Midwest Fishing Report: Perch (and laker) bite on southern Lake Michigan and ice rebuilds inland

Jason Langford with a bonus lake trout caught while perch fishing at the North Slip.

Mike Jarvis

Pick-up of the perch bite (with lake trout mixed in) on southern Lake Michigan and ice rebuilding on inland waters, especially north, lead this sprawling raw-file Midwest Fishing Report.

Jason Langford messaged the photo, taken by his cousin Mike Jarvis, at the top of a bonus lake trout caught while perch fishing at North Slip.

LAKEFRONT PERCH

Jumbos with the bonus lake trout at the North Slip.

Provided by Jason Langford

Jason Langford messaged the photo above and this:

87th st is on fire! Lakers caught every day and limits of jumbo within hours of arrival. My cousin MikenJarvis and myself chose to fish artificial hopingbit would weed out the dinks and it payed off! Caught on bobby garland 2 plastics.

Capt. Rich Sleziak at Slez’s Bait in Lake Station, Indiana, texted:

Perch still going decent at the slips. Not as many people out as before. Easy to get a spot now.

NAVY PIER ANGLING

The north side of Navy Pier is open for anglers. The discounted parking for anglers is $9 daily, if out by 10 a.m.

LAKEFRONT PARKING

Chicago Park District’s parking passes ($20 for two months) for the anglers’ parking lots at DuSable and Burnham harbors are on sale at the Northerly Island Visitor Center (credit card only, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday), but call (312) 745-2910 first to make sure someone is there.

My column from Nov. 30, 2022, on parking the length of the Chicago lakefront is posted at https://chicago.suntimes.com/2022/11/30/23485385/chicago-lakefront-parking-fishing

PIER PASSES

The $10 pier passes, which allow legal access to select piers at Jackson Park, Burnham, DuSable, Diversey, Belmont and Montrose harbors, may be bought at Northerly Island Visitor Center (credit-card only, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday), but call (312) 745-2910 first to make sure someone is there.

ICE FISHING

With ice fishing back in northern areas and maybe in some southern areas, (see the individual reports below), the ice-fishing regulations for public sites around Chicago are posted here.

AUGER SHARPENING

For the 23rd year, Fran Connelly is sharpening of auger blades. Find “Ice Auger Sharpening” on Facebook or drop off blades at either Lee’s Bait & Tackle (Elk Grove Village or Carol Stream).

ICE FISHING DERBY

The Island Lake Lions Club Ice Fishing Derby is Saturday, 7 a.m.-2 p.m., headquartered at Eastway Park, The benefit derby is $20 for adults, 15 and younger $5.

AREA LAKES

There’s massive difference in ice and ice fishing between northern areas and southern areas, as these reports illustrate.

Dave Kranz of Dave’s Bait, Tackle and Taxidermy in Crystal Lake and with his You-Tube channel, Dave Kranz Living the wild outdoors, texted:

Absolutely Crystal Lake has about 6 inches in most places, as always common sense goes a long way to staying safe. The best bite is before 10 am and 3:30 until a little past sunset. Wax worms and spikes for panfish 4-6 feet of water. Tip ups for pike use a large golden roach minnow. 4-8 feet of water.

The west end provides the best access and close proximity of areas that are best.

The Wonder Lake Sportsman & Conservation Club is also doing an ice fishing derby for residents and guests on Sunday.

Rob Abouchar emailed from Island Lake:

Hi Dale

The ice firmed back up on Island lake last weekend enough to set some tip ups for Bass and Pike. Just as the snow started falling my neighbor Jim had a nice bass on a tip up with a medium golden roach minnow on a trebble hook. The bass had spooled the tip uo to the end but stayed hooked up. With temperatures in the deep freeze we should have good ice on the whole lake for the Island lake fishing derby this Saturday. I hit the big show Sunday and said hello to Dan Gapen and Bobber Anne at the Booth. The i saw Dan Basore who showed me his prized book of Strictky Muskie post cards. He told me how he is turning his home into a museum. Some of the lures he got from me a few years ago will be in that museum!

On the music front it was a great gig at The Wild Hare with the Conscious Rockers. We will be returning April 7th again to Bakh up artists Anotchi Fiyah Dialo St.claire and Kindred from St. Louis. After the Milwaukee Zappafest we have been invited to play in Germany at the Zappanelle festival in july. Quite a big gig to look forward to.

Tight lines and good health

My day brightened considerably when I read the music note from Abouchar.

Ducks gallantly trying to keep water open.

Ken “Husker” O’Malley

Ken “Husker” O’Malley of Husker Outdoors emailed the photo above and this:

Hey Dale,

Here is a recap of this past weeks fishing.

Area lakes- I drove around to multiple lakes south of I-80 and found everything locked up.

Lakes not wind protected took three hits of the spud bar before going through. Wind protected lakes took four before going through.

The smaller shallower lakes took four to five.

I ventured out about 10 feet from shore but had water come up through the holes.

The forecast for the entire week will

be making ice 24/7. We have just a dusting of snow on the ice so nothing will prohibit the building. We will have a second first ice by weeks end.

. . .

Here is the nature pic of the week [above]. Holding off the ice as long as possible.

TTYL

—

Ken Husker O’Malley

Husker Outdoors Waterwerks fishing team

BRAIDWOOD LAKE

Closed. Scheduled to reopen March 1.

CHAIN O’LAKES AREA

Proprietor Greg Dickson at Triangle Sports and Marine in Antioch said, “Actually something to talk about finally.” A customer reported on Monday 4 ¹⁄₂ inches of ice coming in from the south. “We’re in really good shape. It’s going to be here for a while.”

ICE-FISHING ACCESS: Some options: Choppers Bar and Grill (Channel), $5, taken off bill if you patronize; Sandbar Bar & Grille (Marie), $10 or patronize; The Boatyard (Marie), $5, dropbox or online, call ahead for bait or snacks; Hermann’s Rest-A-While (Nielsen’s Channel), $5, food, drink; Lily Bug Acres (channel between Bluff and Spring), $5, bait shop, maybe a shuttle service later in the season; Musky Tales (Channel), $5 includes trailers, open 24 hours, bait shop currently closed during renovations; Pelican Bay Marina (Marie), $5, dropbox, plowed and lighted lot; Oak Park Lounge (Pistakee Bay), $5 ($10 with trailer), park in top or middle lots.

COOLING LAKES

Heidecke, LaSalle and Braidwood are closed.

DOWNSTATE

POWERTON: Bank fishing is 8 a.m.-4 p.m. daily. Boat fishing reopens Feb. 15.

EMIQUON PRESERVE: Fishing is sunrise to sunset. Access permits and liability waivers are required, remember they expired on Dec. 31 and new ones are needed. They are available Tuesday to Saturday at Dickson Mounts Museum, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

SHELBYVILLE: Check with Ken Wilson of Lithia Guide Service.

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS: Check with Jason Johns of Boneyard Fishing.

SPRING LAKE: With the closure of Canada goose season, site returns to regular hours.

HENNEPIN-HOPPER: Closed for the season.

GREEN LAKE AREA, WISCONSIN

Guide Mike Norris emailed:

Fishing Report – 1/30/2023

Mike Norris

Big Green Lake – The middle section of Big Green is still wide open though that may change with the the arrival of sub-zero weather this week. It would help if we get a windless day or two. There is six inches of ice in Beyer’s Cove to walk on, but the bluegill bite has slowed considerably.

Fox Lake – The bluegill bite is finally picking up in the Jug Try ice jigs tipped with plastics, spikes or wax worms in weed pockets. Crappies are active out from the Boat House in twelve feet of water. For crappies try fishing with a jig and minnow. Northern pike and largemouth bass are hitting medium or large shiners on tip-ups in the Town Park area. Annual American Legion Fishery scheduled for this coming Saturday.

Lake Puckaway – Northern pike and walleyes continue to bite well on medium shiners on tip-ups. For the most part the northern pike measure less than 30-inches but walleyes have ranged from 14 - 24 inches. Look for areas were the weed beds in and set your tip-ups just outside the weed line.

GREEN/STURGEON BAYS, WISCONSIN

Staff at Howie’s Tackle in Sturgeon Bay said getting close to getting started on whitefish, but it will likely be next week before being able to access safely the usual whitefish areas; otherwise, it is some perch, pike and browns in bays.

HEIDECKE LAKE

Closed. Scheduled to reopen April 1.

LAKE ERIE

Click here for the Ohio DNR Report.

LAKEFRONT

A smattering of steelhead continues as well as some (more than usual) lake trout being incidentally caught by perch anglers; but most focus remains on perch. Big question is whether ice fishing will come back in some of the harbors.

Lori Ralph at the Salmon Stop in Waukegan texted:

Good morning , Steelhead off the pier on and off. That’s about all I’ve heard

LaSALLE LAKE

Closed. Scheduled to reopen March 15.

MADISON LAKES, WISCONSIN

Click here for the update from D&S Bait, Tackle & Fly Shop .

Ken “Husker” O’Malley of Husker Outdoors emailed the photo above and this:

Hey Dale,

Here is a recap of this past weeks fishing.

. . .

Madison chain- before the storm hit Saturday, pike were very good on tip ups placed along the drop offs and weedlines. Plenty of 26-35 inch fish were caught during the Ice Junkies Outdoors meet and greet event to raise money for high school fishing teams.

. . .

TTYL

—

Ken Husker O’Malley

Husker Outdoors Waterwerks fishing team

MAZONIA

Jon Meder at Jon’s Bait & Tackle Shop in East Brooklyn said ice is not safe as of Tuesday, question is whether it will be fishable by later in the week.

If it does, it is Ice fish at your own risk.

Hours are 6 a.m. to sunset.

NORTHERN WISCONSIN

Some of the bounty ice fishing around Hayward, Wisconsin, even with slushy conditions.

Provided by Kyle Lamm

Kyle Lamm tweeted the photos above and below, and this from Hayward last week:

Hey Dale, Just got back from fishing Hayward Area for a week and the main takeaway was SLUSH. Every Lake has slush and it was a rough go dragging gear. We couldn’t get any machines out on any Lake. The locals seemed happy about less pressure with people not really going out fishing as much. They also think the snowpack will never freeze up this winter. We still found spots and located fish.

ATV stuck in water on Lake Namakagon in northern Wisconsin

Lamm explained the photo above:

Our crew which we have nicknamed Tres Holes all bought knee high rubber boots to avoid wet feet.

Kurt Justice at Kurt’s Island Sport Shop in Minocqua emailed:

Taste of some real Northwoods winter temps as thermometer readings fell into the negative teens with wind chills in the mid-twenty below range. This shut down outdoor activities for the most part by Sunday (1/29). As much as the cold, the high pressure (which typically go hand in hand this time of year) really had an impact on fishing as decent reports from anglers on Saturday (1/28) shut down quickly since.

Northern Pike: Good-Poor – What seemed like a good bite for those on Saturday shut down by Sunday. Prior to super high pressure, reports of Pike activity were good with anglers getting good numbers with several sizable Pike to 40 on large shiners. Weeds have (and always will be?) key from 5-12’ depth.

Yellow Perch: Good-Poor – Good bite with nice eaters in shallow weeds of 5-8’. Taking minnows, small shiners. Mud flat bite was also good using wigglers on Halis and Pimples in 18-28’.

Crappie: Good-Poor – Best over basins of 20-35’ using rattle spoons (Kastmaster) to draw in fish. Too cold for tip-downs, so jigging providing best action.

Bluegill: Good-Poor – Weedy bays or flats of 7-12’. Early AM for larger Gills, but action good mid-morning and again mid-afternoon on K&E Pelkie jigs tipped with wax worms or red plastic.

Walleye: Fair-Poor – Action picked up later in week. Best window at dusk. Tip-ups baited with 3 suckers or jigging Raps or Tikka Minos over humps rising from 40’ to 22-25’ with sandgrass or rocks.

Largemouth Bass: Poor – Largemouth don’t seem to respond well to cold snaps!

The cold has definitely put a hurt on the local fishing for now. If there is any silver lining, it’s that we could use some more ice to allow for truck travel. Can’t recommend as most lakes have an average of 10 of clear, good ice, with grey ice and slush coverings to add up to 14-18. Whether or not this could can add to our ice remains to be seen. Snow can really insulate, and despite these next few days of extreme cold, we won’t know the results until it happens. Also, as temps get back into the low 20’s as forecasted by this weekend and the barometer drops some, fishing (and catching) should improve.

Upcoming Ice Fishing Tournaments

Feb 11th – Plum Lake Ice Fishing Tournament

Feb 18th – Lake Tomahawk Family Fisheree

Feb 18th – Mercer Lions Club Jamboree

Feb 25th – Northwoods Chapter of Muskies Inc. – Kids Ice Fishing Day

Kurt Justice

Kurt’s Island Sport Shop - Like us on Facebook

NORTHWEST INDIANA

Capt. Rich Sleziak at Slez’s Bait in Lake Station texted:

Perch still going decent at the slips. Not as many people out as before. Easy to get a spot now.

Some steelhead being caught in nwi tributaries using jigs and waxworms and spawn saks. You must cover lots of water to be rewarded.

We shall see how the ice sets up lots of groups waiting for decent ice to get out. Please be careful out there.

Slez’s Bait and Tackle is open 5 to 5 daily this time of year.

SHABBONA LAKE

Site hours in February are 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

Boondocks is closed

SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN

Proprietor Phil Schuman at Tackle Haven in Benton Harbor said walleye are being caught in the river and some nice steelhead, too. Some launches are icing, but the river isn’t expected to ice up.

Paddle and Pole hosts the Berrien Springs Fish Ladder Camera.

WINNEBAGO SYSTEM, WISCONSIN

Sturgeon spearing season opens Feb. 11. Previous permits required.

WOLF RIVER, WISCONSIN

Guide Bill Stoeger in Fremont texted:

Vehicles are showing up on the lakes now. Remember, no ice is safe. Some walleye and white bass action on Poygan. Northern and gills on Partridge and Partridge Crop. River water is dropping, perch action should pick up in the bayous

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To Get Your Tax Refund as Quickly as Possible, Follow This Rule of Thumb, Says CPA

Welcome to the unofficial start of tax season. Employers have until January 31 each year to file tax documents such as Form W-2 with the IRS and furnish employees with copies. If you haven’t gotten yours in the mail already, they’re likely on their way.

Even though doing your taxes in February can feel like working on a book report the night the teacher assigns it, you’d be wise to get cracking as soon as you can, tax pros say.

“The general rule of thumb is start as early as possible, whether you’re filing on your own or working with a preparer,” says John Vande Guchte, a certified public accountant and senior wealth advisor at Strategies Wealth Advisors.

Here’s why experts say it’s smart to start on your taxes ASAP.

You’ll get your refund faster … or find out earlier if you owe

The earlier you file, the sooner you’ll get your refund. And for many Americans, that’s a big deal. Some 30% say they rely on their refund to make ends meet, according to a recent survey from Credit Karma. Those numbers are even higher among Gen Z (46%) and millennial (40%) taxpayers.

“Taxpayers should prepare to file electronically and choose Direct Deposit for their tax refund — it’s the fastest and safest way to file and get a refund,” according to recent IRS taxpayer guidance.

In 2022, about two-thirds of taxpayers were entitled to money back, with an average refund of nearly $3,200, according to the IRS. But thanks to the expiration of pandemic-era tax policy changes, Americans can expect smaller refunds this year, and some who were expecting a windfall may even find they owe.

If you’re hit with a surprise tax bill, you’re better off knowing as soon as possible, says Vande Guchte.

“If you know you’re going to owe $1,000 in early February you can still file, even though the payment won’t be due until April 18,” he says. That can give you time to prepare yourself financially to pay the bill, he says.

You may realize you need some expert help

Filing early isn’t just for people with straightforward returns, says Shiloh Johnson, a CPA and founder and CEO of business tax platform ComplYant.

“If you’re a high earner, accuracy is what matters. Starting early means you can get materials to your tax preparers early,” she says. “If you’re a business owner, filing late can hit you with penalties and interest that can turn into a whirlwind.”

Perhaps you begin gathering your documents and realize that you may need help from a pro. Or maybe something major in your life changed, says Jamie Hopkins, managing partner of wealth solutions at Carson Group.

“Maybe you moved out of state or you and your partner got married. Maybe you became self-employed. I would consider using a tax pro that year to get up to speed on how things are going to go in your new situation,” he says.

Small business owners, side hustlers and those with multiple forms of investment income may benefit from a human touch as well, experts say. The sooner you contact one, the better luck you’re going to have, says Hopkins.

“CPAs want to work with you early. Once it gets to March, it’s a lot harder to get your calls returned, and everyone is super busy.”

You’re less likely to get your tax refund stolen

Maybe you’re certain you’ll get a good refund you don’t need right away and know you don’t need to work with a tax pro. Even then, it’s worth filing early to thwart any thieves who may be looking to cash your refund on your behalf.

“If scammers get ahold of identifying information such as your Social Security number and date of birth, they’ll file a tax return as quickly as humanly possible and claim your refund,” says Vande Guchte. “Then when you go to file in March or April, your return gets rejected because someone already filed under your Social Security number.”

You’ll then have to prove to the IRS that the return they have on file is fraudulent, which could delay you receiving money you’re owed — a process which “takes some time and expertise,” says Vande Guchte.

That doesn’t mean that you should race to file online to beat the fraudsters. Tax pros say not to file before you have all of the necessary documents on hand. Because companies send these documents to the IRS, the agency will know if your return is missing information. If that’s the case, you’ll receive a notice, which could delay processing of your return.

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Don’t miss: There’s a 61% chance of recession this year, economists say—what that means for your money

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Charles Dunne, former union leader who survived a mob car bomb and lived to help others

Charles Dunne with his wife, Cynthia.

Provided

Surviving a mob car bomb and his first encounter with his future in-laws are indisputably two of the most decisive moments of Charlie Dunne’s life.

In the latter instance, Mr. Dunne, was 16 and waited on the stoop for Cynthia Fosse. It was Valentine’s Day 1959. And their first date.

A man wearing WWII combat boots, a dress made from a potato sack and a wig made out of furniture stuffing answered the door and laid down some ground rules: If you want to date my daughter: Come to the door. Never honk. And see her to the door upon return.

His date appeared, handed her pet woolly monkey to her mom, who was dressed as a hula dancer, and the couple waved goodbye.

Mr. Dunne was raised in a conservative Irish Catholic family in Andersonville that affixed holy water fonts to the doorway of every room in their home. But he’d veered off the beaten path into the eccentric home of Cynthia Fosse, whose parents, Bud and Marge, were champion ballroom dancers and whose uncle, Bob Fosse, was a legendary actor, dancer and musical director.

“We went to a party, and Charlie didn’t mention any of it until the end of the night — I explained that my parents were having a Halloween party that had been canceled in October, and that I got my monkey on my eighth birthday from my dad, who saved it from a research lab in Pennsylvania,” recalled Cynthia Fosse, who married the guy at the door and became Cynthia Dunne.

“I thought he’d never come back. But I have to hand it to him, he didn’t blink. Nope. Not once, and called me two days later,” she said.

Mr. Dunne died Dec. 29 from brain cancer. He was 80.

Charles and Cynthia Dunne at a Valentine’s Day party in high school.

Provided

“We couldn’t have been more different, but it worked, for 59 years. We were the boxer and the ballerina. The greaser and the hippie. We let each other have a very long leash,” said Mrs. Dunne, a dancer who performed at the Lyric Opera and the old Germania Club. 

Mr. Dunne, who competed in amateur Golden Gloves boxing matches in his youth, became a union electrician who worked for years at the old Chicago Stadium. His jobs included setting up lights for concerts and operating the scoreboard. When Elvis Presley played there, Mr. Dunne donned The King’s famous jumpsuit to act as a decoy so Presley wouldn’t get mobbed as he left the building, his family said.

He later became a business agent with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 134, where he lobbied politicians and worked to get union labor on more job sites.

Mike Caddigan, a longtime friend and fellow union electrician, said Mr. Dunne loved helping union members who were struggling to find work or pay for health care.

“He’d drop everything and help you, any way he could,” Caddigan said.

Mr. Dunne was also the heir apparent to the local’s boss, Tim Bresnahan, who was in poor health and serving his last term when Mr. Dunne became locked in a power struggle with others in the union.

Mr. Dunne made moves to shake up the union. One was to include more women and people of color, something his wife — a civil rights and anti-war activist — strongly suggested.

“I would nag at him,” she said. “And to this day, I’m not sorry.”

In 1987, Mr. Dunne was about to get into his car in the parking lot outside Edelweiss Restaurant in Norridge when a remotely-detonated car bomb exploded.

The blast sent a car axle halfway across the parking lot, Mr. Dunne told the Sun-Times in a 1991 interview.

He suffered shrapnel wounds and a perforated eardrum that caused permanent hearing damage, but he left the hospital the next day.

Three men were charged in connection to the bombing, including fellow union member James Salerno, who told authorities he was acting at the request of a higher-up union member, the Sun-Times reported.

The Dunne family remained intact, but not unscathed.

“I tried to keep things as normal as possible. I had two daughters. People wouldn’t allow them in their carpools and they lost friends who weren’t allowed to come to our house ever again,” said Mrs. Dunne, who had a daughter who attended Queen of All Saints grade school and another who went to Regina Dominican High school. 

One positive thing that came from the bombing was Mr. Dunne’s lasting friendship with James Wagner, an FBI agent assigned to the case who later served at the head of the Chicago Crime Commission.

“It’s funny because at first things were combative with the FBI because when they first came to our house and sat at our dining room table, one of the first questions they asked was ‘Charlie, were you fooling around with anyone else’s wife or girlfriend? We have to ask.’ And Charlie said ‘No. Absolutely not.’ And took offense to it.”

In addition to his wife, Mr. Dunne is survived by his daughters, Melissa Fosse-Dunne and Kirsten Dunne.

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Tyre Nichols' Parents to Attend President Biden's State of Union Speech

The parents of Tyre Nichols, the Black man who was severely beaten by a group of Memphis, Tennessee, police officers and died days later, will attend President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address next week at the U.S. Capitol.

RowVaughn and Rodney Wells, the mother and stepfather of Nichols, have accepted an invitation to attend the speech from Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nev., who is chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, according to Vincent Evans, a spokesperson for the group of Black lawmakers.

Videotape released last week of the violent Jan. 7 encounter between Nichols and the police officers shows the officers savagely beating the 29-year-old FedEx worker for three minutes while screaming profanities at him.

Nichols was hospitalized and died on Jan. 10.

Five police officers, who also are Black, have been fired and charged with second-degree murder and other offenses in Nichols’ beating and death. On Monday, two more Memphis police officers were disciplined and three emergency medical technicians were fired in connection with the case.

police reform Jan 29

Death of Tyre Nichols Revives Calls in Congress for Policing Reforms

tyre nichols Jan 27

Timeline of Events in Case of Tyre Nichols: From Arrest, to Death, to Release of Video

Horsford said it was important for Nichols’ parents to hear from the president and their elected representatives in Congress.

“I have invited the Nichols family as guests of the Congressional Black Caucus so they will be there on that day to hear from the president and members of Congress from both sides of the aisle to hear how we will finally take action to keep our communities safe,” Horsford told MSNBC on Monday.

Lawmakers this year are allowed to take guests with them to the House chamber for the Feb. 7 speech for the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Will Smith, Martin Lawrence Set to Reteam for Fourth ‘Bad Boys' Sequel

Will Smith and Martin Lawrence are reteaming for a fourth “Bad Boys” movie, in one of Smith’s most high-profile new projects since the infamous Oscars slap.

Sony Pictures announced Tuesday that the untitled “Bad Boys” sequel is in early pre-production. In a video posted on Instagram, Smith filmed himself driving to Lawrence’s house. Embracing at the door, Smith exclaims, “It’s about that time!”

Development on the “Bad Boys” sequel, which follows 2020’s “Bad Boys for Life,” was reportedly put on hold after Smith hit Chris Rock at last March’s Academy Awards. But last May, Sony Pictures chief Tom Rothman disputed those reports.

“There weren’t any brakes to pump because the car wasn’t moving,” said Rothman. “That was a very unfortunate thing that happened, and I don’t think it’s really my place to comment, except to say that I’ve known Will Smith for many years, and I know him to be a good person. That was an example of a very good person having a very bad moment, in front of the world. I believe his apology and regret is genuine, and I believe in forgiveness and redemption.”

Shortly before the pandemic shuttered theaters, “Bad Boys for Life” was a box-office hit, grossing $426 million worldwide. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer is returning for the fourth film, as are “Bad Boys For Life” directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

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Suburban School Worker Stole 11K Cases of Chicken Wings in $1.5M Embezzlement Scheme: Court Docs

Cook County prosecutors have charged the former head of food services at a south suburban school district of engaging in a massive embezzlement scheme in which she allegedly stole more than 11,000 cases of chicken wings and $1.5 million in taxpayer funds over a 19-month period, court documents revealed.

Vera Liddell, who worked as the director of food services at Harvey School District 152, was charged with felony continuing financial crimes enterprise and theft exceeding $1,000,000, also a felony, according to a proffer filed in Cook County Circuit Court.

Prosecutors allege Liddell placed hundreds of unauthorized orders for food items, particularly chicken wings, with the district’s main supplier, Gordon Food Services, from July 2020 to February 2022. While Liddell placed the orders separate from the district’s legitimate orders, Gordon Food Services billed the school district for the items, believing Liddell was authorized to make the purchases on its behalf, court documents state.

In January 2022, the school district’s business manager conducted an audit of departments and discovered the food service department had exceeded its annual budget by $300,000, and the school year was only half over at that point, according to the proffer. The business manager later found invoices signed by Liddell for “massive quantities” of chicken wings, an item that typically wouldn’t be served to students because they contain bones, documents stated.

As part of an investigation, interviews were conducted with Gordon Food Services employees who said they were familiar with Liddell because of the massive quantities of chicken wings she would purchase, according to prosecutors. Surveillance video showed Liddell would arrive at the Gordon Food Services facility to pick up the food, sign an electronic keypad acknowledging she received the chicken wings and then billed the school district for the items, according to the proffer.

She would then leave with the food in one of the district’s cargo vans without ever bringing the items to school buildings, the documents stated.

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Cookie Thief Makes Off With $420 Worth of Thin Mints From Chicago Girl Scout Troop

A Chicago Girl Scout Troop on the northwest side of Chicago was the victim of a cookie theft over the weekend, after dozens of boxes of Thin Mints were reported stolen in broad daylight while the troop was working to sort through orders.

According to officials, on Saturday afternoon, scouts aged 5 to 11 and parents from Troop 25778 were unloading and sorting cookies on pallets near 6160 W. Higgins Road. As the troop began to organize orders, an individual approached and grabbed boxes without paying, reports say.

“We put the cookies on the sidewalk out in front, and then we started sorting,” said Troop Leader Cyndee Timmerman. “I saw a guy with four cases in his hand and I asked him who he was with? He couldn’t tell me who he was with.”

According to officials, 84 boxes of Thin Mints were stolen off a pallet along the sidewalk where the sorting was taking place.

“It’s about $420 worth,” Timmerman continued. “The girls were were pretty shocked, they couldn’t believe that someone would steal cookies from us.”

According to authorities, detectives arrived on site to take a report of the missing mints. However, Chicago police have not at this point recovered the cookies.

“We told the girls things like this happen — we have to be more careful in the future.”

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Groundhog's Day is Around the Corner. What Happens If the Groundhog Sees its Shadow?

A beloved winter holiday is coming up — and while much of the day’s attention will be on a certain rodent from Pennsylvania, a local groundhog will also be searching for his shadow in the same far, northwest Chicago suburb that the iconic movie ‘Groundhog Day’ was filmed in.

Groundhog Day, on Feb. 2, is both a timing milestone — marking six weeks until spring — and a tale of folklore, which can be dated back to the fifth century, a post from the National Weather Service says.

Around that time, the NWS says, the “European Celts believed that animals had certain supernatural powers on special days that were halfway between the Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox.”  

“Folklore from Germany and France indicated that when marmots and bears came out of their winter dens too early, they were frightened by their shadow and retreated back inside for four to six weeks,” the post continues. “This was adopted by the Romans as Hedgehog Day. When Christianity came into being, the formerly pagan observance also came to be called Candlemas.”

The earliest known American reference to Groundhog Day, the NWS says, was in a Morgantown, Pennsylvania shopkeeper’s journal entry dated Feb. 4, 1841.

“Last Tuesday, the 2nd, was Candlemas Day, the day on which, according to the Germans, the Groundhog peeps out of his winter quarters and if he sees his shadow he pops back for another six weeks nap,” the entry reads. “But if the day be cloudy he remains out, as the weather is to be moderate.”

The rest, as they say is history — both meteorological and on the big screen.

Though some caution against trusting a marmot with such a pivotal role, one famous Groundhog town, located about 61 miles northwest of Chicago, will look to Woodstock Willie for its annual report.

Each year, the town of Woodstock hosts “Groundhog Days,” a multi-day festival that celebrate the famous 1992 movie filmed in its town — complete with site walking tours, a showing of the film, groundhog trivia, a pub crawl, and of course, the official Groundhog Day Prognostication at 7 a.m. on Feb. 2.

“If he sees his shadow, it means there will be 6 more weeks of winter,” a description of the event reads. “And if he doesn’t see his shadow, it means we will have an early Spring.”

To wake Woodstock Willie from his “winter nap,” the event will, of course, include a Polka band playing in the bandstand in an iconic spot as an illusion to the film.

“This is our re-enactment of the Groundhog Day ceremony that as a weatherman, Bill Murray reported on; over and over again. That scene from the movie was filmed right here on the Woodstock Square.”

According to the NBC 5 Storm Team — which does not include a groundhog meteorologist — Feb. 2 is predicted to be partly cloudy with a high temperatures of around 30 degrees. And while the weather Thursday will be slightly warmer than the frigid cold Monday and Tuesday, “don’t forget your booties cause it’s coooooold out there!”

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Michael Jackson nephew to portray King of Pop in biopic

Jaafar Jackson (left) appears during the “Living with The Jacksons” panel at the Reelz Channel 2014 Summer TCA in Beverly Hills, Calif., on July 12, 2014. Michael Jackson appears at the American Cinema Award gala in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Jan. 9, 1987.

AP

NEW YORK — Michael Jackson’s 26-year-old nephew, Jaafar Jackson, will play the King of Pop in the planned biopic “Michael” to be directed by Antoine Fuqua.

Lionsgate announced Jackson’s casting Monday for the film being produced by Oscar-winning “Bohemian Rhapsody” producer Graham King. Jackson is the second-youngest son of Jermaine Jackson, Michael’s brother. He’s put out music of his own; in 2019, he released his debut single, “Got Me Singing.” “Michael” will be Jackson’s acting debut.

“I met Jaafar over two years ago and was blown away by the way he organically personifies the spirit and personality of Michael,” said King in a statement. “It was something so powerful that even after conducting a worldwide search, it was clear that he is the only person to take on this role.”

On Instagram, Fuqua shared a black-and-white photograph of Jackson in character. Fuqua added in a statement that Jackson “has a natural ability to emulate Michael and such a great chemistry with the camera.”

On Twitter, Jackson said he’s “humbled and honored to bring my Uncle Michael’s story to life.”

“Michael” will be an authorized portrait of the pop star, who died in 2009. The film, scripted by “Gladiator” and “The Aviator” screenwriter John Logan, is being produced with the cooperation of the singer’s estate.

“Jaafar embodies my son,” Katherine Jackson said in a statement. “It’s so wonderful to see him carry on the Jackson legacy of entertainers and performers.”

“Michael” is to begin shooting this year.

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AP Top 25: Purdue voted unanimous No. 1 in men’s basketball poll

Purdue center Zach Edey (15) moves to the basket between Michigan State center Mady Sissoko (22) and guard A.J. Hoggard (11) during Sunday’s game.

Michael Conroy/AP

Purdue became this season’s first unanimous No. 1 team in the AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll Monday after wins over Michigan and Michigan State last week as chaos ensued behind the Boilermakers among other ranked teams.

More than half of Top 25 teams lost, including second-ranked Alabama, which was routed by Oklahoma in the Big 12-SEC Challenge. That allowed Purdue to grab the remaining No. 1 votes and tighten its grip atop the poll, while Tennessee jumped two spots to second and Houston held onto third in voting by 62 national media members.

The Boilermakers (21-1) have won eight straight since a one-point loss to Rutgers on Jan. 2.

“We’re the No. 1 team in the country because of how unselfish we are as a team,” Purdue guard David Jenkins Jr. said. “We had a lot of people doubting us in the beginning because, you know, we may not be the most talented team or whatever, but we’re close on the court and off the court and it’s really translating to how we’re winning.”

The Volunteers climbed to their highest perch since reaching No. 1 for four weeks during the 2018-19 season. They routed Georgia before becoming one of three SEC teams to beat Big 12 opponents on Saturday, knocking off No. 10 Texas 82-71 for their fifth consecutive win over a top-10 team.

Related

• Ohio State tumbles in AP women’s basketball poll

Perhaps this is the year Rick Barnes finally gets the Vols through the Sweet 16 for the first time as their coach.

“We have a chance to be as good as we want to be,” he said. “It’s up to one thing: Are we tough enough to embrace the daily grind? And not worry about going to the Final Four or worry about going to the NCAA Tournament, but can we build a team that can be successful that time of year? It starts with truly embracing the grind.”

The Crimson Tide dropped to fourth after the blowout loss to the Sooners, when Alabama fell behind by 17 at halftime in an eventual 93-69 defeat. The Tide edged fifth-ranked Arizona by just two points in this week’s poll.

“It doesn’t have any effect on SEC standings, which is the only good thing to come out of this,” Alabama coach Nate Oats said of the lopsided loss. “Hopefully we’ll recover from a loss out of conference, but you know, it’s not good.”

Virginia was sixth and Kansas State, which rebounded from a narrow loss at No. 13 Iowa State by pummeling Florida on Saturday, fell two spots to seventh; the Wildcats face eighth-ranked Kansas in a top-10 showdown Tuesday night.

UCLA dropped to ninth after losing to Southern California and Texas rounded out the top 10.

Baylor continued its climb from unranked to No. 11 following wins over the Jayhawks and Arkansas. The Bears were followed by Gonzaga, Iowa State, Marquette and league rival TCU — the sixth Big 12 team in the top 15.

Xavier, Providence, Saint Mary’s, Florida Atlantic and Clemson completed the top 20, while poll returners Indiana and San Diego State joined Miami, UConn and Auburn in rounding out the Top 25.

RISING AND FALLING

The No. 11 Bears and No. 17 Providence made the biggest leaps, each climbing six spots from last week.

“I think our defense is better. Our turnovers are better. When you don’t give people easy transition baskets, now its five-on-five in the half court,” said Baylor coach Scott Drew, whose team had a date with the Longhorns on Monday night.

“We execute at a pretty high rate,” Drew said. “It really comes down to taking care of the ball, making sure we get shots up and when you don’t make them, you’ve got to get rebounds. And our guys are buying into that.”

Auburn took the biggest hit of those still in the poll, dropping 10 places after losses to unranked Texas A&M and West Virginia.

IN AND OUT

The Hoosiers returned to the poll at No. 22 and the Aztecs rejoined it right behind them. They took the place of Charleston, which fell out from No. 18 after losing to Hofstra, and New Mexico, which lost to Nevada in double overtime last week.

CONFERENCE CALL

The Big 12’s dominance of the SEC in the final year of their head-to-head challenge was rewarded in the poll, where the league led the way with six ranked teams and all of them in the top 15. The Big East has four teams in the poll but none higher than No. 14 Marquette, while the SEC and ACC have three teams apiece.

THE TOP 25

1. Purdue (62 first-place votes) 21-1

2. Tennessee 18-3

3. Houston 20-2

4. Alabama 18-3

5. Arizona 19-3

6. Virginia 16-3

7. Kansas St. 18-3

8. Kansas 17-4

9. UCLA 17-4

10. Texas 17-4

11. Baylor 16-5

12. Gonzaga 18-4

13. Iowa St. 15-5

14. Marquette 17-5

15. TCU 16-5

16. Xavier 17-5

17. Providence 17-5

18. Saint Mary’s 19-4

19. FAU 21-1

20. Clemson 18-4

21. Indiana 15-6

22. San Diego St. 17-4

23. Miami 16-5

24. UConn 16-6

25. Auburn 16-5

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Brothers Jason and Travis Kelce Will Make History When They Face Off at Super Bowl 2023

Jason Kelce and Travis Kelce are going where no pair of brothers — not the Mannings, not the Barbers and not the Watts — have gone before: The Super Bowl … against each other.

In a league filled with fraternal matchups, the Kelces will make history as the first pair of brothers to play each other at Super Bowl LVII.

Travis, 33, is the star tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs and quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ favorite target. He was reported to be experiencing back issues ahead of the AFC Championship Game, but looked in full form as he recorded seven receptions for 78 yards and one touchdown, in addition to some memorable post-game celebrations.

While he and his older brother won’t be on the field at the same time, he’ll need that same competitive fire against the Philadelphia Eagles.

As a center, Jason, 35, is charged with starting the Eagles’ offense and protecting quarterback Jalen Hurts. Together, they’ve led the Eagles to a 14-3 record and the No. 1 seed in the NFC.

Their parents, Ed and Donna, have juggled the NFL playoffs for more than a decade now. Last year, Donna made headlines when she caught games in Tampa Bay and Kansas City on the same day.

She either decided cross-country travel wasn’t in the cards for her or had full faith in her sons’ ability to advance, but this year she decided to catch Kansas City in the divisional round and Philadelphia in the conference championship. That bet paid off as she’s now got double the reason to travel to Arizona next month.

The brothers frequently shout each other out on social media and share a podcast, but make no mistake, there will be no preferential treatment come Feb. 12.

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2 Chicago-Area Women Killed in Shooting Near Beverly Hills

Two women who resided in the Chicago area were among the three people fatally shot at a home near Beverly Hills, California, according to authorities.

At around 2 a.m. Saturday, officers with the Los Angeles Police Department responded to a residence in the city’s Beverly Crest neighborhood where they found a total of seven people who had been shot. Three women died in the shooting, and four other individuals were hospitalized with gunshot wounds, police said.

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner identified two of the victims as Iyana Hutton, 33, of Chicago, and Nenah Davis, 29, from Bolingbrook. The third victim was identified as Destiny Sims, 26, of Arizona.

Police said a gathering took place at the home, which was said to be a “short-term rental,” but haven’t released additional details on what led to shots being fired. In the hours following the shooting, detectives were in the process of interviewing witnesses to obtain information about possible suspects.

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‘Andy Warhol in Iran’ review: Fast-paced play packs real insight into an imaginary kidnapping

In “Andy Warhol in Iran,” the artist (Rob Lindley, left) goes to Tehran to work on a portrait of the empress and visited by a revolutionary named Farhad (Hamid Dehgani).

Michael Brosilow

Brent Askari’s can’t-look-away drama “Andy Warhol in Iran” is set in Tehran, 1976. But there’s a stunning moment in the drama running through Feb. 19 at Skokie’s Northlight Theatre, when a portrait of Mahsa Amini — the 22-year-old Kurdish woman whose death last year in the custody of Iran’s “morality police” sparked the global Women Life Freedom movement — fills the projection screens mounted above the stage.  Far from removing the audience from the world of Iran 47 years ago, Amini’s image underscores the play’s incisive, captivating exploration of Iranian history and how it’s been indelibly shaped by the world’s Western superpowers, namely the U.S. and Britain.

Directed by Northlight Artistic Director BJ Jones, “Andy Warhol in Iran” transpires in a hotel room at the Royal Tehran Hilton but defies containment within those walls with a story that crosses continents and encompasses generations.

The piece is a two-hander that’s cinematic in scope, Askari’s dialogue amplified by the powerful use of projections (by Mike Tutaj). Warhol’s eye-popping art and fabled NYC stable of scenesters loom large. So do images and footage from the 1953 coup (backed by the U.S. and Great Britain) that toppled Iran’s democratically elected prime minister, the 1979 Iranian Revolution and the protests that have been roiling Iran since Amini’s death a little over four months ago.

‘Andy Warhol in Iran’

Andy Warhol in Iran

When: Through Feb. 19

Where: Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie

Tickets: $35-$85, $15 students

Info: (847) 673-6300; northlight.org

The plot spins on a fictional meeting between pop superstar Warhol (Rob Lindley) and Farhad (Hamid Dehghani), an Iranian revolutionary. Although the meeting never happened, Warhol did go to Iran in 1976. The artist-filmmaker-provocateur — he of the tomato soup cans and the Marilyn portraits and the underground movies — was a guest of Shah Reza Pahlavi and the Empress Farah Pahlavi, invited to Tehran to take Polaroids of the empress in order to create her portrait.

We don’t meet the shah or the empress in Askari’s two-hander. Instead, Warhol finds himself trapped in his room with Farhad, who says he’s with a group “aligned against the shah.” By kidnapping the most famous artist in the world, Farhad explains, his group will gain the publicity they desperately need to wake the world up to the shah’s regime of torture and oppression and the West’s integral role in putting the shah in power and keeping him there. 

Throughout the breathless one-act production (paced like a freight train in Jones’ astute direction), the action parses out impeccably timed revelations about Farhad and Warhol. It might sound like a stretch to find common ground between a rich, white celebrity artist and an Iranian revolutionary, but Askari makes it credible.

In their vastly different worlds, both Andy and Farhad are lifelong, passionate disrupters and both bear both the psychic and physical scars of horrific violence. Warhol repeatedly insists throughout he’s a deeply superficial individual. He natters on about caviar, and “glamorous” parties he loves to attend and the money he loves to make. But as with Farhad, Askari gradually reveals the turbulent depths beneath Warhol’s carefully curated persona. There might be only two characters in Askari’s drama, but they contain multitudes.

From his entrance wheeling a room-service tray, Dehghani creates a character you can’t look away from. It’s not just the bone-authenticity that radiates out whether Farhad is bullying Andy into submission or breaking down in tears at the losses in his own life. There’s a rare, ineffable alchemy when acting prowess and charisma merge into something unforgettable. That’s what Dehghani brings to the stage.

Lindley’s work is just as mesmerizing. His Warhol is understated, intricate and droll, although this is no celebrity impression. Warhol was ever a cypher, but Lindley makes the mystery both relatable and — even at the character’s most vacuous — empathetic.

Todd Rosenthal’s set efficiently captures high-end hotel luxe circa 1970s. But we’re not limited to that world: As Farhad and Andy recall the seminal events that shaped their lives, lighting designer Heather Gilbert sound designers Forrest Gregor and Andre Pluess infuse their respective histories with a surreal universality. We’re in the hotel room, but the story cannot be contained within its walls. Never is that clearer than toward the end of the piece, when Andy breaks the fourth wall to engage with the audience. “So … did any of this even actually happen?” he asks. Farhad responds: “It’s happening Here … Now.” 

In the end, “Andy Warhol in Tehran” will resonate for anyone who cares about history. Or the present. Or the future.

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