all booked within 25 minutes, an official with the organization told NBC 5.
The appointments, all first-dose COVID vaccine appointments, were earmarked for individuals in Phases 1A, 1B, and 1C, and were booked up quickly. Another block of 25,000 appointments had been opened on Sunday, and those were gone within hours, according to officials.
Cook County Health moved suburban portions of the county to Phase 1C of the vaccination rollout plan this week.
“All essential workers – including clergy, restaurant staff, energy, legal, retail and transportation and logistics – are now eligible to receive vaccine,” the county said, noting that Phase 1C includes the last eligible groups before all residents age 16 and older will be able to get vaccinated in the coming weeks.
The county was previously in Phase 1B Plus. A complete list of Phase 1C eligible groups can be found on the CCDPH website. Anyone eligible in prior phases remains eligible for vaccinations moving forward.
There is some good news for residents who weren’t able to get appointments, however. More appointments could become available as soon as Thursday as the county continues to receive more shipments of the COVID-19 vaccine.
More information on those developments can be found on the county’s COVID website.
Chicago’s coronavirus numbers are still a fraction of what the area saw during the height of the fall surge in COVID cases, but a recent increase in the number of new cases has caused the city’s reopening process to pause, leaving bars, restaurants, and the city as a whole hoping that things aren’t headed in the wrong direction.
At Corcoran’s in Chicago’s Old Town, things look closer to normal than they have at any point since the pandemic began, but rising COVID numbers have owner Kevin Vaughn worried.
“It’s been great over the last few weeks and it’s been getting better every week,” he said. “There’s been a complete reversal. Numbers are growing very rapidly, so we as business owners are concerned that we’re heading to a third wave of the pandemic.”
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot put things very bluntly on Wednesday, saying that the city is seeing a “quantum leap” in cases that needs to stop.
“We have 400, almost 500 cases per day on average as of today,” she said. “That’s a quantum leap from even where we were three weeks ago.”
Lightfoot says that the largest increases have been seen among 18-to-39 year olds in the city, with some North Side neighborhoods specifically standing out.
OEMC’s Rich Guidice has seen the same data, and says that people need to follow the rules, including abiding by social distancing guidelines and wearing masks.
“We noticed a bit of a spike after St. Patrick’s Day, and in some regards we hoped that we wouldn’t’ see that spike, but we kind of expected that it would happen.”
Neither city leader explicitly mentioned a rollback in reopening Wednesday, but Vaughn, and other business owners, can see the writing on the wall if things continue to trend upward in terms of COVID cases and hospitalizations.
“If we had to go back again, a third time around, I’m not sure we could take it,” he said. “It would be devastating.”
The Chicago Cubs underwent some dramatic changes in the offseason, saying goodbye to several long-time veterans and welcoming in a new crop of players to help try to restructure a team that was bounced early from the playoffs in 2020.
Gone are long-time pitchers like Jon Lester and Yu Darvish, along with several members of the 2016 World Series winning squad, including Kyle Schwarber and Albert Almora Jr.
In their place are a group of players aiming to take the Cubs to big success in 2021, and to help you out, we have compiled a list of the new Cubs you’ll see on the field as the season gets underway.
Pitcher Jake Arrieta
GOODYEAR, ARIZONA – MARCH 18: Jake Arrieta #49 of the Chicago Cubs looks on before the game against the Cleveland Indians during their MLB spring training baseball game at Goodyear Ballpark on March 18, 2021 in Goodyear, Arizona. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
After three seasons with the Phillies, Arrieta returns to the North Side for his second go-round with the Cubs. In nine starts last season, Arrieta posted a 4-4 record with a 5.08 ERA, and he’ll be looking to bounce back with the Cubs this season.
Pitcher Zach Davies
MESA, ARIZONA – MARCH 29: Zach Davies #27 of the Chicago Cubs pitches in the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the MLB spring training game at Sloan Park on March 29, 2021 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
Acquired in the trade that sent Yu Darvish to the Padres, Davies had a strong spring for the Cubs, posting a 4-0 record and a 1.08 ERA in five Cactus League appearances. He was 7-4 with a 2.73 ERA last season, and he’ll hope to solidify a rotation that is loaded with question marks.
Infielder Matt Duffy
MESA, AZ – MARCH 12: Matt Duffy #5 of the Chicago Cubs looks on during the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Sloan Park on March 12, 2021 in Mesa, Arizona. The Brewers defeated the Cubs 8-3. (Photo by Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
One of two new players brought in to solidify the Cubs’ depth in the infield, Duffy will likely fill in at third and first base this season. Duffy last played for the Rays in 2019, with a home run, 12 RBI’s and a .252 batting average in 169 plate appearances.
Outfielder Jake Marisnick
PEORIA, ARIZONA – MARCH 01: Jake Marisnick #16 of the Chicago Cubs bats against the San Diego Padres during the MLB spring training game at Peoria Sports Complex on March 01, 2021 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
The Cubs had a massive overhaul of their outfield this offseason, and Marisnick will be a fourth-outfielder option for the team. He only appeared in 16 games last season, but the previous three seasons he had hit double-digit home runs for the Houston Astros.
Outfielder Joc Pederson
PEORIA, ARIZONA – MARCH 01: Joc Pederson #24 of the Chicago Cubs makes his way to first base against the San Diego Padres during the MLB spring training game at Peoria Sports Complex on March 01, 2021 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Arguably the biggest addition of the offseason, Pederson will aim to be the team’s everyday left fielder, and played that way in spring training as he mashed eight home runs and drove in 19 RBI’s.
Infielder Eric Sogard
MESA, ARIZONA – MARCH 29: Eric Sogard #4 of the Chicago Cubs throws to first base to record an out in the third inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the MLB spring training game at Sloan Park on March 29, 2021 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
While David Bote will be the Opening Day second baseman for the Cubs, expect to see plenty of Sogard in that spot as Nico Hoerner continues working out with the alternate site squad in South Bend. Sogard hit a home run and drove in 10 RBI’s last season with the Brewers, and he’ll hope to fill in as a back-up at both middle infield spots this season.
Pitcher Trevor Williams
MESA, ARIZONA – MARCH 20: Trevor Williams #32 of the Chicago Cubs pitches in the second inning against the Colorado Rockies during the MLB spring training game at Sloan Park on March 20, 2021 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
The third of the Cubs’ new starting pitchers this season, Williams is hoping to bounce back after two rough seasons with the Pirates. Williams had a 6.18 ERA and a 2-8 record last season, starting 11 games for the Bucs.
Catcher Tony Wolters
DENVER, CO – AUGUST 15: Tony Wolters #14 of the Colorado Rockies smiles while on deck during the ninth inning against the Texas Rangers at Coors Field on August 15, 2020 in Denver, Colorado. The Rangers defeated the Rockies 6-4. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)
The Cubs were in need of a back-up catcher after Austin Romine suffered an injury during spring training, and they signed Wolters to help fill the void. In 100 at-bats last season, he drove in eight RBI’s and batted .230 with the Rockies.
Pitcher Brandon Workman
PHILADELPHIA, PA – AUGUST 29: Brandon Workman #42 of the Philadelphia Phillies throws a pitch during a game against the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park on August 29, 2020 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. All players are wearing #42 in honor of Jackie Robinson, traditionally held on April 15, was rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Phillies won 4-1. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images)
Workman had 21 total appearances last season with the Red Sox and Phillies, posting a 5.95 ERA in those outings. His 1-4 record may not dazzle anyone, but he did have a 10-1 record with the 2019 Red Sox, posting a sparkling 1.88 ERA in his last full season of work.
A charitable organization co-founded by actor Sean Penn is once again looking for applicants to fill more than 100 positions at COVID-19 vaccination sites in the city of Chicago.
According to an email release from Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE), the organization is looking for more than 100 full-time staffers to help support operations at COVID vaccination sites in the city, including the mass vaccination site at Chicago State University.
Workers will also be hired to staff mobile vaccination sites that will “serve vulnerable and high-risk communities,” according to the press release.
CORE is operating the mobile sites in partnership with city officials.
The organization is hiring employees to assist with patient registration, check-in, managing traffic and lines and other tasks at the sites, which will offer free COVID-19 vaccination shots to residents.
New employees could start as soon as next week, according to officials. Applications can be found on the organization’s website.
According to the group, CORE Has been operating free COVID-19 testing sites in Chicago since May of last year, providing more than 400,000 free tests in the process.
Giolito ready, set to make second consecutive Opening Day start
ANAHEIM, Calif. – And so it begins, a 2021 White Sox season with real reasons for high hopes.
It’s been a while. And in year five of a rebuild that began with a trade involving Lucas Giolito, it seems fitting the Sox’ 6-6 right-hander is the one taking the ball on Opening Day against the Angels Thursday (9:05 p.m., NBCSCH, ESPN-1000).
“I love this organization, I don’t want to play anywhere else and I’m looking forward to hopefully having a really, really good season this year,” Giolito said Wednesday.
The Sox have oozed love and confidence throughout the spring, and the feeling now is that everything is coming together, that their time is now.
“I can sense that a little bit,” Giolito said. “A lot of us younger guys really coming into our own. We’ve made some big strides, especially over the last couple years. For us, kind of culminating that era and moving into a new era of hopefully a lot of winning on the South Side.”
This will be Giolito’s second straight Opening Day start, and he vividly remembers the first one not going well. He allowed a homer to Max Kepler on his first pitch and gave up seven runs on six hits in 3 2/3 innings on July 24. The Sox lost 10-5.
Giolito enters this one coming off an excellent six starts in the spring, and with a better plan for this opener.
“My first ever Opening Day didn’t go exactly how I wanted it to, but I learned a lot from that and I’m looking forward to making the adjustments going into [Thursday],” Giolito said. “Really focusing one pitch at a time. I’ve got my preparation all down. Very excited.”
The deception created with his arm action is one of Giolito’s strengths, and it’s part of what makes his changeup better. How he adjusted after that opener speaks volumes about the pitcher he has become.
“The biggest thing, if you take his outing Opening Day last year against Minnesota, his hand separation got a little bit away from him so he was exposing himself a little bit more than he normally has,” pitching coach Ethan Katz said. “Was that the reason for a tougher Opening Day last year? Possibly. He made that adjustment and his deception was back.”
Giolito no-hit the Pirates on Aug. 25 and finished seventh in AL Cy Young voting last season. He will be the first right-hander to make consecutive Opening Day starts for the Sox since Jaime Navarro in 1997-98.
“It’s all about setting the tone,” Giolito said. “We get to go offense first, so I’m looking forward to seeing our guys go out there, start the season with some nice ABs. But then from a defensive side, I get to take the ball, I get to be in control from the get-go and I want to start the season off the way we want.”
NOTES: Manager Tony La Russa said Leury Garcia will start in left field and Zack Collins will be the designated hitter Thursday against the Angels and right-hander Dylan Bundy. Rookie Andrew Vaughn will be the DH Friday against left-hander Andrew Heaney. Garcia will bat sixth and Collins eighth.
*The Sox worked out at Angel Stadium Thursday afternoon.
*A graduate of Harvard-Westlake High School, located about 50 miles from Angel Stadium, Giolito got 10 tickets for family and friends. Giolito’s high school teammates Max Fried (Braves) and Jack Flaherty (Cardinals) are all also starting Opening Day.
*La Russa said Sox players may get vaccinated when they return to Chicago next Wednesday night. The players won’t be pressured to get it, said La Russa, who had both doses.
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The University of Chicago Medical Center located at 5841 S. Maryland, in the Hyde Park neighborhood. | Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Patient files — including names, social security numbers and health data — were uploaded to a public website by a former employee of a data processor that includes the medical center among its clients, officials said Wednesday.
A former employee at a national healthcare data processor that includes the University of Chicago Medical Center among its clients uploaded patients’ private information to the internet in 2019, potentially revealing their Social Security numbers and physical addresses and other sensitive data, officials said Wednesday.
The University of Chicago Medical Center said that nearly 900 of its patients might have been affected by the security breach at Med-Data, an Ohio-based company that provides revenue cycle services to healthcare providers and patients.
“The exposure of information occurred on Med-Data’s end. At this time, the company has confirmed it has no knowledge of any actual or attempted misuse of the information of our patients,” the University of Chicago Medical Center said in a statement.
“Med-Data has assured UCMC that it has taken all necessary and appropriate steps to secure this information and mitigate any personal financial risk to UCMC patients,” the medical center said.
Med-Data was notified by a journalist in December that patients’ data appeared on a public website, and found that a former employee had uploaded patients’ files to personal folders on the site on or before September 2019, the company said.
Cybersecurity experts confirmed that the files contained patients’ names and, in some cases, their birthdates, Social Security numbers, addresses and healthcare information, among other private information, Med-Data said in a written statement.
Med-Data mailed a letter to the affected individuals Wednesday to notify them of the data breach, and is offering a year of free credit monitoring and identity theft protection services to them, the company said.
The company did not say whether it would be pressing charges against the former employee who uploaded the information. Med-Data did not respond to a request for further comment.
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A man was fatally shot March 31, 2021 in Austin on the West Side. | Adobe Stock Photo
The man, 32, was arguing with someone in the 100 block of North Lotus Avenue when the person shot him in the head, police said.
A 32-year-old man was fatally shot Wednesday evening in Austin on the West Side.
The man was arguing with someone about 6:55 p.m. in an alley in the 100 block of North Lotus Avenue when the other person shot him in the head, Chicago police said.
He was transported to Mt. Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to police.
The Cook County medical examiner’s office has not yet released information on the fatality.
Area Four detectives are investigating the shooting.
President Joe Biden delivers a speech on infrastructure spending in Pittsburgh on March 31. | AP
Like the New Deal in its grand scope, the American Jobs Plan promises to go a long way toward fixing roads, rebuilding schools and lifting paychecks for ordinary Americans.
Our country is decades overdue for a federal infrastructure program that is big and bold enough to substantially modernize tens of thousands of miles of crumbling roads and bridges, detangle airports and significantly upgrade the nation’s overstressed electrical grids.
Has such a program finally arrived with President Joe Biden’s announcement Wednesday of a sweeping, eight-year, $2 trillion American Jobs Plan?
For the nation’s sake, we hope so.
Biden’s proposal — New Deal-esque in its grand scope — promises to help set straight the nation’s roads, school buildings, transit systems, affordable broadband capabilities and more. And to bring this about, the plan would provide much-needed jobs for hundreds of thousands of Americans.
“It’s not a plan that tinkers around the edges,” Biden said as he announced his plan at the Carpenters Pittsburgh Training Center, in Pittsburgh. “It’s a once-in-a-generation investment in America, unlike anything we’ve seen or done since we built the Interstate Highway System and the Space Race decades ago.”
Good for Chicago
The American Jobs Plan would set aside $621 billion for roads, bridges, airports, seaports, electric vehicles and public transit.
In Chicago, that could mean finally funding major construction projects now on the boards, such as the $3 billion North Lake Shore Drive rebuild, the $2.3 billion CTA Red Line extension to 130th Street and the $8.5 billion O’Hare Airport expansion, set to begin in 2023.
What should not be allowed, on the part of Chicago or any local or state government, is the frittering away of the new federal funds on the usual housekeeping concerns, such as trimming trees or buying new trucks for Streets and San. Every new dollar should represent extra value, a way to build an America for the future.
Biden proposes to spend $100 billion to expand affordable high-speed broadband service, and an additional $100 billion for clean energy and new electrical power lines.
Another $300 billion would be used the upgrade schools and build new ones, while also constructing and upgrading affordable housing across the country.
Calling on wealthy to pay fairer share
Predictably, GOP lawmakers — the same ones who did nothing for four years while Donald Trump promised, but never delivered, an infrastructure plan — are already lining up against Biden’s effort.
“It’s like a Trojan horse,” Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell told reporters. “It’s called infrastructure, but inside the Trojan horse it’s going to be more borrowed money and massive tax increases on all the productive parts of our economy.”
But McConnell and the GOP’s real beef is likely this: Biden plans to fund the measure by making wealthy businesses — a mollycoddled and well-protected class under GOP leadership — pay for most of it.
The plan calls for raising the federal corporate tax from 21% to 28% and increasing the baseline tax on U.S. companies’ overseas profits from 13% to 21%.
Biden says it is not his intent to punish the rich.
“This is not to target those who’ve made it — not to seek retribution,” he said in his speech. “This is about opening opportunities for everybody else. And here’s the truth: We all will do better when we all do well.”
Dems demanding more
And while the GOP balks over the price tag, some Democratic lawmakers question whether the $2 trillion should be even more.
“This is not nearly enough,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) tweeted Tuesday. “The important context here is that it’s $2.25T spread out over 10 years. For context, the COVID package was $1.9T for this year *alone,* with some provisions lasting 2 years.”
But that stance willfully ignores the political reality that Biden’s bill might be a tough sell as it is. Adding more to it from the outset would likely be the kiss of death.
The time is now
We don’t take lightly that $2 trillion is a staggering amount of money. It’s four times the inflation-adjusted cost of the entire U.S. space program, from the selection of the Mercury 7 astronauts in 1960, through the Apollo moon missions, to the launch of Skylab in 1973.
So we, of course, expect Congress to do its job and examine this plan thoroughly.
But Washington lawmakers must also keep in mind that the total tab will be necessarily high because lawmakers and previous presidential administrations kicked the can down the road by issuing only band-aid fixes for our infrastructure issues.
The time to deal with the issue now.
And while we understand that turning the bill into a law that remains big, bold and future-oriented, we urge the president — the scrapper from Scranton — to take up the battle and give our nation the victory it needs.
A suburban teenager whose story captured the attention of thousands when he launched a simple-to-use website to help residents book coronavirus vaccine appointments is still working on the site, and now he has a growing team of volunteers helping him in his mission.
Eli Coustan, 13, designed the website to be a simple and intuitive way for all area residents, especially older residents, to navigate the complex pathways to getting an appointment to receive the vaccine.
After Coustan helped his grandparents set up their vaccine appointments, he launched the website to help others do the same, and the results speak for themselves, with thousands of visitors a day logging onto ILVaccine.org (which you can find here).
“Today alone so far we’ve had 15,000 unique visitors,” he told our Natalie Martinez during an interview Wednesday afternoon. “I’d imagine once this airs we’ll have even more.”
Coustan told NBC 5 earlier this year that he was hoping to enable searches by ZIP code, and to allow the site to be translated into other languages. He has made those changes while also adding additional counties in Illinois and allowing the site to refresh appointments more often.
“We launched a new design, so we were able to have more counties while making it even simpler to use,” he said. “It allows us to refresh more frequently, and we’ve launched the site in Spanish. We even added accessibility tools.”
Coustan’s mother Hillary says she is extremely proud of her son, saying that he used his remarkable talents as a programmer and developer to help people potentially get access to the all-important COVID vaccine.
“I’m incredibly proud of him,” she said. “I think he saw a need and had the ability and initiative to fill that need. He dedicated an enormous amount of time to do that.”
Coustan says that his growing team of volunteers, now 15 strong, helps him to do other things too, including posting on Twitter when large blocks of appointments drop.
“My biggest focus is to help as many people as possible. That’s why I created this site,” he says. “To make sure that people in all areas of Illinois are able to get the COVID vaccine.”
Thieves made off with fifteen cars from a high-end auto dealership in Warrenville in a heist that cost the business $1 million.
The burglary happened early Sunday at a dealership on Weaver Parkway, according to a statement from Warrenville police. Ultimo Motors West is located at 4575 Weaver Parkway.
The thieves took six BMWs, three Porsches, two Mercedes as well as an Audi, Bentley, Jaguar and Land Rover, police said.
The loss the business — which included the stolen cars and damages to other cars and the building — was estimated at $1 million, police said.
Four of the cars were recovered, police said. Two were found in Chicago, while one was found in south suburban Hazel Crest and another in Harvey.
The Warrenville police said they were investigating the crime with the assistance of the Chicago Police Department.
Williams has had yet another position change, as well as a jersey number switch, yet he hasn’t blinked once throughout all the changes over the last week.
He may have a new number on the back of his jersey and a new position in the starting lineup, but the reality of it all for Patrick Williams is nothing has changed for the Bulls rookie.
“The people I guard are pretty much the same,’’ Williams said on Wednesday, when discussing the move to small forward from the four spot in the wake of the trade deadline moves. “Even when I was a four, I was guarding some threes and some twos, so nothing really changes. In our offense, coach [Billy Donovan] does a really good job of making sure the wing positions are pretty much interchangeable.’’
In his first game with the new-look roster, Williams admittedly was just trying to find in his way in that loss to the Spurs. The entire team was. He took seven shots, finishing with just six points. In the game against Golden State on Monday, however, the rook was much more aggressive, finishing with 14 points on 13 attempts. The most attempts he’s taken since Mar. 14, when he scored his career-high 23 against Toronto.
Life with an All-Star center like the Bulls now have in Nikola Vucevic is welcomed with open arms, but also a work in progress.
“It just opens up driving lanes not only for me but for the rest of guys,’’ Williams said of Vucevic’s presence. “He’s a three-point threat. And then also whenever we just need a bucket or need someone to get to the free-throw line, we can throw it down to him in the paint and let him go to work and play off him.
“And in the locker room, he’s a really good guy from what I know and what I can see now. He definitely fits our culture here. We’re all still figuring it out but having a guy who can do everything on the court to pass, shoot threes, to getting dirty in the post, he can do it all. He just makes it easier for us.’’
And Williams made life easier for him, handing over his No. 9 jersey and switching to No.44.
“Undisclosed,’’ Williams said of the amount Vucevic paid him for the switch. “I was going to give it to him for free. Even when I told him I was going to give it to him for free, he was like, ‘Nah, I just want to make sure you’re taken care of.’ That’s just the type of guy he is and speaks to the character that he has.’’
No reaction
Donovan had basically no reaction to a Chandler Hutchison Tweet in which the former Bulls forward wrote, “One man’s trash ….. #DCfamily.’’
Hutchison, who battled with injuries since he was picked 22nd overall in the 2018 draft and then sat for “personal reasons’’ most of this season, was traded to the Wizards last week, and had 18 in his first game with them. That’s when the Tweet came out. He followed that performance up with a 1-for-6 for five points a night later.
“Obviously he was, I think, working through things on his own,’’ Donovan said of Hutchison. “I made several comments about really appreciating his honesty and his strength in what he was doing. But I always felt like Chandler and I had a good relationship, so I don’t know necessarily who maybe the tweet was directed at or was it just an organizational thing? I’m not quite sure. But anyway, it’s hard for me to comment on it because I just don’t know the context of which he was talking about.’’
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Gov. J.B. Pritzker announces $7 billion over the next three years for the state’s schools to help students, parents and educators “overcome” the pandemic’s effect on education. | BlueRoomStream
The federal funds, which will be sent directly to school districts around the state, come from the American Rescue Plan Act, which Congress passed earlier this month. Those dollars are in addition to the funds the state and local school districts already provide, Pritzker said.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Wednesday announced an influx of $7 billion in federal funds over three years for kindergarten through secondary education, as well as four initiatives focused on supporting students, as the state works to “overcome the pandemic’s effects on our students, on our parents and on our educators.”
“This is to make sure that we’re bringing kids back to the kind of level of learning that they had before the pandemic, and to try to focus on those kids getting on the same path that they had been on prior to COVID-19,” Pritzker said at a news conference at South Elgin High School.
The federal funds, which will be sent directly to school districts around the state, come from the American Rescue Plan Act, which Congress passed earlier this month. Those dollars are in addition to the funds the state already provides to schools and local school districts provide, Pritzker said.
The governor also announced four new initiatives at the state level to “provide guidance and support in some of the most critically important aspects” of supporting students as they begin to transition back to the classroom.
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Suzanne Johnson, deputy superintendent of instruction, introduces Gov. J.B. Pritzker during a news conference at South Elgin High School on Wednesday.
That list of initiatives includes high-impact tutoring — with a focus on aligning it with classroom instruction through the remainder of the school year and during the summer. The state has partnered with the Center for Childhood Resilience at Lurie Children’s Hospital and Rush University for another initiative on social and emotional learning.
There will also be a focus on interim assessment guidance — to help educators “target students’ needs without holding the assessment results over anyone’s head” — and bridge transition support, in an effort to “encourage enrollment in both early childhood programs, and in higher education,” Pritzker said.
Melissa Figueira, a senior policy associate at the education-focused Advance Illinois, said the recovery of the state’s education system — and students — could take years.
Though the state doesn’t yet have concrete data on the pandemic’s effects on academics, Figueira said Illinois has seen a roughly 1.9% drop in enrollment from the previous year, or 35,822 students — double what the decline was expected to be.
Kindergarten saw the steepest declines, as much as 20% to 50% in some areas, Figueira said. Post-secondary enrollment declined by about 5% this year, a larger drop than the national average.
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Melissa Figueira, a senior policy associate at Advance Illinois, speaks at the news conference Wednesday.
Pritzker acknowledged the difficulties of the past year “for everyone,” from “teachers working tirelessly to adapt to remote learning” to parents who “gave their all to guiding their children through challenges that no one ever saw coming” to the students who “watched their day-to-day be usurped by a pandemic, a traumatic experience for any adult to have to navigate, let alone a child.”
“As we recover from this pandemic, I’m committed to making sure that we continue to lead the nation,” Pritzker said. “This time in assisting our schools to make this new $7 billion count over the next several years to overcome the pandemic’s effects on our students on our parents, and on our educators.”
Along with the funding, Pritzker announced the release of the P-20 Council’s Learning Renewal Resource Guide, a “starting point” for the state as it considers how to “best meet students and educators where they are.”
The P-20 Council is a state entity intended to foster collaboration among state entities, educators and others to improve education from preschool through college.
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Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton speaks at South Elgin High School on Wednesday.
Some of the facets of the guide come from the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus’ Education and Workforce Equity Act, which tasked the council with developing recommendations for short and long-term learning recovery in the wake of the pandemic.
That report, called a “toolbox” by Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, was released to all school districts in Illinois Wednesday and includes ideas such as elongating the school day or academic year, targeted engagement and communication programs to boost pre-K and kindergarten enrollment and hiring additional academic advisors and expanding year-round staffing and access to resources.
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Vice President Kamala Harris will travel to Chicago next week in her first official trip since she was sworn into office.
Harris will arrive in the city on Tuesday, primarily focusing on COVID-19 vaccine equity, according to a statement from her office.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot welcomed the vice president to Chicago Wednesday in a tweet, sharing their common goal of vaccine equity.
“I’m excited to welcome @VP Kamala Harris to Chicago. Our team prioritized equity in the rollout of our COVID vaccines. I’m looking forward to sharing details with her,” Lightfoot said in a tweet.
The mayor has previously noted the city’s efforts with equal distribution of the coronavirus vaccine, with aims to provide vaccinations to areas “most impacted by the outbreak and those with low rates of vaccination.”
On Thursday, Harris and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff will begin their trip, first heading to Los Angeles, where they will stay through Easter Sunday. To start the week, the two will travel to Oakland, California before heading to Chicago.
A Chicago man who says he has been stopped more than 60 times on an arrest warrant issued for another individual with the same name and birth date is speaking out after filing a federal lawsuit against the Chicago Police Department.
“Yes, I’m scared,” Darren Cole, 50, says. “It’s been going on for 15 years.”
Cole alleges he has been detained more than 60 times on the belief that he was the man named in a southern Illinois arrest warrant. The warrant stems back to 2006, when another man named Darren Cole, who also shares the Chicago man’s birthday.
Cole filed a federal lawsuit last week alleging he’s been punched and has had guns pointed at him by officers during stops that started in 2006. While the stops didn’t lead to charges, the lawsuit states that Cole was frequently held for several hours during several of the instances.
“They say ‘sir, you know you’ve got a warrant,’ and I say ‘I ain’t got no warrant,’” he says.
Cole says things got so bad that he put himself on a curfew, not leaving home after 5 p.m., and if he did, he wouldn’t leave unless he was driving someone else’s car.
“My kids would not ride in a car with me,” he says.
Cole says that he has done everything in his power to fix the problem, even driving with documents to prove his identity. He even obtained a letter from a police sergeant swearing that he was not the person for whom the warrant had been issued.
According to the Associated Press, the last stop occurred on Dec. 7, when Cole was detained for a malfunctioning brake light.
Now, Cole has filed a lawsuit alleging that the stops were unconstitutional, and is seeking damages in the case.
The Chicago Police Department has declined comment on the case, citing the pending nature of the litigation.
Cole says he still feels uneasy about driving his own car, so he’ll continue borrowing vehicles from his family members.
“I’m not going to drive that car. I’m scared. There’s too much history,” he says.
Ariel Roman, an unarmed man who was shot by a Chicago cop last year at the Grand station, was compelled to appear before a federal grand jury earlier this year.
Federal authorities have opened a criminal investigation into a high-profile Chicago police shooting last year at a Red Line station that was caught on cellphone video, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned.
As the evening rush was starting on Feb. 28, 2020, Officer Melvina Bogard shot 34-year-old Ariel Roman on a platform at the Grand station, one of the city’s busiest train stops.
Roman was ordered to appear before a federal grand jury on Jan. 14 at the Dirksen Federal Building, according to a subpoena obtained by the Sun-Times. He was asked to provide medical records that stemmed from the shooting.
A letter signed by John Lausch, Chicago’s top federal prosecutor, noted those records were being sought “pursuant to an official criminal investigation.”
Roman’s shooting has prompted ongoing probes by the city and the Cook County state’s attorney, but the federal investigation hasn’t previously been reported. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Fitzpatrick declined to comment, saying only that his office “can neither confirm nor deny the existence of an investigation.”
Before the police department was able to issue a statement about the shooting, video captured by a passerby went viral, fueling media attention and stoking public interest in the case.
Before the shooting, Bogard and her partner, Officer Bernard Butler, saw Roman moving between cars on a northbound Red Line. When Roman hopped off the train, the officers trailed him and tried to place him into custody at the foot of an escalator to the station’s main concourse.
During a struggle, Butler urged Bogard to shoot, and she fired once at Roman. Then, after Roman ran up the escalator, Bogard shot at him again. Video footage also showed two deployed stun guns laying on the station’s floor.
Roman suffered gunshot wounds to his hip and buttocks, and he was taken into custody and charged. Cook County prosecutors later dropped the resisting arrest and narcotics charges filed against him.
Andrew M. Stroth, one of Roman’s attorneys in a federal lawsuit against the officers and the city, said his client is still dealing with the fallout from the shooting. Over a year later, Roman has accrued roughly $500,000 in medical bills and still has a bullet lodged near his sciatic nerve, Stroth said.
“The video speaks for itself,” Stroth said. “Ariel Roman was unarmed and did not present a threat when he was shot by the officers.”
The shooting is also the subject of an “active review” by the state’s attorney’s office’s Law Enforcement Accountability Division, according to spokeswoman Tandra Simonton, who wouldn’t comment further.
In addition, sources said recommendations made by Chicago Police Supt. David Brown that could lead to administrative action against the two officers have been forwarded to the city’s Law Department, which prepares formal charges in police discipline cases.
A spokeswoman for the Law Department didn’t respond to questions from the Sun-Times. A CPD spokesman declined to comment on the federal criminal investigation.
COPA was expected to call for severe punishments for both Bogard and Butler. Just days after the shooting, COPA suggested the department strip both cops of their police powers, a move carried out by then-interim Supt. Charlie Beck.
Ephraim Eaddy, a COPA spokesman, said he was prohibited from disclosing the agency’s recommendations, which haven’t been made public. In addition, police spokesman Howard Ludwig couldn’t say whether Brown agreed with COPA’s findings or provide information about his response.
If the superintendent agrees with COPA in a disciplinary case, an officer is charged and faces an evidentiary hearing before the case is decided by the Chicago Police Board, a process that can take several years.
However, Eaddy noted his agency doesn’t know where exactly the case stands because the Law Department has “no defined timeline that I’m aware of that they have to do whatever their process requires.”
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A 17-year-old boy has been charged with a fatal shooting Sept, 26, 2020, in the 200 block of North Latrobe Avenue. | Adobe Stock Photo
The 17-year-old boy is due in bond court Wednesday.
A 17-year-old boy has been charged with a fatal shooting in September in Austin on the West Side.
The boy, whose name has been withheld because he is a minor, has been charged with a felony count of first-degree murder, Chicago police said.
About 4:55 a.m. Sept. 26, 2021, officers responding to calls of shots fired in the 200 block of North Latrobe Avenue, found 20-year-old Richard Soward unresponsive with multiple gunshot wounds, police said.
Soward was pronounced dead at the scene, police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office said. He lived in East Garfield Park.
The 17-year-old was arrested Tuesday after he was identified by police as the person who allegedly fired the fatal shots, police said.
He is due in juvenile court Wednesday.
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Four people were shot March 30, 2021, in Chicago. | Sun-Times file photo
An 18-year-old man was shot on the 22nd floor of a hotel about 10:50 p.m. in the 100 block of East Superior.
Four people were shot Monday in Chicago, including a 27-year-old man who was wounded in a drive-by in Heart of Chicago on the Near West Side.
About 11:20 p.m., he was walking in the 1700 block of West Cullerton Street, when someone inside a passing white sedan fired shots, Chicago police said. He was struck in both legs and brought to Stroger Hospital in fair condition.
Minutes prior, A 37-year-old man was wounded in a drive-by Monday in Lawndale on the West Side. About 11 p.m., he was walking in the 3900 block of West Filmore Street, when someone inside a passing white sedan fired shots, police said. He was grazed by a bullet on his right leg and brought to Stroger Hospital in fair condition.
An 18-year-old man was shot at a Near North hotel. He was on the 22nd floor of a hotel about 10:50 p.m. in the 100 block of East Superior, with several people when someone fired shots at him, police said. He suffered a gunshot wound to the abdomen and was transported to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in fair condition.
In the day’s first reported shooting, a man was shot in Bronzeville on the South Side. He was arguing with someone about 11:40 a.m. in the 4100 block of South Indiana Avenue when a male he knew got involved and opened fire, police said. The 30-year-old was struck in the back and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where his condition was stabilized.
An off-duty Chicago police officer shot a man breaking into their home March 31, 2021, in the 3100 block of West Bell Plaine Avenue. | Adobe Stock Photo
The man was rushed to Illinois Masonic Medical Center in serious condition.
An off-duty Chicago police officer shot someone breaking into their home Tuesday morning in Portage Park on the Northwest Side.
About 12:55 a.m., a man was breaking into a home in the 3100 block of Bell Plaine Avenue, when he was shot in the face by the home owner, an off-duty Chicago police officer, Chicago police said.
The man was rushed to Illinois Masonic Medical Center in serious condition, police said.
The suspected home invader’s weapon was recovered from the scene, according to Chicago police spokesman Tom Ahern.
It’s not easy to bury a team as good as USC, let alone in a half, no matter how easy Gonzaga made it look. Somehow, coach Mark Few called it in advance.
While everyone was fixating on the top-seeded Bulldogs’ make-it-rain offense, one reporter took the opposite tack. He asked Few the day before their game against the high-flying Trojans whether his defense was getting lost in the shuffle. He replied like he’d been waiting days for that question.
“I think,” Few said, “we’ve had some excellent, I mean, off-the-chart performances, and some terrific halves.”
Gonzaga’s defense dropped one of those like an anvil on No. 6 USC in Tuesday night’s Elite Eight contest. Michigan, the bracket’s other No. 1 seed in action, played decent defense against everyone in a UCLA jersey except No. 3, Johnny Juzang, and man, did he make them pay.
The Zags won’t make that mistake when they face the Bruins in one Final Four matchup come Saturday with the chance to extend their perfect (30-0) season. Baylor, the other top seed still standing and the likeliest giant-killer left, plays No. 2 Houston in the other.
Juzang scored 14 of UCLA’s first 16 points and finished with 28, more than half the total in a 51-49 win, He had five more than the Bruins’ four other starters combined and the bench wasn’t much help either. Five teammates took just three shots in 34 minutes and contributed zero points to the effort. Yet that proved enough after Michigan missed its last eight tries, including four in the final 11 seconds that would have put them ahead.
“There’s one or two possessions that can either help you or hurt you and for us,” as coach Juwaan Howard charitably put it, “we came up short.”
The Zags in full flight are something to behold. They were up 7-0 after just two minutes, 15-4 after five and 49-30 at the half. Barely two minutes past intermission, it was 56-34. The rest of the second half was more a formality than a competitive game. Final score: 85-66.
If you’re sensing a pattern here, you should be. Most of the traffic is going one way.
The Zags scored inside, in transition and from behind the 3-point line. They’re so easy on the eyes with the ball in their hands that it’s easy to overlook how often they got it back without a made USC basket. Unless, that is, you had an assistant coach charting turnovers (seven of their 10 total in the opening 12 minutes), steals, offensive rebounds and desperation shots that probably weren’t a good idea in the first place.
Trojans coach Andy Enfield had that breakdown within arm’s reach when he sat for the postgame press conference. USC shot just 39% from the field, 27% from behind the arc and grabbed a dozen less rebounds. He didn’t need to look.
“It was a little surprising,” he shrugged, “because we’d been playing great basketball.”
So has Baylor, which showed plenty of firepower and some of the same grit on the other end while de-fanging No. 3 Arkansas a night earlier. The Bears have forced plenty of turnovers against three previous tournament rivals — Wisconsin, Villanova and the aforementioned Razorbacks (15) — with a reputation for taking care of the ball.
Guard Davion Mitchell, a buzzsaw with the ball in his hands, often winds up drawing the toughest defensive assignment, too.
“Obviously, I think he’s the best defender in the country,” Baylor coach Scott Drew said. He added: “We call him Off Night, because people tend to have off nights with him. But he’s a nightmare to bring the ball up against. And he sets the tone for our defense.”
Gonzaga and Baylor were scheduled to play in early December before the Zags program ran afoul of the sport’s COVID-19 protocol. Both were in a separate class from the rest of college basketball at the time. Then Baylor’s bout with the virus came late in the season, requiring a pause of three weeks plus.
After everything else fans weathered throughout this wacky season, a few more days might finally deliver a national championship game worth the wait.
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