Afternoon Edition: July 20, 2021

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 mostly sunny with a high near 88 degrees. Tonight will be partly cloudy with a low around 64. Tomorrow will be partly sunny with a high near 77.

Top story

Man wanted for murder of 7-year-old Jaslyn Adams arrested by FBI: prosecutors

A man wanted for months in connection with the fatal April shooting of 7-year-old Jaslyn Adams has been arrested by the FBI, federal prosecutors disclosed today.

Devontay Anderson has been wanted since late April when he was charged with first-degree murder in Cook County Circuit Court, records show. Last month, the FBI announced a $25,000 reward for information leading to his arrest and conviction.

Meanwhile, the feds separately charged Anderson with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. In a two-page document filed late this morning, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney M. David Habich disclosed the FBI arrested Anderson yesterday in Chicago.

No further details about Anderson’s arrest were contained in the document, which asked a judge to dismiss the federal unlawful flight charge against him. The FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokeswoman for Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx told the Sun-Times in an email, “We have no information to provide.”

A complaint filed earlier in the federal case described the Chicago police response to the April 18 shooting at a McDonald’s in the 3200 block of West Roosevelt Road. It said officers found a 2003 Infiniti sedan “riddled with bullets in the drive-thru lane of the restaurant.”

Jaslyn and her father, Jontae Adams, were in the Infiniti about 4:20 p.m. when two gunmen got out of an Audi and fired into the Infiniti, authorities have said. Jaslyn was killed and her father was wounded.

Jon Seidel has more on the charges facing Anderson here.

More news you need

1. CPD was unprepared to handle the mass protests and looting that followed the murder of George Floyd last summer, according to a new monitor’s report. The city hasn’t dedicated sufficient resources toward responding to protests and potential unrest since it hosted the NATO summit in 2012, the report said.
2. Fed up with State’s Attorney Kim Foxx’s office, Ald. Anthony Napolitano wants the city to take some matters into its own hands. He plans to introduce an ordinance at tomorrow’s City Council meeting that would take some crimes normally prosecuted by Foxx’s office and divert them to city hearing officers.
3. A new federal lawsuit aims to halt a series of newly announced lotteries to determine the winners of 185 upcoming pot shop permits, marking the latest threat to the state’s troubled cannabis licensing process. A Michigan-based pot firm filed the suit just a day after Gov. Pritzker enacted a law that seeks to get the long-delayed process back on track.
4. Schools ran by the Archdiocese of Chicago plan to return to “near-normal, pre-pandemic operations” when students, teachers and staff return for the school year. Extracurricular activities will resume and masks will not be required for the fully vaccinated.
5. An 18-year-old has been charged with attempted murder in a shooting last week that wounded a 2-year-old boy and a man in front of a home in Humboldt Park. Police say he got out of a car and opened fire as the boy played in front of a home.
6. Artist Gwen Yen Chiu, 2021 Richard Hunt Award winner, yesterday unveiled her 12-foot-tall sculpture “Thought Vortex” at the intersection of Lincoln Avenue and Halsted Street. The piece, which depicts the evolving human mind consuming and adapting to current events and political strife, started as a response to the rise in Asian hate crimes.
7. A Walmart Academy being built in the parking lot of a West Chatham Walmart is set to open later this year. There, people will be able to take free job training courses.
8. Ald. Brendan Reilly wants pedicabs banned from the River North entertainment district from 6 p.m. to 9 a.m. and their amplified sound silenced at all times. He says some pedicab drivers are serving as DJs for “illegal curbside parties.”

A bright one

Chicago Academy football coach Anthony Dotson finally finds his place

As a youth intervention specialist and football coach in Chicago Public Schools, Anthony Dotson has heard some hard-luck stories.

But he also can tell a few of his own.

Dotson, who became Chicago Academy’s head coach this spring after two seasons as an assistant, grew up in Bronzeville and played on Troy McAllister’s first team at Phillips as a senior.

He was good enough on the field to earn scholarship offers from Eastern Kentucky and Division II Truman State, but struggled off the field to take advantage of those opportunities.

Kevin Tanaka/For the Sun-Times

After bouncing between schools, Dotson earned a bachelor’s in sports management from Livingstone College in 2015.

Back in Chicago again, Dotson landed a job at a fitness club. But it didn’t work out and for two months in 2017, he said, he was homeless and sleeping in his car.

But finally, his luck turned when he was hired as a security officer in CPS. Five months later, he was promoted to youth intervention specialist. That means working with kids to make sure small problems don’t become big ones.

At Chicago Academy, Dotson intends to end the revolving door of coaches and to build a successful program.

“My everyday motivation,” he said, “is to be a better partner, father, son, friend, mentor and coach.”

Read Mike Clark’s full story on Dotson’s journey and his plans for the school’s football program here.

From the press box

• While White Sox have stellar starting pitching and rank third in the American League in runs scored, their defense has been a weak spot this season.
• With three days to go until the 2021 NHL Draft, the Blackhawks’ scouting crew is excited about the possibilities with the 12th overall pick. Here’s more on who the Hawks could be selecting with their first-rounder Friday night.
• The Cubs got Dillon Maples back into their bullpen yesterday after a stint on the injured list. Maples had been on the IL since June 16 with a strained right triceps.

Your daily question ☕

What do you think about the Blue Origin launch and the second billionaire in just over a week blasting into space today?

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: How interested are you in this year’s Summer Olympics? Here’s what some of you said...

“Not much. I wish the best for them and hope they can stay safe and virus free, but my attention is elsewhere.” — Carmie Daugird Callobre

“Very interested! The athletes deserve our support.” — Mary L. Fleming

“They never should have opened this year. Too many sick people.” — Mable Banks Green

“I always look forward to watching the Olympics. I’m excited they brought back softball this year. I hope all the athletes stay healthy amid the coronavirus still spreading. They all have trained so hard to make it to the Olympics and wish them all the best!” — Carrie Taylor Carlson

“Zero interest. Haven’t enjoyed the Olympics since they went all professional. The amateurs were more fun to watch.” — Dee Sanders

“Very! However, it really won’t be the same as other Olympic Games. COVID has made this clear.” — Susie Rich Novak

“I really think it should be canceled for the health of the athletes’ families and everybody around them.” — Edgar Valencia

“Less than zero.” — Jo Ann Cornale Burns

“Interested. Feel bad for the athletes who trained so long and put their life on hold to try again. Also, I feel bad for Japan and the immense amount of money they are losing on these Olympics without spectators. Sad all the way around. Go U.S.A.” — Carol Wortel

“I’m more interested in what COVID is going to do there. It really concerns me.” — Flo Vitale Valley

“Interested it beats watching Maury or some Oprah show for two weeks.” — Vickie Scotti

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