Families of violent crime victims gather at criminal courthouse to protest release of defendants on bond

Family members of victims of violent crimes hold a rally Saturday Leighton Criminal Courthouse to demand judges in Cook County stop releasing defendants charged with serious crimes on bond while their cases are pending. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

Opponents of the cash bail system say it allows those with money to go home while keeping those who can’t afford to post bond in custody, sometimes for years while their case winds through the busy court system.

About a dozen family members of crime victims gathered Saturday afternoon outside the Leighton Criminal Courthouse in Little Village to demand judges stop releasing people accused of violent crimes on bond.

Some attendees held signs with photos of their loved ones, who they said had been killed by people who were on bond while awaiting trial in other cases.

Police Supt. David Brown has repeatedly complained that the county’s courts release too many people charged with crimes of violence on bond and rely too much on electronic monitoring.

In response, Chief Judge Tim Evans has said there is no data to support those claims, and cited a 2017 Loyola University study on the impact the state’s bail reform measures have had on crime as proof.

“Speculation based on isolated cases is not the same as reality based on a complete picture,” Evans said in a statement after a violent July 4 holiday weekend in the city.

Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

Nortasha Stingley, mother of Marissa Boyd-Stingley, who was gunned down in 2013, demands judges deny bail for people charged with murder and for habitual offenders during a press conference near the Leighton Criminal Courthouse Saturday in Little Village.

Nortasha Stingley, who lives in Englewood, said Saturday at the gathering that the man accused of killing her daughter, Marissa Boyd-Stingley, in a 2013 drive-by shooting was an example of someone who shouldn’t have been given a bond while he awaits trial.

“I just really want to ask some of these judges, what if it was your child? What if the shoe was on the other foot?” Stingley said.

Boyd-Stingley was 19 and in college with plans to become a pediatrician.

Reginald Reed, 44, was charged with the shooting last fall and his bail was set at $150,000 with electronic monitoring, meaning he would need to post $15,000 to be released with a GPS bracelet on home confinement while awaiting trial.

Defendants in murder cases are often denied bail in Cook County, but Judge Charles Beach noted during Reed’s initial hearing that prosecutors’ key evidence in the case — a witness identification four years after the shooting — was “weak.”

Judges make several determinations when setting bail, including the likelihood of the defendant’s conviction, if they will show up for their court hearings and whether they pose a danger to the community. Judges say they must balance the allegations against a person’s right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Court records show Reed wasn’t on bond at the time Boyd-Stingley was killed and hasn’t been charged with any new offenses in the months since his bail was set.

Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

Nikki Swoboda, whose son was shot and killed in February, speaks at a rally demanding judges hold defendants in violent crime cases without bail on Saturday near the Leighton Criminal Courthouse.

Another mother, Nikki Swoboda, spoke to the crowd about her son, Julian Castillo, who was beaten and fatally shot in February, allegedly by two reputed gang members.

Swoboda said judges who let accused criminals out on affordable bonds contributed to her 16-year-old son’s murder.

One of the men charged with Castillo’s killing, 21-year-old Jesus Moro, was on bond with a charge of aggravated discharge of a firearm at the time, court records show.

Both men charged with Castillo’s death are currently being held without bail.

“These judges won’t be getting my vote, at all,” Swoboda said. “You killed my son, you were a contribution to why my son is not living right now. He was a child... This is not normal and the city should not accept this as being normal. This needs to stop.”

Opponents of the cash bail system say it allows those with money to go home while keeping those who can’t afford to post bond in custody, sometimes for years while their case winds through the busy court system.

State lawmakers voted in February to do away with the state’s cash bail system in 2023.

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Zydeco musician Chris Ardoin shot while performing in Louisiana

In this Sunday, May 4, 2008, file photo, Chris Ardoin, of Chris Ardoin & NuStep, performs during the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in New Orleans. | AP

The Grant Parish Sheriff’s Office said in a news release that they responded to the park after receiving reports of multiple people shooting into a crowd.

COLFAX, La. — A Zydeco musician was shot in the back while performing at an event in central Louisiana, his wife said in a statement posted early Saturday on Facebook.

Chris Ardoin was performing as the Friday headliner at Zydeco Bike Fest when he was shot, his wife, Kerri, posted on his official Facebook page.

“Yes, unfortunately tonight he did get shot in the back on his right side while on stage,” she wrote. “Doctors said thankfully he’s a built guy. The bullet didn’t penetrate his lung and stopped near his ribs. We are currently in the hospital. Please keep him in your prayers and will update you all later!!! Thanks.”

The shooting happened in Colfax at Louisiana Mudfest, an ATV and mudding park, The Advocate reported.

Ardoin was slated as the Friday headliner, with Lil Nate and the Zydeco Big Timers scheduled to perform Saturday night. Lil Nate posted on Facebook on Saturday that his group had canceled their performance.

The Grant Parish Sheriff’s Office said in a news release that they responded to the park after receiving reports of multiple people shooting into a crowd. They said two people were struck by the gunfire and suffered moderate injuries, including a 14-year-old child.

The sheriff’s office said hundreds of vehicles tried to leave at once as people fled in panic.

Two people armed with guns were arrested but their identities have not been released and police have not said whether they are accused in the shootings that injured Ardoin and the teenager.

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Watch Hannah Roberts' Top-Scoring Run During Women's BMX Freestyle Seeding

Indiana’s Hannah Roberts has become the top seed heading into the first-ever inaugural Olympic BMX freestyle finals Saturday night, where Team USA will set out to walk home with two medals.

The night of events, which begin at 8:10 p.m. CT, start with the women’s final. 

In her Olympic-debut, Roberts finished as the top scorer during seeding, with Perris Benegas taking the second highest spot.

Roberts won the world championships in the event in 2017, 2019 and 2021, while Benegas won the title in 2018. The three-time world champion posted an average that was a point higher than Benegas’ during the two seeding runs.

The 19-year-old South Bend, Indiana native finished her first run with a score of 89.80, the highest of any run Friday night. Roberts then completed her second round with a score of 85.60, leaving her with an average of 87.70 – the highest of the night.

Freestyle BMX riders are scored on execution and difficulty of their tricks. The top-scoring rider will compete last in the final for the event.

HOW TO WATCH: Stream live here.

Roberts began competing when she was 12 years old. In 2017, she became the first-ever BMX Freestyle World Champion at the inaugural World Championships in China. 

This year, Roberts earned her third world title in the women’s BMX park World Championship in France.

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Dressel, Finke Look for More Medals on Last Night of Olympic Swimming

In the final night of swimming at the Tokyo Olympics, the Americans look to add to their 26 medals – eight gold, nine silver and nine bronze. The U.S. swim team won’t be able to match its 33 medals from Rio in 2016. But with medals from young first-time Olympians like Lydia Jacoby and Regan Smith, plus veterans like Caeleb Dressel and Katie Ledecky proving their dominance, Team USA has had a strong performance in Tokyo.

Stream live here beginning at 9:30 p.m. ET, or watch live in primetime on NBC:

Men’s 50m freestyle, 9:30 p.m. ET

Dressel, who has four gold medals in these Games and six in his career, has the opportunity to add two more on Friday night, beginning with the men’s 50m freestyle. He was the top performer in the semifinals at 21.42 seconds. Michael Andrew of the U.S. also qualified for the final.

Women’s 50m freestyle, 9:37 p.m. ET

Abbey Weitzeil will be going for her second medal in Tokyo and first individual after contributing to the American bronze medal in the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay. She was the fourth-fastest qualifier at 24.19 behind leader Emma McKeon of Australia, who won gold in the women’s 100m freestyle and 4×100 free relay.

Men’s 1500m freestyle, 9:44 p.m. ET

Bobby Finke had the second-best qualifying time behind Mykhailo Romanchuk of Ukraine. Finke pulled off one of the most thrilling finishes of the week when he won the 800m freestyle.

Women’s 4×100 medley relay, 10:15 p.m.

The American women have won this event 10 times, including the last two. They qualified in second place, just one-hundredth behind Canada’s 3:55.17, setting up a potentially close race between the U.S., Canada and third-place-qualifier Australia. The U.S. set the world record of 3:50.40 at the 2019 World Championships.

Men’s 4x100m medley relay, 10:36 p.m. ET

Every time the Americans have entered this event, they have won, racking up 14 golds. The Australians won in 1980 when the U.S. boycotted the Moscow Games.

Though the U.S. only had the seventh-fastest time in the heats, the swimmers in the final – who should include Dressel – are expecting to win again. Italy qualified first, followed by China and Australia.

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Bilal Nichols has big goals: ‘All-Pro ... Super Bowl’

Bears defensive lineman Bilal Nichols (98) had career-highs of five sacks and 13 quarterback hurries last season. | Jim Mone, AP Photos

After being the primary fill-in for nose tackle Eddie Goldman last year, the versatile Nichols is back at defensive end and looking forward to having Goldman in the lineup. ‘We feel like we’re back to full strength now.’

After an “OK year” as nose tackle Eddie Goldman’s primary replacement in 2020, Bilal Nichols is back to primarily playing defensive end this season. It’s a comfort zone that has him thinking big in his fourth NFL season.

“All-Pro, simply. All-Pro and winning the Super Bowl,” Nichols said. ”That’s the type of standard I hold myself to every day and reach that ultimate level. If I can reach that level, I can help our team tremendously. That’s all I’m focused on right now.”

The 6-4, 299-pound Nichols has been a steady, versatile, productive player since he was drafted in the fifth round from Delaware in 2018. He had a career-high five sacks and 13 quarterback hits and his first career interception in 2020.

Though Nichols can play anywhere on the line, being back at end — and having Goldman at the nose — figures to be a boon for the entire defensive line.

“It feels amazing,” Nichols said. “We all know what caliber of player Eddie is — Pro Bowler. Best at his position. Just to have a dominant guy like the back with you, holding down the middle with Akiem [Hicks] on the other side — it’s amazing. We feel like we’re back to full strength now.”

The timing couldn’t be better for Nichols, who is in the final season of his four-year, $2.75 million rookie contract and in line for a big raise. But he insisted that’s the last thing on his mind.

“I’m just focused on this year,” Nichols said. “I don’t really know. We’re just going to play it out and go from there. I’m just focused on wining the Super Bowl this year and all that stuff will take care of itself.”

Fields Effect

Rookie cornerback Thomas Graham said hangs out with fellow rookie Justin Fields — playing games and going over film — and already can feel the impact of Fields’ personality.

“Energetic. Positive. He likes to walk around with a little swagger,” Graham said. “Stays confidence. I like to be around a confident person, because it just [instills confidence] in yourself.”

The hoops team

Jimmy Graham’s basketball background came into play in Friday’s practice when the 6-7, 260-pound Graham used his size to beat 5-9, 178-pound Duke Shelly to a pass. “Big-bodied him,” coach Matt Nagy said. “Duke tried to get the ball from him and [Graham] just used his size.

“We joke around in our offensive meetings every now than about who our starting five would be in basketball in that [offensive] room.”

Nagy said the team would include Graham [“at the 5”], quarterback Nick Foles [“running the point”] and wide receivers Javon Wims, Thomas Ives [“he’s sneaky good”] and Allen Robinson.

Sprint relay

Wide receivers Marquise Goodwin (4.27), Damiere Byrd (4.28) and Darnell Mooney (4.38) all have sub 4.4 40 speed. So who would be the fourth runner on a 4 x 100-meter relay team? Goodwin picked rookie quarterback Justin Fields, who ran a 4.44 40 at his Ohio State pro day.

Bits and pieces

Rookie left tackle Teven Jenkins (back) did not practice again Saturday. Nagy did not give a timetable for his training camp debut. … Graham was given a “load management” day. … Safety Deon Bush had the first interception of camp, leaping to pick off an Andy Dalton pass … Nagy said the Bears will be in full pads for the first time in camp at Tuesday’s practice at Soldier Field.

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Agency: Trump is Due $1M Tax Refund for Chicago Skyscraper

An Illinois tax agency has ruled that former President Donald Trump is due a $1 million refund on the 2011 tax bill for his downtown Chicago skyscraper, but local officials are trying to block the refund.

The Chicago Sun-Times reports that at issue is the Cook County Board of Review’s estimation of the value of the the Trump International Hotel & Tower’s rooms and retail space. In June, the Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board voted 5-0 to reduce the assessment on the building’s commercial property.

The vote means that Trump is owed $1.03 million, money that would come out of the property taxes due the city of Chicago, the Chicago Public Schools and several other government agencies. The Cook County State’s Attorney is disputing the refund and has filed a lawsuit with the Illinois Appellate Court in the hopes of blocking it.

The dispute is the latest chapter in a long-running legal battle over Trump’s tax bills that started more than 12 years ago and has led to more than $14 million in tax breaks for Trump. It also involves not only a former president who is at the middle of a host of legal battles but a Chicago alderman whose own legal troubles had been making headlines in Chicago for months.

Alderman Edward M. Burke, whose former law firm, Klafter & Burke, won the tax breaks for Trump, has been indicted on federal charges that he blocked businesses from getting city permits unless they hired the firm. He has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.

The dispute over the tax bills on the high-rise building has it’s own long history. Originally, the state agency rejected Trump’s argument that the vacant stores had no value because he could not find any tenants to lease them. A hearing officer for the state agency rejected Trump’s argument that the vacant stores at the building had no value because he couldn’t lease them. But a staff member later wrote a report that Trump was entitled to the refund.

The agency delayed acting on the case until Trump was out of office and in June voted to reduce the assessment on the building’s commercial property.

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Florida Breaks Record With More Than 21,000 New COVID Cases

Florida reported 21,683 new cases of COVID-19, the state’s highest one-day total since the start of the pandemic, according to federal health data released Saturday, as its theme park resorts again started asking visitors to wear masks indoors.

The state has become the new national epicenter for the virus, accounting for around a fifth of all new cases in the U.S.

Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has resisted mandatory mask mandates and vaccine requirements, and along with the state Legislature, has limited local officials’ ability to impose restrictions meant to stop the spread of COVID-19. DeSantis on Friday barred school districts from requiring students to wear masks when classes resume next month.

The latest numbers were recorded on Friday and released on Saturday on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website. The figures show how quickly the number of cases is rising in the Sunshine State: only a day earlier, Florida reported 17,093 new daily cases. The previous peak in Florida had been 19,334 cases reported on Jan. 7, before the availability of vaccinations became widespread.

The Florida Hospital Association said Friday that statewide COVID-19 hospitalizations are nearing last year’s peak, and one of the state’s largest health care systems, AdventHealth’s Central Florida Division, this week advised it would no longer be conducting non-emergency surgeries in order to free up resources for COVID-19 patients.

Universal Orlando Resort and SeaWorld on Saturday became the latest theme park resorts in Florida to again ask visitors to wear masks indoors, with Universal also ordering its employees to wear face coverings to protect against COVID-19, which has been surging across the state.

All workers at Universal’s Florida park on Saturday started being required to wear masks while indoors as the employees returned to practicing social distancing. The home to Harry Potter and Despicable Me rides also asked visitors to follow federal and local health guidelines by voluntarily wearing face coverings indoors.

“The health and safety of our guests and team members is always our top priority,” Universal said in a statement.

Health officials on Friday announced that coronavirus cases in Florida had jumped 50% over the past week with COVID-19 hospitalizations in the state nearing last year’s peak.

SeaWorld on Saturday posted on its website that it was recommending that visitors follow recently updated federal recommendations and wear face coverings while indoors.

The change in policy this week at the theme park resorts came after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that everyone wear masks indoors, regardless of vaccination status.

Crosstown rival Walt Disney World started requiring employees and guests older than 2 to wear masks on Friday, but it also went a step further. The Walt Disney Company said in a statement that it will be requiring all salaried and non-union hourly employees in the U.S. who work on site to be fully vaccinated.

Disney employees who aren’t already vaccinated will have 60 days to do so and those still working from home will need to show proof of vaccination before returning. Disney said it was discussing the vaccine requirements with the union, and added that all new hires will be required to be fully vaccinated before starting work at the company.

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Tokyo Updates: Dressel Looks to Add More Gold; Final Round Begins in Men's Golf

In Day 9 of competition at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Team USA will look break its medal tie with China, Caeleb Dressel could add more hardware in the last batch of swimming finals, and the final round of the men’s golf competition kicks off with American golfer Xander Schauffele holding a narrow lead.

Tune in to NBC’s primetime coverage, or check back below for live updates of everything happening in Tokyo on Day 9:

United States Enters Day 9 Tied For Medal Lead

Team USA has 46 medals after eight days of competition in Tokyo, tied with China for the most.

The American athletes have earned 16 gold medals, 17 silver and 13 bronze at the Tokyo Olympics.

Behind them is the Russian Olympic Committee with 37 medals, Japan with 30 and Great Britain with 28.

Xander Schauffele Leads as Final Round of Men’s Golf Competition Starts

American golfer Xander Schauffele is clinging to a one-stroke lead as the men’s Olympic gold competition enters its last round.

Just behind Schauffele is Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama of host country Japan. England’s Paul Casey and Mexico’s Carlos Ortiz sit two strokes back entering the final round.

The first group of Round 4 will tee off at 6:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, while the final group of Schauffele, Matsuyama and Casey is set for a 10:09 p.m. ET tee time.

Caeleb Dressel Highlights Last Day of Swimming Finals

The last batch of Olympic swimming finals is here, and American star Caeleb Dressel could add even more hardware.

Dressel, who has won three gold medals in Tokyo, will look to add two more.

Dressel is the two-time reigning world champion in men’s 50m freestyle, and is also expected to be a part of the men’s 4x100m medley relay team. Team USA hopes to win its 10th straight gold medal in the event.

Another must-watch is the women’s 4x100m medley relay, in which the U.S. women are expected to contend for gold.

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US Men's Basketball Routs Czech Republic as Kevin Durant Makes History

Kevin Durant broke one of Carmelo Anthony’s Team USA records on Saturday. But there’s another record Anthony holds that Durant might want even more.

Three gold medals.

Anthony, the only four-time Olympian in men’s basketball, holds the most Olympic gold medals in the sport with three. Sorry Melo, but Durant soon might be coming for that record also.

Durant, a two-time gold medal winner, scored 23 points to lead the United States to a 119-84 win over the Czech Republic to close out pool play and send the U.S. to the quarterfinals at the Tokyo Olympics.

Durant, participating in his third Olympic Games, entered Saturday’s game needing six points to surpass Anthony and his record of 336 points as the U.S. Men’s Basketball all-time leading scorer. After a slow start for the U.S., during which the team fell behind by 10 points in the first quarter, Durant hit a shot that not only gave Team USA its first lead of the game at 34-33 but also made him the team’s top scorer of all-time.

Durant’s record-breaking bucket came on a pull-up 3 with 6:19 remaining in the half that gave the U.S. a 34-33 lead. Durant followed with another 3 on the following possession as he began to put some distance between himself and Melo.

“There’s so many great players that played for this program that I never really thought about it,” Durant said during his postgame interview. “But playing in three Olympics, that’s a lot of games, and starting in a lot of these games too, so I put myself in a solid position.”

Durant had eight of his 13 first-half points in the second, including a fadeaway late in the quarter for a 47-40 lead. Blake Schilb, who had 14 first-half points, followed with his fourth 3 of the half just before the buzzer as Czech Republic went into the half trailing just 47-43.

The U.S. then pulled away in the third, and did so rather quickly.

Damian Lillard, after shooting just 1 of 7 in the first half, hit his first 3 of the third quarter to spark a 10-2 United States run that turned a one-possession game into a 60-49 advantage.

The U.S. continued to use its perimeter shooting to pull away with Draymond Green, Jrue Holiday and Devin Booker each converting from deep for a 71-58 lead.

The U.S. ended the quarter on a 16-2 run, capped by a Durant 3 just before the buzzer. Durant scored 11 of his game-high 23 points in the third.

Missed shots for the U.S. in the second half were few and far between, as their lead reached more than 30 in the fourth quarter en route to a second straight lopsided win to finish pool play at 2-1.

Jayson Tatum scored 18 of his game-high 27 points in the fourth quarter. He made 5 of 10 attempts from deep for the U.S., which combined to shoot 62 percent overall and go 20-for-42 on 3-point attempts (48 percent).

“Felt good just to see some shots go in,” Tatum said. “I think we’re playing better each and every game, and that’s what we expected, to be better than we were last game throughout this tournament. And any given night any guy on our team can do what I did tonight, and I think that’s what makes us dynamic.”

Durant, who said after the game that Tatum will be next to break the scoring record, had 23 points on 8-for-11 shooting and also added eight rebounds and six assists. That brings his Team USA scoring record total to 354 points (and counting).

Durant entered the Tokyo Olympics with Team USA’s highest cumulative scoring average at 19.4 points per (Anthony averaged 10.8 points over 31 Olympic games). His 19.5 points per game during the 2012 London Olympics remains a U.S. record for an individual competition.

He won gold during the 2012 London Olympics and 2016 Rio Olympics. With the U.S. advancing to the knockout stage of the Tokyo Olympics, he is now three wins away from adding a third.

And from tying another of Carmelo Anthony’s records.

“So many great players, so many great coaches along the way,” Durant said. “And I’m happy I’m just a part of something special.”

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Lollapalooza 2021 reviews, Day 3: Cannons, Michigander

Cannons performs on day three of Lollapalooza in Grant Park, Saturday afternoon, July 31, 2021. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

Day 3 headliners include Megan Thee Stallion and Post Malone.

Follow along with the Sun-Times as the tunes continue Saturday at Lollapalooza in Grant Park. Day 3 headliners include Megan Thee Stallion and Post Malone.

Cannons

Fate has treated Cannons well in the past year. After their saucy hit “Fire For You” landed on the Netlix teen drama “Never Have I Ever,” the L.A. trio was signed to Columbia Records and had a #1 hit on the Billboard alternative charts. Keeping the crowd on baited breath, the act ended their dreamy early set with that number, singer Michelle Joy commenting on how the track “changed their lives” after slaving over their craft for seven years, with bandmates Ryan Clapham (guitar) and Paul Davis (keyboards) finding Joy through a Craigslist ad. It’s a story told a thousand times, but only a few bands like Cannons make it to a mainstage at Lollapalooza – and they clearly have the je ne sais quoi to back it up. It was also the band’s first time ever playing Chicago and the trio (accompanied by a live drummer) came dressed for the occasion. Joy looked like a mix between Cher and She-ra with a gold jumpsuit that hinted at her pop star in the making and her bandmates were wearing equally vibrant Midas shades looking like they just got off the set of “Miami Vice.” It makes sense since that seems to be their decade of choice. The band effortlessly floats in the ‘80s post-disco electro rock clouds, with a fresh pop veneer on songs like “Bad Dream,” “Talk Talk” and “Hurricance,” the latter debuting on Saturday, from their forthcoming album, out this fall. Although Joy struggled at times to find her vocal footing, the set showed great promise for these up-and-comers. — Selena Fragassi

Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

Michigander performs on day three of Lollapalooza in Grant Park, Saturday afternoon, July 31, 2021.

Michigander

Michigander’s Jason Singer swore he thought he’d only see about 20 people at his set, but there was easily 100x that amount of revelers taking in the easy-like-Saturday-afternoon performance delivering perfectly crafted indie pop. Of course hailing from Michigan (Detroit, to be specific), Singer and crew imbued that laidback Midwest attitude in both their music and their exultation for being tapped for a spot at Lollapalooza. The frontman commented several times it was a “dream come true” and something he could only pine for as a high schooler when he first began writing music like the song “Fears.” But with his talent, it was really only a matter of time until people started listening – and they have. The band hit a high note with material from the recently released EP, “Everything Will Be Ok Eventually,” a figurative place it feels like we’re getting back to, Singer said. Later, they began with a cover of Radiohead’s “Karma Police” morphing it into their storyteller song “East Chicago, IN.” The addition of a trombone player in the ensemble gave the band another layer to peel away and one that has many wanting to know more. Thankfully they were scheduled at the same time as Madrid indie rock band Hinds whose issues with visas prevented them from making an appearance at Lollapalooza with Michigander filling in the gaps. — Selena Fragassi

Check back for more.

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Person fatally shot East Garfield Park

A person was fatally shot July 31, 2021, in East Garfield Park. | Sun-Times file

About 9:25 a.m., the male, whose age is unknown, was in the 700 block of North Ridgeway Avenue, when he was shot in the head and the buttocks.

A person was fatally shot Saturday in East Garfield Park on the West Side.

About 9:25 a.m., the male, whose age is unknown, was in the 700 block of North Ridgeway Avenue, when he was shot in the head and the buttocks, Chicago police said.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. He has not yet been identified.

Area Four detectives are investigating.

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Body by Lou Malnati’s? Sam Mustipher in great shape for 2021

The Bears’ offense averaged 29.8 points and 382 yards in the final six games of the regular season with Sam Mustipher (67) starting at center. | David Berding/AP Photos

After a meteoric rise from the Bears’ practice squad to starting center in 2020, Mustipher utilized a steady diet of pizza to help him get bigger and stronger in hopes of taking another giant leap in 2021.

Sam Mustipher learns well and is always thinking — one of the keys to his rapid rise from the Bears’ practice squad to starting center.

That was even evident when Mustipher was asked about his weight gain during the offseason that he hopes will give him the size and strength to better battle the bigger defensive tackles he faces and erase a key knock on his ability to sustain an NFL career — that he’s undersized.

“If I play my cards [right], I’ll probably get a sponsorship out of this,” Mustipher said. “I love Lou’s [Lou Malnati’s pizza] — thin crust, deep dish, whatever. It’s all good.”

But it wasn’t just pizza. “Everything,” Mustipher said when asked about his weight-gain diet. “I ate whatever I wanted to. It was an offensive lineman’s dream, and just trying to get as strong as possible. That was my only goal.”

By his listed weights, the 6-2 Mustipher is virtually unchanged from 2020 — from 311 pounds to 314. But he likely was lighter than 311 last year and is a much more fit 314 this year. Working with Bears sports science coordinator Jennifer Gibson, Mustipher not only got bigger, he got stronger and in better shape.

“I don’t think it’s the weight as much as it is muscle,” Mustipher said. “I think I’m at the highest amount of lean body mass that I’ve ever had in my life, which was huge. That was something I worked with Jen Gibson in figuring out, ‘What do I need to do this offseason? How do I need to train? What are the foods I need to be putting in my body to reach those goals?

“So my strength numbers went up. That was the critical thing. You can get big and just get fat and slow. I want to get strong and explosive.”

“He’s in the best shape of his life” is a classic NFL training camp storyline that often sounds better in July than it does in December. But Mustipher has come so far, so quickly, he’s primed to take the next step.

At training camp a year ago, Mustipher was an afterthought — a 2019 undrafted free agent from Notre Dame taking third-team reps with three centers ahead of him — Cody Whitehair, James Daniels and Corey Levin — and headed for the practice squad.

Today he’s the unquestioned starting center after a promising eight-game stint as a starter, following injuries to Daniels and Whitehair.

“Pretty cool story,” coach Matt Nagy said. “He leads by actions. Last year, the chance he had to play, he took advantage of it. The game means a lot to him. The guys look to him as a leader. He’s super smart. He’s a quarterback’s best friend.”

Though Whitehair and Daniels are more established, Mustipher could develop into the leader of the Bears’ offensive line. Already, older players seem to follow his lead.

“The sky is the limit for the kid. I just love the mentality he comes with every day,” said Whitehair, a starter since Week 1 of his rookie season in 2016 and a Pro Bowl center in 2018. “He comes in ready to work. He’s one of the first guys in the building. He’s always studying his iPad — every time you see him at his locker. He’s always trying to perfect his game. And that’s helped him get to where he’s at today. And he’s only going to get better.”

It’s a different world for Mustipher now, but he knows the trick to staying here is to take the work ethic that got him this far, and turn it up a notch.

“It’s the same hunger and passion and love and energy that I have for the game when I was an undrafted guy,” Mustipher said. “The mindset is still the same. As long as I’m helping the Bears win, I’m going to have a job. So it’s been awesome. Training camp every year is all football and I love that. Best job in the world.”

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Long Lines Force Change at Many Illinois Secretary of State Offices

Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White is promising changes after continued long lines at facilities focused on driver’s licenses and identification cards.

White said in a statement Friday that 16 facilities in the Chicago area will begin requiring an appointment to apply for or renew a driver’s license and ID cards beginning next month. Road tests also will require an appointment.

Seniors, people with disabilities and pregnant women can still walk into those facilities without an appointment, White said.

Larger facilities in central and downstate Illinois also will move to scheduled appointments soon but White’s office would not provide a specific date.

Some Secretary of State facilities will keep seeing people on a walk-in basis, including the central Chicago office inside the Thompson Center and rural facilities that serve smaller numbers of people.

White’s office also plans to expand a program letting people renew their driver’s license or ID card online, by phone or by mail through February. The office previously extended all expiration dates to Jan. 1.

People who are eligible will receive mailed letters with details about those options. White said his offices estimates this could mean 1 million people will not need to come into an office in person.

People must come into an office to get a first-time license, ID card or REAL ID. People older than 75 also are required to continue in-person visits when renewing a license.

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USA's Xander Schauffele Holds Narrow Lead Entering Final Round of Golf In Tokyo

A number of household names are still vying for medals after three rounds of golf at the Tokyo Olympics.

Team USA’s Xander Schauffele is clinging to a one-stroke lead over Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama of host country Japan. England’s Paul Casey and Mexico’s Carlos Ortiz sit two strokes back entering the final round.

Further back, Ireland’s Rory McIlroy is three strokes behind and England’s Tommy Fleetwood is four back.

Open Championship winner Collin Morikawa of Team USA is seven strokes back, currently in a tie for 17th. He will tee off for the final round Saturday at 9:14 p.m. ET.

The first pairing of Round 4 will tee off at 6:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, while the final pairing of Schauffele, Matsuyama and Casey is set for a 10:09 p.m. ET tee time.

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Champaign Man Arrested in Death of Boy, 14, Found in Ditch

A Champaign man has been arrested in the death of a 14-year-old boy whose body was found Friday in a roadside ditch by passersby.

Champaign County State’s Attorney Julia Rietz said Daryl Vandyke, 55, is charged with the first-degree murder in Steven Wayne Butler III’s death. He’s being held in lieu of $2 million bond and is expected to make his first court appearance Monday.

Rietz said Vandyke is an acquaintance of the boy’s father. She said he was arrested at his home about 11 a.m. Friday and declined to speak with police.

Butler’s father made a Facebook post Thursday asking for helping finding his son, who he said had left home that day to mow a lawn but didn’t return, The (Champaign) News-Gazette reported.

Butler’s father reported him missing to Champaign police about 7:30 p.m. Thursday. He said his son wasn’t returning his phone calls and it was out of character for him not to stay in touch.

Two cyclists found Butler’s body just before 7 a.m. Friday in a roadside ditch east of Urbana.. Authorities immediately recognized him as the missing youth.

Rietz said the boy was the victim of blunt-force injuries. An autopsy is scheduled for Monday.

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Chicago Violence: At Least 1 Dead, 21 Injured in Weekend Shootings So Far

At least one person has been killed and 21 others injured in shootings across the city of Chicago so far over the weekend, according to police.

In a fatal shooting Saturday, a man was shot in the head and buttocks in the 700 block of North Ridgeway at approximately 9:23 a.m. and pronounced dead, police said.

No one was in custody as of Saturday afternoon and Area Four Detectives were investigating.

Here are the incidents that have been reported thus far:

Friday –

• A 32-year-old man was driving in the 0-100 block of West Pershing Road at approximately 5:46 p.m. when a passenger from another vehicle, a dark color SUV, shot at the man and striking him in the leg, police said. The man was transported to University of Chicago Medical Center in stable condition.
• In the 0-100 block of East 113th Street at approximately 7:18 p.m., a 36-year-old man was on the sidewalk when he sustained a gunshot wound to the back by an unknown person. The man was transported to the University of Chicago Medical Center in critical condition.
• A 30-year-old man was standing on the sidewalk in the 6900 block of South Wood at approximately 9:25 p.m. when shots were fired, police said. The man drove himself to Holy Cross Hospital where he is listed in fair condition with a gunshot wound to the right shoulder.
• At approximately 10:36 p.m. in the 3500 block of South Western Avenue, a 30- year-old male was driving southbound when he heard shots and felt pain, police said. The man drove himself to West Suburban Hospital where he is listed in fair condition with a gunshot wound to the right arm. 

Saturday –

• In the 2100 block of South Kildare at approximately 12:17 a.m., a 36-year-old man was found on the sidewalk with gunshot wounds to the body, police said. The man was transported to Stroger Hospital where he is listed in critical condition with a gunshot wounds to the left hand and groin. 
• A 28-year-old man was standing with a group of people on the sidewalk in the 2700 block of West Flournoy at approximately 1:08 a.m. when shots were fired, police said. The man was transported to to Stroger Hospital where he is listed in fair condition with a gunshot wound to the right arm.
• A group of people were standing among a large crowd in a park in the 1600 block of East Hayes at approximately 1:20 a.m. when shots were fired into the crowd by an unknown person, police said. A 52-year-old woman was shot in the face area and is listed in fair condition. A 19-year-old man was shot in the right arm and is listed in fair condition. A 20-year-old woman was shot in left leg and is listed in fair condition. A man was shot in the right leg and is listed in serious condition. The three were taken to University of Chicago Medical Center.
• A 26-year-old man was driving westbound in the 200 block of 119th Street at approximately 1:58 a.m. when an occupant in a black SUV fired shots.  The victim drove himself to Roseland and is listed in fair condition with a graze wound to the abdomen. 
• In the 500 block of West Oak at approximately 2:28 p.m., a 27-year-old man was driven to Northwestern Hospital after sustaining multiple gunshot to the body and listed in fair condition, police said.
• A group was standing on the street in the 1300 block of North Massasoit at approximately 3:49 a.m. when a known man approached on foot and fired shots, police said. A 30-year-old man was transported to Loyola Hospital in critical condition with gunshot wounds to the legs. A 29-year-old woman was transported to Stroger Hospital in critical condition with a gunshot wounds to the chest. A 56-year-old woman was transported to Loyola Hospital in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the back.
• In the 2600 block of West 23rd Place at approximately 4:37 a.m., a 50-year-old man was in a moving vehicle when shots were fired by an unknown person, police said. The man was driven to Mt. Sinai Hospital in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the torso.
• In the 0-100 block of West 109th Street at approximately 10:46 a.m., 14-year-old boy was inside a residence when he was approached by an unknown man who presented a handgun and demanded the boy’s belongings, police said. The man then fired shots, striking the boy in the hand. He was taken to Comer Children’s Hospital initially reported in good condition.
• In the 3000 block of South Ashland Avenue at approximately 4:58 a.m., a man, 30, was approached by a known person who produced a handgun and fired shots, police said. The man was struck in the hip and transported to Stroger Hospital initially reported in good condition.
• At approximately 4:15 a.m. in the 3600 block of North California, a woman, 24, was inside a vehicle when she was approached by an unknown vehicle, and an occupant fired shots, police said. The woman was struck in the back and transported to Stroger Hospital initially reported in fair condition. 
• In the 6100 Block of South Justine at approximately 7:20 am, a man, 26, was outside his apartment when he heard shots and felt pain, police said. The man sustained multiple gunshot wounds to the body. and was transported to the University of Chicago Medical Center. 
• In the 9100 Block of South Stony Island, at approximately 4:10 am, a 24-year-old man was walking to his car when he heard shots and felt pain, police said. The man sustained a gunshot wound to the thigh and took himself to the University of Illinois Hospital, but later transported himself to Stroger Hospital.
• At approximately 6:27 a.m. in the 1700 block of North Parkside, a man, 28, was near an alley when he heard shots and felt pain, police said. He was struck in the shoulder and transported to Stroger Hospital initially reported in good condition.

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Marquise Goodwin’s world-class speed could be key to Bears revamping at WR

Goodwin put up more than 1,000 total yards in 2017, the last time he played a full season. | AP Photos

With Allen Robinson at the top and Darnell Mooney stepping into the No. 2 spot full-time, Goodwin could be an excellent third option. He puts the Bears over the top in their effort to boost the speed of their wide receiver room.

Some of the most hacky, worn out shtick in football is the annual training camp argument in which every wide receiver unflinchingly proclaims himself the fastest of the group.

They aren’t doing that nonsense at Halas Hall. That banter doesn’t fly when there’s a former Olympian in the room.

As impressive as Allen Robinson and Darnell Mooney are, they know they’re not outracing Marquise Goodwin. He finished 10th in long jump at the 2012 Games and in late June was still vying for a spot on the team for Tokyo. He used to be an elite sprinter, too, and clocked a 6.69 in the 60 meters before blazing through his 40-yard dash in 4.27 seconds while preparing for the NFL Draft.

Goodwin has bigger ambitions than merely being the fastest man in Lake Forest.

“I’m just glad to still be the fastest in the league,” he said Saturday after another practice in which the Bears’ secondary struggled to stay with him. The day before, he scorched No. 1 cornerback Jaylon Johnson, who claimed later he did not remember the play.

While Goodwin’s pure speed is clear as could be, his potential role in coach Matt Nagy’s offense isn’t. He’s the biggest mystery on the team.

Goodwin, 30, is three years removed from his best season, but still looks highly capable of being one of the Bears’ most dangerous playmakers. He caught 56 passes for 962 yards and two touchdowns in 2017, then played just 20 games over the next two seasons and opted out of 2020 because of concerns about the coronavirus.

Nagy said the Bears had a lot of uncertainty about any player who stepped away last season — they signed running back Damien Williams, drafted cornerback Thomas Graham and had defensive tackle Eddie Goldman and defensive back Jordan Lucas opt out — but was reassured by Goodwin’s Olympic training.

“Anytime you have an Olympic mentality, you are different,” Nagy said. “That’s a minute-by-minute, hour-by-hour regime [in which] you are keeping your body in shape.”

His speed is holding steady even at this age, and Goodwin said he feels even faster than his pre-draft 40 time. This is a lot different than when they brought in Ted Ginn at 35 a year ago.

Goodwin’s ability to outrun a defense — “I really don’t get hit that much,” he said — is one reason the Bears believe they have undoubtedly upgraded the position. Robinson at the top is a given. Mooney was already ahead of Anthony Miller early last season and doesn’t sound crazy when he says he’s targeting 1,000 yards in Year 2. With Goodwin and Damiere Byrd — 47 catches, 604 yards and a touchdown for the Patriots last season — next in line, the Bears don’t have to keep waiting on a breakthrough by Javon Wims or Riley Ridley.

Assuming running back Tarik Cohen is fully back from his torn ACL by the start of the season, the Bears would be sending out a fleet of receiving targets as fast as any in the NFL for quarterback Andy Dalton.

“A lot of us see what speed can do in this league,” Nagy said. “It can definitely scare a lot of defensive coordinators when you have that because it can open up the run game, too, because you’ve got to play deeper.”

The Bears haven’t struck fear in a defensive coordinator in a long time, but this group could do it.

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Teen Boy Shot in Attempted Robbery in Roseland

A 14-year-old boy was shot Saturday in an attempted robbery in Roseland on the Far South Side.

About 10:45 a.m., he was inside a residence in the first block of West 109th Street, when he was approached by a person who pulled out a gun and demanded his belongings, Chicago police said.

The person then fired shots, striking the boy in his hand, police said. He was taken to Comer Children’s Hospital, where he is in good condition.

No one is in custody.

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Lollapalooza 2021: Day 3 photo highlights

Michelle Joy of Los Angeles-based band Cannons performs on the T-Mobile stage Saturday on day three of Lollapalooza. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

Lollapalooza is underway at Grant Park. Here’s a look at some of the sights and sounds from Saturday at Lolla.

Day three of Lollapalooza kicked off Saturday as thousands returned to Grant Park for another day of sun and music.

Amid the numerous COVID-19 safety restrictions in place for the festival, Friday night saw the release of a new indoor mask requirement by Lollapalooza organizers.

The areas include the box office, merchandise shop, two hospitality lounges and wristband help tents.

If you missed our coverage of the festival’s second day, check out our reviews of Tyler, the Creator, Mick Jenkins, Omar Apollo and more, as well as our photo highlights from Friday and our reviews from Thursday, including Miley Cyrus’ opening night set here.

Lolla is the largest public event to date held in Chicago since the emergence of the coronavirus last March.

COVID-19 hospitalizations increased by 35% across Illinois during a week that saw cases jump 46%, public health officials reported Friday.

City health officials said that they’d adopt new indoor masking guidelines set by the CDC as cases spike in Chicago, too.

Despite worries over the virus’ Delta variant and rising caseloads nationally, the show is continuing, with the final day set for Sunday.

We’ve got the festival covered from every angle. For a complete guide to all things Lolla, check out our guide here. If you want our tips of the acts to catch, you can find our Top 10 picks here. And keep in mind, there are gobs of street closures in place; you can find the details here.

Here’s a look at some of the sights and sounds from Day 3:

Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

Michelle Joy of Los Angeles-based band Cannons performs on the T-Mobile stage Saturday on day three of Lollapalooza.

Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

Los Angeles-based band Cannons performs on the T-Mobile stage Saturday on day three of Lollapalooza.

Ashlee-Rezin/Sun-Times

Fans watch a set on the T-Mobile stage Saturday afternoon on day three of Lollapalooza.

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R. Kelly’s lawyers push back against feds’ request to use allegations of uncharged crimes in upcoming trial

R. Kelly walks with supporters out of the Leighton Criminal Courthouse in June 2019. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

Kelly’s lawyers responded with opposition late Friday night to federal prosecutors, who filed a court document last week asking a federal judge permission to admit allegations of uncharged crimes.

R. Kelly’s lawyers are pushing back against federal prosecutors who are seeking permission to cite additional allegations of uncharged crimes during the R&B superstar’s racketeering trial in Brooklyn, set to begin in a few weeks.

Kelly’s lawyers submitted an opposing response late Friday to federal prosecutors who filed a court document last week asking a federal judge to admit the allegations, including sexual abuse of minors, unlawful imprisonment, hush-money payments and physical abuse.

The document from prosecutors alleges Kelly made sexual contact with a 17-year-old boy; that he sexually abused 15-year-old singer Aaliyah Haughton and had a fake ID made for her before he married her in 1994 so she couldn’t be compelled to testify against him; and that a crisis manager bribed a clerk in Cook County to get information about the singer’s legal trouble following the release of the Lifetime documentary series “Surviving R. Kelly,” among other allegations.

The memo filed Friday by attorneys Thomas Farinella and Nicole Becker said they oppose the motion because it’s “unequivocally inadmissible under the Federal Rules of Evidence.”

“The government’s request is untimely, not relevant and if permitted will cause severe prejudice to Mr. Kelly of which such prejudice outweighs the probative value,” it states.

The filing further argues that if the court doesn’t deny the government’s motion, Kelly’s constitutional rights and right to a fair trial would be violated.

Kelly’s indictment in Brooklyn alleges he led an “enterprise” made up of his managers, bodyguards, drivers and other employees who helped him recruit women and girls for illegal sex. A federal indictment filed against him in Chicago also alleges child pornography and obstruction of justice.

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Illinois Attorney General Raoul looking into odor complaints around Chicago asphalt plant

MAT Asphalt is located across from McKinley Park in an area designated an environmental justice community. | Brian Rich/Sun-Times

The state’s top prosecutor is concerned about more than 100 calls from neighbors reporting odors from a McKinley Park facility.

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul is looking into odor complaints from residents around an asphalt plant in McKinley Park, saying that he wants to ensure that a community already overburdened by air pollution isn’t being harmed by the operation.

Raoul is the latest government official to step into the years-long controversy over MAT Asphalt’s opening across from McKinley Park. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently said it is testing, monitoring and involved in future permitting of the plant along with state officials.

In a statement earlier this week, Raoul’s office said the attorney general was concerned about more than 100 odor complaints about MAT and noted that McKinley Park, home to a large population of Latino and Asian residents, is an “environmental justice” community that already has high levels of pollution and health threats.

“Attorney General Raoul is committed to protecting areas of environmental justice concern and recognizes that residents in these communities are more vulnerable to environmental stressors,” the statement said. “Given the reported number of complaints from residents about the MAT Asphalt facility, the Attorney General’s office is interested in gathering more information to ensure that residents in the surrounding community are protected from any potential harmful effects of pollution.”

Michael Tadin Jr., a city contractor and co-owner of the asphalt operation, has claimed that the complaints are misguided. He provided the Sun-Times with an October 2020 memo from a consultant he hired that said the source of odors may be coming from other sources. A sampling of the odor complaints suggested it “could be reasonably argued that they are not the result of MAT Asphalt operations,” the memo said.

Nonetheless, the volume of complaints prompted Stephen Sylvester, chief of the Illinois Attorney General’s environmental bureau in Chicago, to reach out to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency earlier this month for detailed information about the plant.

“We would like to obtain more information and learn what the Agency’s position is on the facility and the citizen complaints, including the status of the facility’s permit compliance, an update on Illinois EPA’s inspections of the facility, whether the facility is following any Illinois EPA approved plans for controlling odors, an update on Illinois EPA citizen complaints regarding the facility and a summary of any Illinois EPA outreach to community stakeholders,” Sylvester said in a July 2 email to state EPA staff.

The email was obtained through an open records request from the McKinley Park group Neighbors for Environmental Justice.

Since opening in 2018, MAT has operated under a state-issued construction permit. It will need to obtain another permit from the state, a process that’s been slowed by the pandemic.

“We will continue to work closely with the Attorney General’s Office and the U.S. EPA as we further evaluate potential environmental impacts from MAT Asphalt,” Illinois EPA said in a statement.

Brett Chase’s reporting on the environment and public health is made possible by a grant from The Chicago Community Trust.

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Hannah Roberts Could Make History for Team USA Saturday Night

Indiana’s Hannah Roberts will be leading the pack into the first-ever inaugural Olympic BMX freestyle finals Saturday night, as Team USA goes for two gold medals.

Saturday night’s action, which begins at 8:10 p.m. CT, starts with the women’s final. 

HOW TO WATCH: Stream live here.

In her Olympic-debut, Roberts finished as the top scorer during seeding, with Perris Benegas just claiming the second highest spot.

Roberts won the world championships in the event in 2017, 2019 and 2021, while Benegas won the title in 2018. The three-time world champion posted an average that was a point higher than Benegas’ during the two seeding runs.

The 19-year-old South Bend, Indiana native finished her first run with a score of 89.80, the highest of any run Friday night. Roberts then completed her second round with a score of 85.60, leaving her with an average of 87.70 – the highest of the night.

Freestyle BMX riders are scored on execution and difficulty of their tricks. The top-scoring rider will compete last in the final for the event.

Roberts began competing when she was 12 years old. In 2017, she became the first-ever BMX Freestyle World Champion at the inaugural World Championships in China. 

This year, Roberts earned her third world title in the women’s BMX park World Championship in France.

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Indiana Drivers Holding Cellphones Face License Penalties

Indiana motorists caught using handheld cellphones while behind the wheel of a moving vehicle now face increased penalties for breaking state law.

A law banning drivers’ cellphone use to combat distracted driving took effect in July 2020, allowing tickets of up to $500 against violators but it delayed by a year any state Bureau of Motor Vehicles points toward a driver’s license suspension.

The BMV says such violations will now result in four points against a driver’s license.

License suspensions start once a driver has accumulated 20 points within a two-year period. Drivers also face additional points for speeding in school or construction zones.

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A not-so-fond farewell to the Cubs’ ‘championship window’

Javy Baez (center) celebrates with Cubs teammates Kris Bryant (left) and Anthony Rizzo after his game-winning RBI against the Indians last season. | Photo by Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images

The team trades 2016 stars Anthony Rizzo, Javy Baez and Kris Bryant, signaling an end we knew was coming for two years.

If you had asked me right after the 2016 World Series to describe how the next five years would play out for the Cubs, “long and tedious’’ wouldn’t have crossed my mind. With all that talent on the roster and all that brainpower in the baseball operations department, I expected fun, interesting things.

The metaphor for what happened to the Cubs’ purported “championship window’’ was the second half of the 2018 season, when the team forgot how to hit. In 22 games during that span, they scored one run or fewer, including a 3-1 loss to the Brewers to determine the National League Central champion and a 2-1, 13-inning loss to the Rockies in a wild-card playoff game. It was as if Phil Mickelson had looked at his golf clubs and said, “What are these things used for?”

It’s not even that the franchise didn’t win another World Series after 2016, though that was certainly disappointing. It’s that the whole idea of the Cubs As Special was being dismantled, first emotionally and eventually physically — but all of it so slowly that it took a long time to grasp that there wasn’t going to be anything close to the 2016 season again. They should have been better in the ensuing years. They just weren’t, and it played out like a time-lapse film of a building being neither built nor razed. Just standing there looking nice.

On Thursday, the Cubs traded first baseman Anthony Rizzo to the Yankees for two prospects. It was met with predictable fond farewells from Cubs fans. He had played a huge part in helping the franchise win a World Series for the first time in 108 years. He would be missed, the fans said, and they were right. He would be. But the past two years have been an exercise in waiting for some combination of Rizzo, Kris Bryant and Javy Baez to be traded. So it wasn’t a bombshell when Rizzo left for New York. It was a cigarette finally being snuffed out by a heel.

Then came Baez being traded to the Mets on Friday. Then Bryant to the Giants.

It was the longest, most-drawn-out sudden departure in recorded history.

Manager Joe Maddon, who saw things that only he could see, for better or worse, had been the first to go, shown the door following the 2019 season. In the three years after the World Series, the Cubs had lost in the N.L. Championship Series, lost a wild-card game and didn’t make the playoffs, respectively. President Theo Epstein thought complacency had set in after the 2018 season, and, as I think about it now, perhaps that feeling of self-satisfaction had been one of the culprits all along. That and ownership’s refusal to pursue additional talent. Whatever it was, it made for a slow, steady, unfulfilling descent.

Critics have gotten on Cubs fans for being ungrateful following the 2016 World Series, but I’m not sure what should have been expected of them. The Ricketts family had cut back on payroll spending while continuing to use Wrigleyville as a private cash machine. The franchise didn’t keep up with other contenders in terms of on-field talent. It settled for being very good instead of great. The idea, always, is to win. Cubs fans got that, which is why they were duly irritated when the club didn’t get a whiff of the World Series again.

Ah, but there were still Rizzo, Bryant and Baez. They were comfort food for the masses. They could distract you from the team’s decline, the way Ernie Banks, Ron Santo and Billy Williams could make you forget what 1969 was really about.

And there was still Epstein, a man with the ability to change everything with a few shrewd personnel decisions. Until there wasn’t Epstein anymore. He resigned in November 2020, and if there was any doubt an era was over, it was finally laid to rest.

The Cubs were already declining in those first few years after the 2016 World Series, even if few of us fully realized it at the time. Something like that had happened when the Cubs were rebuilding, too. There were those three or four dark years, and even though people hoped for good things ahead, all the losing made it hard to see sometimes. Then came 2015, when a young team won 24 more games than the season before and made it to the NLCS. Then we knew.

When Epstein left after the 2020 season, we knew it officially was The End. Seeing Rizzo get traded the other day, although sad, was inevitable. Cubs closer Craig Kimbrel getting traded to the White Sox was huge news for the Sox on Friday. It was a shrug for anyone associated with the team from the North Side. The operative word: Next.

I don’t know what happens with the Cubs from here, but I’m tired of it all. You know the sleepiness you paradoxically feel when you’ve slept too long? It’s kind of like that.

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Saginaw Grant, prolific Native American character actor, dies at 85

In this Feb. 18, 2000 file photo, Saginaw Grant, veteran actor and writer, responds to a question during a news confernce, at the Gene Autry Museum in Los Angeles. Grant died Wednesday at the age of 85. | AP

He began acting in the late 1980s and played character roles in dozens of movies and television shows over the last three decades, including “The Lone Ranger,” “The World’s Fastest Indian” and “Breaking Bad.”

LOS ANGELES— Saginaw Grant, a prolific Native American character actor and hereditary chief of the Sac & Fox Nation of Oklahoma, has died. He was 85.

Grant died peacefully in his sleep of natural causes on Wednesday at a private care facility in Hollywood, California, said Lani Carmichael, Grant’s publicist and longtime friend.

“He loved both Oklahoma and L.A.,” Carmichael said. “He made his home here as an actor, but he never forgot his roots in Oklahoma. He remained a fan of the Sooner Nation.”

Born July 20, 1936, in Pawnee, Oklahoma, Grant was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran.

He began acting in the late 1980s and played character roles in dozens of movies and television shows over the last three decades, including “The Lone Ranger,” “The World’s Fastest Indian” and “Breaking Bad,” according to Grant’s IMDB filmography.

Grant was active for years in the powwow circuit in California and traveled around the globe to speak to people about Native American culture, Carmichael said.

“His motto in life was always respect one another and don’t talk about one another in a negative way,” she said.

Grant was also active in the Native American veterans community and participated for years in the National Gathering of American Indian Veterans, said Joseph Podlasek, the event’s organizer.

“He thought it was important for Native people to get recognized as veterans,” Podlasek said. “He was kind and gentle, and very humble.”

A memorial for Grant will be held in the Los Angeles area, but details haven’t been finalized, Carmichael said.

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Cubs trade Kris Bryant to the Giants

AP Photos

Bryant becomes the third member of the Cubs’ infield to be traded in the last 24 hours.

The Cubs have traded third baseman Kris Bryant to the Giants. They’ll receive minor leaguer outfielder Alexander Canario and right-hander Caleb Killian, according to reports.

Bryant’s trade has been expected for some time and after the Cubs made the decision to be sellers at the deadline, it was only a matter of time.

The trade closes a chapter on what was the golden era of Cubs baseball and breaks up the team World Series core after first baseman Anthony Rizzo was traded to the Yankees on Thursday and Javy Baez sent to the Mets on Friday.

Bryant, 29, was the cornerstone of the Cubs’ rebuild and was the team’s No. 3 overall pick in 2013 before being on a fast track to the big leagues where he would take the baseball world by storm, winning Minor League Player of the Year in 2014, Rookie of the Year in 2015 and was named NL MVP in 2016.

The former MVP has been a staple in the Cubs’ lineup this season and has bounced back, leading the Cubs in nearly every offensive category. He’s slashing .267/.358/.503 with 18 homers, 51 RBI with a 132 wRC+ this season.

Bryant said that he’d always keep the door open to returning to the Cubs in free agency and that the city of Chicago always has a special place with him.

“Deep down in my heart, I know I’ve had some of the best memories here and some of the best times of my life,” Bryant said on Tuesday.

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Afternoon Edition: July 30, 2021

John Gulledge, the chief water plant operator of the City of Lake Forest, is worried about the costs of removing PFAS, even low levels like the trace amounts found in his city’s water supply. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

Today’s update is a 5-minute read that will brief you on the day’s biggest stories.

Good afternoon. Here’s the latest news you need to know in Chicago. It’s about a 5-minute read that will brief you on today’s biggest stories.

This afternoon will be partly sunny with a high near 74 degrees. Tonight will be mostly cloudy with a low around 62. Tomorrow will be sunny with a high near 81 while Sunday will be mostly sunny with a slim chance of showers and a high around 77.

Top story

Dangerous ‘forever chemicals’ found in drinking water of thousands of Illinois residents

More than 100 drinking water systems across Illinois, including some in the Chicago area, have tested positive for measurable levels of harmful contaminants known as “forever chemicals” that are linked to cancer, liver damage, high blood pressure and other health threats.

In the Chicago area, Lake Forest, Waukegan, North Chicago, South Elgin and Crest Hill near Joliet are among the water systems that are showing readings of a class of chemicals known as PFAS, short for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. In most cases, the levels are very low though the widespread presence is a concern, environmental and health advocates say.

“These findings confirm our fears that drinking water is a source of PFAS exposure for thousands of Illinois residents,” said Sonya Lunder, a Sierra Club toxics expert who has worked on the issue nationally. “The state needs to urgently address these harmful exposures.”

Although local officials can’t pinpoint exactly where the contamination is entering their water systems, PFAS chemicals have been around for decades and are ubiquitous, used in stain-resistant clothing, waterproof products, non-stick pans, polishes, waxes and fire-fighting foam.

It’s a complex problem that potentially can cost some local water departments millions of dollars to correct to protect public health. The chemicals are so prevalent that federal officials say most people have some level of them in their bodies. Nicknamed “forever chemicals,” they don’t break down and remain an environmental and human health threat indefinitely.

Brett Chase has the full story on the problem and what it’ll take to fix it.

More news you need

1. A former Cook County prosecutor will be allowed to represent former “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett, a judge ruled today after Special Prosecutor Dan Webb had objected earlier this year over a conflict of interest. Matthew Hendrickson has more on the latest turn in the Smollett case.
2. A Chicago man was sentenced today to a year and a half in federal prison for carrying a gun during downtown looting last summer. Prosecutors, who asked for a two-year sentence, said Williams had boasted about the looting on social media.
3. Chicago’s Teatro ZinZanni will now require proof of vaccination for guests. The move comes the same day Broadway announced all audiences members would need vaccines.
4. A group of southwest suburban school districts plans to invest millions in a state-of-the-art facility dedicated solely to serving students with special ed needs. Columnist Mark Brown has more on what he calls a “laudable” project.
5. There’s a difference between diversity and equity, and it’ll be Sekile Nzinga’s job to help Illinois move from the former to the latter under a new role created today. Rachel Hinton spoke to Nzinga about the “long game” of her goals for the new state office.
6. The towering “Somos Pilsen” mural emphasizes the neighborhood’s Mexican culture while pushing back against forces of gentrification. Check out pictures of the art and learn more about what it represents from Lu Calzada.

A bright one

Cook Forest Preserve youth program aims to diversify conservation workforce

Just after 10 a.m. on a Monday in late July, a group of eight teenagers is clearing brush in Possum Hollow Woods in LaGrange Park as temperatures approach 90 degrees.

Jamiyah Morgan, 18, a recent grad from Proviso West High School, holds out her gloved hand to show a leaf from a common buckthorn. She then turns back to retrieve another leaf — this one a Japanese honeysuckle — noting the pointed tip. Both plants are invasive species and, as Morgan explains, they are crowding out a group of ash tree saplings that she and the other teens are trying to help survive.

The crew is part of a program run by the Forest Preserve District of Cook County in partnership with the Housing Authority of Cook County, which employs teens for five weeks, at $10.50 an hour for 25 hours a week, introducing them to conservation work.

Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

Tramaine Davis, 17, right, prepares to cut down a tree as part of an effort to clear invasive plants and small trees as part of the Forest Preserve Experience at the Possum Hollow Woods Forest Preserve in La Grange Park.

The group working in Possum Hollow Woods is one of seven groups made up of teens who receive services from the housing authority. In all, 116 graduated from the program this week.

In addition to providing jobs to area teens and taking care of much-needed maintenance, the program has a broader mission to persuade young people of color to consider working in the field of forestry and related professions. Across the country, such jobs have largely been held by white men, and there’s been an effort in recent years nationally and locally to recruit more people of color.

“It’s the opinion of some people of color that this is not a field for them — these are white jobs,” said Alice Brandon, resource management programming manager for the Forest Preserves. “When you have this message that this is an exclusionary jobs field, they’re not going to be very excited about it.”

Brett Chase has more here.

From the press box

• After trading Anthony Rizzo to the Yankees last night, the Cubs continued before today’s trade deadline by sending Craig Kimbrel to the White Sox, Kris Bryant to the Giants and Javy Baez to the Mets.
• New Bulls rookie Ayo Dosunmu, who the team drafted in the second round last night, looks forward to proving he shouldn’t have fallen to the 38th overall pick.
• Bears defensive lineman Akiem Hicks returned to practice today after missing time with a sore foot.

Your daily question ☕

What’s your favorite memory from the “Bryzzo” era of Cubs baseball?

Reply to this email (please include your first name and where you live) and we might feature your answer in the next Afternoon Edition.

Yesterday, we asked you: If you could create your own Lollapalooza lineup, who would be the headliners? Here’s what some of you said...

“Talking Heads, Depeche Mode, Radiohead, Tool, Fleetwood Mac, Daft Punk, Kendrick Lamar, and Rage Against the Machine.” — TJ Bollinger

“Beyonce, Pink, Adele, Ariana Grande, H.E.R., Chloe x Halle, Ari Lennox, Lauryn Hill, Gwen Stefani, Lorde, Kelly Clarkson, Miley Cyrus, Florence and the Machine.” — Christa Janella

“Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, Arcade Fire, The Black Keys, Kings of Leon, Greta Van Fleet, Arctic Monkeys, The Lumineers, Shannon + The Clams, Cheap Trick, Dave Matthews, Blondie, No Doubt. Never been so not sure how many headliners there can be, but my lineup already looks pretty expensive.” — Mickey Vincent

“Peter, Paul and Mary, Grateful Dead, Indigo Girls, Alice Cooper, Tom Petty, Meatloaf, The Boss.” — Sharon Maslona

“Isley Brothers, Earth Wind & Fire, The O’Jays.” — Gloria A. Veal

“Linkin Park, Green Day, Avril Lavigne, Depeche Mode, Beastie Boys, Aerosmith and Radiohead.” — Iris Velardo

“Prince ... that’s all we need.” — KJ de Matteis

”Anyone that’s not an EDM DJ.” — Paul Albazi

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