Afternoon Edition: May 4, 2022

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 55 degrees. Tonight will be mostly cloudy with a low around 40. Tomorrow will be mostly cloudy with a chance of showers and a high near 59.

Top story

Mother’s Day celebrations kick off with free makeovers for CHA moms

The past three weeks haven’t been easy for Danika Wilkins. A single mom of four, she’s been battling depression after her son was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer. He’s only 11.

A Chicago Transit Authority employee for nine years, Wilkins has had to take time off work to be with her son as he begins treatment at Rush.

But today, Wilkins had a moment of relief. She was one of 100 women chosen for makeovers as part of the Chicago Housing Authority and Daisie Foundation’s Mother’s Day makeover celebration.

The event selected mothers facing hardships to “empower and inspire” them with “random acts of kindness,” said Julie Hightower, president of the Daisie Foundation executive board. This is the second year the group had partnered with CHA.

With music blaring, the moms spread out across two floors at Row 24, 2411 S. Michigan Ave., for eyebrow waxing, hairstyling, new makeup and new clothes. They also were given before and after photos.

“It’s great to give back to these moms,” Row 24 owner Dana Fountain said. “They don’t get the opportunity to maybe afford or have access to these services, and they deserve it.”

For both Hightower and Fountain, the most rewarding part of the day was simply seeing the smiles on the faces around them.

Cheyanne M. Daniels has more from today’s celebration here.

More news you need

1. A woman expecting to graduate from the University of Illinois Chicago next week was found murdered in Edgewater Beach on Monday, a day before police found a man dead in the same apartment building. Police said they were investigating if the deaths were connected.
2. The families of two seniors with dementia have sued a South Side care facility, claiming it did not prevent residents from wandering away and allowed them to live in “totally undignified conditions.” Family members removed two women with dementia from New City Supportive Living in the Back of the Yards before filing lawsuits.
3. Cornered in a basement by police, a man suspected of stealing a car at gunpoint and leading police on a chase put his hands in the air and said, “I give up,” prosecutors said today. The 19-year-old was texting during the chase and had received messages from someone who told him “try to get low” and to change his clothes, prosecutors also said.
4. A 25-year-old man was robbed at a Red Line station early this morning while on the elevator at the station in the 1100 block of South State Street. It was the fourth CTA-related attack in less than a week.
5. When it comes to police misconduct, the “bad apples” come in bunches, according to a new study of Chicago Police Department data by Northwestern University researchers. Using an algorithm to comb for patterns among 50 years of department data, researchers created a profile of potential corrupt “crews” inside the department.

A bright one

How Cubs reliever Scott Effross claimed off-the-field leadership role

Before Cubs side-armer Scott Effross transferred the experience of his debut season into a strong April, proved his comfort in a range of relief situations or made his first career start Tuesday against the White Sox, he offered his help to team rep Ian Happ during collective-bargaining negotiations.

When Happ mentioned he could use some help, given that the veteran group who had taken care of union business no longer was on the team, Effross embraced the opportunity.

The pairing made sense from a communication standpoint. With Effross having played with many of the Cubs’ homegrown players and the younger guys on the roster and Happ more familiar with the more established players, they had the 40-man roster covered.

Charles Rex Arbogast/AP

As the owners imposed a lockout and the work stoppage neared 100 days, communication became all the more important.

Effross hasn’t had a traditional path to the big leagues. He was drafted in 2015, the same year as team rep Ian Happ. In 2019, he was part of the way through his fifth season in the minors and dropped his arm slot down from 35 degrees to zero.

It worked. The Cubs called up Effross after the trade deadline last season, and he posted a 3.68 ERA in 14 outings.

He has allowed only two earned runs in 11 appearances so far in 2022.

‘‘Until you prove that you feel like you belong — and you have to prove it to yourself — it doesn’t matter what a coach may say, what front-office personnel may say,’’ manager David Ross said. ‘‘To go out there and have results is a powerful thing. And I think that’s where he’s at right now.’’

Maddie Lee has more on Effross here.

From the press box

• Rick Morrissey on the Bears’ first draft under GM Ryan Poles: “This will be the season of built-in free passes, spoken and unspoken. When will those involved have to take responsibility for the problems on the field. The 2023 season?”
• Olin Kreutz “needs to own up to his mistake and apologize” after being fired from CHGO for grabbing the neck of a colleague, Jeff Agrest writes.
• As good as Michael Kopech has looked this season, the White Sox will need to closely monitor his workload, Daryl Van Schouwen writes.

Your daily question ☕

Which Chicago library branch is your favorite? Tell us why.

Email us (please include your first name and where you live) and we might include your answer in the next Afternoon Edition.

Yesterday, we asked you: How do you feel about the mayor’s plan to build a casino in River West?

Here’s what some of you said…

“Chicago and Halsted — it’s going to be terrible. Traffic is crazy up around there.” — Denise Makowski

“Hurry up already so the money can roll in and we can stop sending money to Indiana.” — Paul Olson

“Relying on people losing money in gambling to enrich the casino owner while the casino then pays the city for the right, seems really regressive. I have no problem with a casino as an entertainment venue with proper regulation. Let’s just make sure it doesn’t harm people.” — Sean D. Francis

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