Chicago Sun-Times - All2024-03-29T06:54:42.516-05:00https://chicago.suntimes.com/rss/index.xml2024-03-29T06:54:42.516-05:002024-03-29T06:54:42.516-05:00Man fatally shot in Roseland
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Police were called to the 10700 block of South Lowe Avenue, where they found the victim about 12:15 a.m., police said. </p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Sun-Times file</p></div></div>
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<p>A 25-year-old man was shot and killed in Roseland early Friday, police said.</p><p>He was found in an alley in the 10700 block of South Lowe Avenue when police responded to a call of shots fired around 12:15 a.m. </p><p>The unidentified victim was dead on the scene suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to the body, according to Chicago police.</p><p>No one is in custody and Area 2 detectives are investigating.</p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2024/03/29/man-fatally-shot-roselandSun-Times Wire2024-03-29T06:33:37.689-05:002024-03-29T06:33:37.689-05:00Man found beaten to death in Englewood
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Officers found the victim in the 6600 block of South Green Street about 12:45 a.m., according to Chicago police. </p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Sun-Times file</p></div></div>
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<p>A man has died after he was found with severe head trauma in Englewood early Friday, police said.</p><p>Around 12:45 a.m., police officers responding to an unresponsive person found him in the 6600 block of South Green Street, according to Chicago police. </p><p>The unidentified man was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center in critical condition, but he later died there, police said. </p><p>No one is in custody and Area 1 detectives are investigating.</p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2024/03/29/man-beaten-to-death-englewoodSun-Times Wire2024-03-29T06:13:00.721-05:002024-03-29T07:00:14.095-05:00A gun charge filed amid George Floyd rioting in Chicago is dismissed amid controversy
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<img class="Image" alt="Prosecutors say this image depicts Heriberto Carbajal-Flores firing a gun at 30th Street and Kostner Avenue on June 1, 2020." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a3bd81f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1750x982+215+0/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F17%2Fd2%2F0c7d4c2043a8b5d8ec14a673210a%2Fcarbajalflores1.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/fdd58e5/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1750x982+215+0/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F17%2Fd2%2F0c7d4c2043a8b5d8ec14a673210a%2Fcarbajalflores1.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Prosecutors say this image depicts Heriberto Carbajal-Flores firing a gun at 30th Street and Kostner Avenue on June 1, 2020.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>U.S. District Court records</p></div></div>
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<p>Late one night amid <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2020/6/8/21281998/chicago-deadliest-day-violence-murder-history-police-crime" target="_blank" >the worst violence Chicago had seen</a> in decades, prosecutors say a man who was unlawfully in the United States stood near a street corner in June 2020 and fired a gun seven times toward a passing car.</p><p>It’s not clear where the bullets wound up. But, nearly an hour later, Heriberto Carbajal-Flores pointed his gun at a second vehicle. Federal authorities say he again pulled the trigger, but this time the gun jammed.</p><p>His lawyers say he'd fired seven warning shots to defend the neighborhood but didn’t pull the trigger the second time. </p><p>The police arrested him, and he faced state charges that included aggravated discharge of a firearm. Soon, though, those charges were replaced with a single federal charge that accused him of possessing a semi-automatic pistol — illegal because of his immigration status.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-portrait-left>
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<img class="Image" alt="Prosecutors say this image depicts Heriberto Carbajal-Flores pointing a gun at a car on June 1, 2020." width="375" height="500"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Prosecutors say this image depicts Heriberto Carbajal-Flores pointing a gun at a car on June 1, 2020.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>U.S. District Court records</p></div></div>
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</div><p>Federal prosecutors filed the charge amid a 2020 crackdown ordered by then-President Donald Trump<b> </b><a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/2020/8/5/21354826/operation-legend-chicago-federal-gun-cases" target="_blank" >that was dubbed Operation Legend</a>. Unbeknownst to them, a seismic shift in how the nation’s courts consider gun laws was on the way.</p><div class="RelatedList Enhancement" data-module data-align-center>
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<p>The indictment hung over Carbajal-Flores’ head until three weeks ago. That's when U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman ruled that the law barring undocumented immigrants from possessing firearms had been applied to him unconstitutionally, wiping out the sole charge Carbajal-Flores faced for what happened in June 2020.</p><p>Since that chaotic summer, <a class="Link" href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/21pdf/20-843_7j80.pdf" target="_blank" ><u>a U.S. Supreme Court decision</u></a> dramatically changed the test for charges like the one lodged against Carbajal-Flores and raised new questions about bread-and-butter gun laws. It transformed legal briefs into history reports. And in Carbajal-Flores’ case, it took lawyers back in time to<b> </b>when colonial era gun laws required loyalty oaths from British backers<b> </b>and forbade the arming of Native Americans and Catholics.</p><p>“We’re looking at the time of the founding,” says Jacob Briskman, a lawyer representing Carbajal-Flores, “and whether there’s a history and tradition of disarming people of this nature.”</p><p>The Supreme Court ruling — in a case known as New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen — said gun regulations must be “consistent with the nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation.” </p><p>The same ruling has been used to challenge <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/2023/11/3/23945656/assault-weapons-ban-upheld" target="_blank" >Illinois’ assault-weapons ban</a>, leading to legal arguments about Bowie knives and Tommy guns.</p><div class="RelatedList Enhancement" data-module data-align-center>
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<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/2023/11/3/23945656/assault-weapons-ban-upheld" target="_blank" >Federal appeals court upholds Illinois gun ban, finds no 2nd Amendment protection for assault weapons</a>
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<p>Judges have shown their frustration with the high court’s mandate. A judge in Texas complained that “it sends jurists on a quixotic journey through history.” Coleman, who is Black, wrote that it requires her to rely on history and tradition from a time when she would have been regarded “as three-fifths of a person at best and property at worst.”</p><p>Pratheepan Gulasekaram, a University of Colorado law professor<b> </b>who's an expert on the law in the Carbajal-Flores case, says he knows of one other judge nationwide who has ruled similarly. He says Coleman’s order makes sense in light of the Bruen ruling, which he's no fan of.</p><p>Conservative commentators have criticized the Carbajal-Flores ruling and seized on the political dynamics in an election year when immigration is a hot topic. Coleman was nominated to her seat by President Barack Obama, under whom President Joe Biden was vice president. </p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-portrait-right>
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<img class="Image" alt="U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman," width="375" height="500"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman,</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>U.S. District court records</p></div></div>
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</div><p>But Coleman had refused twice before to dismiss the case against Carbajal-Flores. In the end, she threw it out because of legal developments that followed the Bruen ruling, which was handed down by six Supreme Court justices nominated by Republican presidents. Half were nominated by Trump, <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/elections/2024/03/19/donald-trump-joe-biden-president-democrat-republican-illinois-primary-2024-results" target="_blank" >this year’s presumptive Republican nominee</a>.</p><p>And Briskman notes that Coleman tailored her ruling only to Carbajal-Flores.</p><p>Defense lawyers are aggressively testing the implications of the Bruen decision, including its impact what are known as “922” gun-possession statutes. The vast majority of the challenges have been unsuccessful. Altogether, prosecutors say, judges have upheld the law that bars felons from carrying firearms more than 600 times since the Bruen decision.</p><p>A few judges in Chicago, though, have ruled otherwise, and federal prosecutors have taken the issue to the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.</p><p>One order they’ve appealed was made by U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis, an Obama nominee. Ellis dismissed gun charges in five cases last month and wrote bluntly about the ramifications of her own ruling, saying it would “inevitably lead to more gun violence, more dead citizens and more devastated communities.”</p><p>Ellis wrote that she felt duty-bound by her “oath to uphold the Constitution — as interpreted by the Supreme Court — and thus must adhere to Bruen’s directive.” She called on the high court to reconsider Bruen, which she called a “constitutional misadventure.”</p><h3>Rioting, chaos, gunshots</h3><p>Carbajal-Flores pulled the trigger on June 1, 2020. Five people were killed by gunfire in Chicago that day, among 30 who were shot. Two days earlier, protests over the killing by a white Minneapolis police officer of George Floyd, a Black man, <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/2020/5/31/21276458/george-floyd-protests-chicago-police-curfew-aclu-lightfoot-pritzker-illinois-national-guard-cta" target="_blank" >erupted into rioting and looting downtown</a> before spreading to other Chicago neighborhoods.</p><p>Carbajal-Flores, 28 then, had come to the United States with his mother 18 years earlier, and the family settled in Little Village, according to his lawyers. He grew up there, once saved a man from a burning building<b> </b>in the area, is married to a U.S. citizen and “1000%” wants to become a citizen himself, according to Briskman.</p><div class="RelatedList Enhancement" data-module data-align-center>
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<p>But court records show he’d been charged in 13 other cases in Cook County since 2009, and arrest reports indicate he’d been affiliated with a violent street gang that has a power base in Little Village. He was once sentenced to two days in jail for reckless conduct after throwing gang signs at passing cars in the 2600 block of South Kedvale Avenue. Most of the other charges he faced were dropped.</p><p>According to his lawyers, several men used a sledgehammer on June 1, 2020, to break in to a tire store in the 3000 block of South Kostner Avenue and then took off. They say someone then organized an “impromptu neighborhood watch, including Mr. Carbajal-Flores” to prevent more looting.</p><p>His lawyers painted a picture of a chaotic night. There was gunfire. Police came and went. Police and neighborhood residents later found a stolen car, which had crashed, full of looted goods.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-portrait-left>
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<img class="Image" alt="Heriberto Carbajal-Flores." width="375" height="500"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Heriberto Carbajal-Flores.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>U.S. District Court files</p></div></div>
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</div><p>That night, around 10 p.m., another neighborhood watch member handed Carbajal-Flores a gun, according to his lawyers, who say that, about a half-hour later, Chicago police officers in a white van told that group, “If you have anything, you should get it.” Carbajal-Flores' lawyers argued that he took that to mean he should arm himself with whatever weapon he could find.</p><p>Prosecutors said Carbajal-Flores admitted that he had the gun, in violation of the law, well before that interaction with police.</p><p>At 11:06 p.m., a white car drove toward the store at high speed and swerved, according to Carbajal-Flores' lawyers, who say he thought the driver had tried to hit the neighborhood watch leader, so he responded by firing seven warning shots.</p><p>At 11:41 p.m., another car drove by, and someone inside pointed a gun, so Carbajal-Flores took the gun from his pocket and pointed it at the car as it sped away, according to his lawyers.</p><p>Prosecutors say ShotSpotter technology detected the initial seven shots and that Carbajal-Flores’ actions were captured on a Chicago police camera. Besides being spotted with the gun, authorities say<b> </b>“he pulled the trigger repeatedly”<b> </b>during the encounter with the second car at 11:41 p.m.,<b> </b>“although it appears that the gun jammed.”</p><p>Briskman says that's not true, that federal authorities told Coleman that “at no time does the video show any of the occupants in any of the passing cars brandish, point or shoot a gun at [Carbajal-Flores] or anyone on the street.”</p><h3>Loyalty oaths, the Second Amendment</h3><p>Carbajal-Flores’ bail was set at $5,000 on June 2, 2020, and he was released from jail the next day. After his federal indictment in September 2020, Coleman released him on an unsecured bond.</p><p>Cook County and federal court records don't show any additional charges filed against him since the fall of 2020. The state charges against Carbajal-Flores were dropped months later because of the federal charges, records show.</p><p>Briskman says the law that was used to prosecute Carbajal-Flores amounts to a broad, sweeping prohibition against any undocumented immigrant possessing firearms. In May 2021, he made his first bid to get Coleman to dismiss the case, citing Second Amendment grounds, arguing that Carbajal-Flores had acted as a member of a militia and citing his deep ties to the community.</p><p>Coleman rejected those initial efforts.</p><div class="RelatedList Enhancement" data-module data-align-center>
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<p>Then, less than two months after the Bruen decision in June 2022, Briskman, saying the Supreme Court had undone “over a decade of precedent rejecting Second Amendment challenges," argued that prosecutors — who had charged Carbajal-Flores with possession of a firearm while unlawfully in the United States — could not show the charge followed historical tradition.</p><p>“The federal government did not have laws restricting entry into the country until the late 19th century,” he wrote.</p><p>Prosecutors countered by noting that, in colonial times, Massachusetts and Virginia forbade the arming of Native Americans and that Virginia once prohibited Catholics from owning arms unless they swore “allegiance to the Hanoverian dynasty and to the Protestant succession."</p><p>“Similarly, during the American Revolution, colonial governments disarmed persons who refused to ‘swear an oath of allegiance to the state or the United States,’" they wrote.</p><p>Coleman, again siding with prosecutors, ruled that they’d offered examples, similar to the charge against Carbajal-Flores, of “historical limitations on noncitizens’ right to bear arms.”</p><p>Briskman tried again last August, after an appeals court decision laid out a set of guiding questions in light of the Supreme Court's Bruen ruling. The questions related to the law that bars felons from carrying firearms — but Coleman decided that nothing prevented her from applying them to the charge in Carbajal-Flores’ case.</p><p>Pointing to the historic example of British loyalists being allowed to have guns if they pledged loyalty to the American government, Coleman said she could give consideration in modern times to a single member of a group that had generally been disarmed.</p><p>She ruled that Carbajal-Flores had never been convicted of a felony, a violent crime or a crime involving the use of a weapon and that, in this case, he said “that he received and used the handgun solely for self-protection and protection of property during a time of documented civil unrest in the spring of 2020.”</p><p>There was nothing in the record to show “that he cannot be trusted to use a weapon responsibly and should be deprived of his Second Amendment right to bear arms in self-defense,” Coleman wrote, ruling that the law, as applied to him, was unconstitutional.</p><p>Gulasekaram says Coleman followed the logic of the Bruen ruling, though the law professor dismisses the Supreme Court ruling as an “intellectually bankrupt, nonsensical methodology" for determining whether a gun-possession charge is constitutional.</p><p>“What cases like Carbajal-Flores’ help demonstrate is that if you take that nonsensical methodology and apply it with any sort of rigor and consistency, you likely have to end up striking down statutes” as Coleman did, he says.</p><p>Gulasekaram, who is an expert on the federal law that prohibits non-citizens from possessing guns, says he knows of only one other federal judge — in Texas — who dismissed a gun case against an undocumented immigrant based on reasoning similar to Coleman’s.</p><p>Most judges who’ve considered such cases against immigrants have upheld the underlying laws — but Gulasekaram says those rulings are largely wrong.</p><p>“I think they’ve generally gotten away with their sloppy or cursory analyses because the subjects of regulation — unlawfully present non-citizens — are a numerically small and politically unpopular group,” he says.</p><p>Like Gulasekaram, Briskman says Coleman made the right call in light of the Bruen ruling.</p><p>“Certainly it’s given me a lot of arguments as a criminal defense attorney,” Briskman says of the Bruen decision. “And certainly it’s given me a lot of pause as a community member.”</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-portrait-right>
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>U.S. District Court</p></div></div>
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</div><p>Andrew Willinger, a Duke University law professor, says the problem with Coleman’s approach is that “it burdens courts with making fact-specific determinations in each individual case,” like when Coleman found Carbajal-Flores not to be dangerous.</p><p>The Supreme Court might clarify its thinking in a ruling expected this year in another gun case, this one involving a federal law that bans people who face domestic-violence restraining orders from having guns.</p><p>Gulasekaram says Coleman’s ruling means other non-citizens without violent backgrounds could successfully challenge their gun prosecutions. </p><p>Willinger doubts Coleman’s reasoning will catch on, though, because of the burden that case-by-case assessments would create.</p><p>Ellis, one of the judges who found the felon-in-possession law unconstitutional, identified a separate problem in her order last month. She said the Bruen ruling itself thrusts judges into a new role, one that she said she felt ill-suited to fill, that of "playing historian.”</p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/the-watchdogs/2024/03/29/bruen-supreme-court-operation-legend-heriberto-carbajal-flores-george-floydJon SeidelFrank MainTom Schuba2024-03-29T06:00:00-05:002024-03-29T06:00:01.685-05:00Green jobs are out there. Let's get more women to fill them.
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<img class="Image" alt="Chicago Region Trees Initiative operations manager Melissa Custic (right) and steward Mia Howerton (left) demonstrate how to properly plant a tree during a tree planting ceremony to celebrate Shriners Children’s Chicago hospital’s 100th anniversary outside the hospital, Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2022. " srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/0f31017/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5040x2829+0+0/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Ffa%2Fb3%2Fb47fc4054811bfcdf4d4be3294a6%2Fshriners-100522-3.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/81812cf/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5040x2829+0+0/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Ffa%2Fb3%2Fb47fc4054811bfcdf4d4be3294a6%2Fshriners-100522-3.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Workers from the Chicago Region Trees Initiative demonstrate how to properly plant a tree during a tree planting ceremony outside Shriners Children’s Chicago Hospital, Oct. 4, 2022. Too few women are part of the green industry sector, which includes conservation jobs like tree-planting.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Pat Nabong/Sun-Times</p></div></div>
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<p>In an era marked by increasing environmental awareness and urgency to save the planet, it's critical to bring more diversity to the green industry. Despite its importance, the field remains predominantly male, with only 10% women. </p><p>The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics defines green jobs as those that produce goods or services that benefit the environment or conserve natural resources, including in ecological restoration, forestry, landscaping and renewable energy. As a woman in this field, I have learned technical skills like operating a chainsaw and climbing trees, gained fieldwork experience in both natural areas and urban green spaces and obtained credentials like becoming an International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborist. </p><p>The work is incredibly varied and dynamic. Yet for an industry that aligns itself in preserving and protecting “Mother Nature" and the female role nurturing all life forms on earth, there are too few women doing this impactful work.</p><p>A primary barrier has been the perception of physical labor and long hours, which typically appeal to men and have been tied to traditional societal norms. While this type of work may not appeal to everyone, there is not nearly enough representation or education on career paths to help underrepresented groups, like women, understand the opportunities available to them. One way to address this perception barrier is to emphasize the industry's benefits; for instance, outdoor work contributes to better mental and physical health and also offers a fulfilling career for anyone seeking a break from the confines of an office setting.</p><div class="RichTextSidebarModule Enhancement" data-module data-align-center><a class="AnchorLink" id="module-4e0000" name="module-4e0000"></a>
<div class="RichTextSidebarModule-title">Opinion bug</div>
<div class="RichTextModule-items RichTextBody"><h2>Opinion</h2></div>
</div><p>Moreover, the green industry is experiencing unprecedented growth. Based on data from the Urban Forestry 2020 Project, the projected growth and job opportunities in urban forestry in the U.S. is 5%-17%, varying by region. And new government programs will bring a historic level of investment in green infrastructure, clean and renewable energy, and nature-based solutions for sustainable development. For example, the Inflation Reduction Act will invest $1.5 billion in urban and community forestry through the U.S. Forest Service, promoting increased tree canopy cover and proper maintenance of urban forests. </p><h3>Career paths through education, mentorship</h3><p>Fortunately, there are many ways women can enter the industry. Parts of the green industry sector are recognized as skilled trades that utilize apprenticeship or earn-as-you-learn models, and provide participants with the equivalent of college-level education, mentorship and hands-on learning. One such example is the Openlands’ Arborist Registered Apprenticeship program, which I oversee. It's the first and only Department of Labor-approved Registered Apprenticeship for Arboriculture in Illinois. </p><p>Initiatives like these provide an opportunity for professional development and a career, and also connect people with peers who can share knowledge, resources and support.</p><p>Even in a male-dominated industry, women have found opportunities to support one another. An example is the Women’s Tree Climbing Workshop, where participants join industry leaders to learn and expand tree climbing skills. The workshop provides technical learning, but it also fosters community and belonging.</p><p>Additionally, companies and organizations are promoting networking opportunities for women. Events like the International Society of Arboriculture Annual Conference and the Tree Care Industry Association Annual Expo host programs to connect and empower women professionals in the field.</p><p>Despite these positive examples, there's still more work to be done. Companies and organizations must prioritize diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and invest in training and professional development for all individuals, regardless of gender. </p><p>The green industry is responsible for sustainable development, combating climate change, and taking care of our natural resources. As stewards of the environment and advocates for our planet, it’s imperative that we encourage and empower more women to pursue careers in this field. By breaking down barriers and fostering inclusivity, we can build a greener, more equitable future for generations to come.</p><p><i>Katie Fleming is the senior forestry program manager at Openlands, where she oversees the Arborist Registered Apprenticeship program.</i></p><p><i>The Sun-Times welcomes letters to the editor and op-eds. </i><a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/pages/submitting-op-eds-and-letters" target="_blank" ><i>See our guidelines</i></a><i>.</i></p><p><i>The views and opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Chicago Sun-Times or any of its affiliates.</i></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/2024/03/28/women-green-jobs-career-opportunities-apprenticeships-katie-fleming-openlandsKatie Fleming2024-03-29T06:00:00-05:002024-03-29T06:00:00.216-05:00Dear Abby: Calls from friend who talks nonstop can be exhausting
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<p><b>DEAR ABBY:</b> I have a friend who talks nonstop. Honestly, I can put the phone down and go make a cup of tea, and she'll still be talking when I get back. I don't think she even takes a breath. I want to tell her she sometimes needs to ask questions or seek the opinions of others. How can I do this without hurting her feelings?</p><p>She has many good qualities. She's knowledgeable on many topics, she's artistic and she's a good cook. She is just exhausting to be around. I feel bad for her and her husband. Her children are good, productive citizens. But man, oh man, I dread getting a call from her. Advice? <i>— OVERWHELMED IN GEORGIA</i></p><p><b>DEAR OVERWHELMED:</b> There's a reason why you are drained after those phone calls. Your friend is a compulsive talker and a "sapper." (A sapper is someone who gains energy by draining it from others.) The next time she calls, have a stopwatch handy and make a note of the length of time she rambles on and on. Then point out that although she may be unaware of it, she talked at you for (insert number) minutes.</p><p>Then suggest she dial it back and consider asking an occasional question and including you in the conversation, because what she has been doing is exhausting. She may not like what you are saying, but she really needs to hear it.</p><p>P.S. Consider screening your calls so that if you don't have the energy to talk with the woman, you can avoid listening to her.</p><p><b>DEAR ABBY:</b> My husband and I are planning a cruise to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary as well as his retirement next year. We invited my brother and his wife, "Rita," to join us. Because my brother has always wanted to visit our cruise destination, they accepted.</p><p>Rita then shared our cruise plans with her brother and his wife, "Jewel." Jewel expressed interest in the destination and said she wouldn't mind going. In response, Rita welcomed them to join us! When I was told this, Rita said her brother doesn't like cruises and probably wouldn't want to go, so I just let it go. Still, I am annoyed at her presumptuousness.</p><p>Am I wrong to feel the way I do about her inviting her family without first asking if it was OK with me and my husband? Rita did say she was sorry for inviting them, but I'm still annoyed. I love my brother and sister-in-law, and I'd hate to cause family drama. I'd welcome your thoughts. <i>— CRUISING IN HAWAII</i></p><p><b>DEAR CRUISING:</b> I agree that what Rita did was presumptuous. It was also thoughtless. She did not have the right to invite anyone along on your holiday. IF Jewel tells Rita that she and her husband HAVE decided to come, it will then be Rita's responsibility to straighten the matter out by rescinding the invitation, and you should "sweetly" make that clear to her.</p><p><i>Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.</i></p><p>Abby shares more than 100 of her favorite recipes in two booklets: "Abby's Favorite Recipes" and "More Favorite Recipes by Dear Abby." Send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $16 (U.S. funds), to: Dear Abby, Cookbooklet Set, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Shipping and handling are included in the price.)</p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/dear-abby/2024/03/29/dear-abby-calls-from-friend-who-talks-nonstop-can-be-exhaustingAbigail Van Buren2024-03-29T05:30:00-05:002024-03-29T05:29:59.432-05:00Why are Americans so skeptical about a rosy economy?
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<img class="Image" alt="Inflation Rose 3.2% In February. A woman shops for groceries, with produce in the background, baked goods and a $6.99 sign." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/aeae842/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3681x2066+0+0/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F21%2F1d%2Ff8e234f74559bb88b76b67cf7d3d%2F2078897677.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/84148c7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3681x2066+0+0/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F21%2F1d%2Ff8e234f74559bb88b76b67cf7d3d%2F2078897677.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>A customer shops for food at a grocery store on March 12 in San Rafael, California. According to a report by the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, inflation rose by 3.2% for the 12 months ended in February, up slightly from January’s 3.1%. </p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Justin Sullivan/Getty</p></div></div>
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<p>The economy is growing, unemployment is low, wages are up, and inflation is down. However, the American people remain grumpy about the state of the economy. This puzzle was just investigated by four economists. They found that people often know that something is wrong even if statistics don't reflect the problem. In this case, people are perceiving that inflation is still, in fact, high.</p><p>For months now, Americans have been told that inflation's downward trend, from almost 9% annually to around 3%, should make them feel good about the economy. But it isn't working. A recent Gallup poll found that 63% say the state of the economy is getting worse and 45% think it's already "poor." One reason, many have speculated, is that while the rate at which prices are rising might have slowed considerably, prices remain very high. Food and rent in particular are still expensive. These prices are felt everyday by Americans when they pay for their housing and go to the supermarket.</p><p>But that's not all. A new study from the National Bureau of Economic Research by economists Marijn Bolhuis, Judd Cramer, Karl Schulz and Larry Summers finds that a change in the method used to estimate inflation today, compared to the method used in the 1980s, might well cause an underestimation of the true level of inflation.</p><div class="RichTextSidebarModule Enhancement" data-module data-align-center><a class="AnchorLink" id="module-810000" name="module-810000"></a>
<div class="RichTextSidebarModule-title">Opinion bug</div>
<div class="RichTextModule-items RichTextBody"><h2>Opinion</h2></div>
</div><p>The paper, "The Cost of Money Is Part of the Cost of Living," highlights the overlooked impact of the highest borrowing costs consumers have faced in decades. From mortgages to car loans to credit-card debt, those costs are up.</p><p>As the authors explain, the pre-1983 measure of inflation (the Consumer Price Index) counted the price and interest rate Americans paid to buy housing. The newer measure is based on what it costs to <i>rent</i> housing. Another way to think about it is if you buy a house this month, the monthly payments will be much higher than if you bought one three years ago. The same is true of a car or other purchase. But measuring inflation based on rental costs, which may not incorporate the sky-high interest rates of a new purchase, doesn't reflect that difference.</p><p>As Summers, the Treasury Secretary under President Bill Clinton, noted on X, formerly Twitter, "Pre-1983, mortgage costs were in the CPI as were car payments pre-1998. Now, price indexes do not include borrowing costs. Thus, when interest rates jumped last year, official inflation did not fully capture the effects it would have on consumer well-being."</p><h3>Consumer confidence isn’t a matter of data and models</h3><p>Indeed, if we measured inflation as we did in the 1970s, the inflation that started in 2021 would have peaked at 18%, double its reported peak. That's higher than the worst of the 1970 and '80s. Inflation's current annual rate would be about 8%.</p><p>As Summers notes, measuring inflation the pre-1983 way helps explain "70% of the gap in consumer sentiment we saw last year." Not surprisingly,<br>Americans have a better sense of the state of the economy and their daily lives than the economists who focus mostly on data, models and indexes for information about the world.</p><p>I assume this paper by Summers and co-authors will revive the debate about how we should measure inflation. John Cochrane, over at the Grumpy Economist Substack, observes that to answer this question properly, you have to ask first what you're trying to measure:</p><p>"The new way is closer to right, if the question is to measure changes in the cost of living right now for the average person. ... Most people live in older houses with fixed mortgages, so higher prices and mortgage rates for new houses don't affect them. People who rent don't care. While higher interest rates are a cost to borrowers, and higher house prices a cost to buyers, higher interest rates are higher income to savers and higher house prices a boon to downsizers. Those wash on average."</p><p>But if the question instead is whether Americans feel that their lives are improving from a few years ago based on the idea that inflation is allegedly falling and they can rent a house just like theirs for less money, then the answer is different.</p><p>The bottom line is that, while the question of how best to measure inflation has no single and straightforward answer, one mystery has been clearly solved by Summers and his co-authors. People aren't crazy. Even if every media outlet and the president continue to insist that ordinary Americans' lives are getting better because of falling inflation, we know that's not right.</p><p><i>Veronique de Rugy is the George Gibbs Chair in Political Economy and a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.</i></p><p><i>Mona Charen is off this week.</i></p><p><i>The Sun-Times welcomes letters to the editor and op-eds. </i><a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/pages/submitting-op-eds-and-letters" target="_blank" ><i>See our guidelines</i></a><i>.</i><br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/2024/03/28/inflation-consumer-price-index-americans-confident-economic-studies-veronique-de-rugy-columnVeronique de Rugy2024-03-29T05:00:00-05:002024-03-29T04:59:59.771-05:00Rising cocoa prices have Chicago chocolate sellers feeling the pinch
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<img class="Image" alt="A worker arranges Easter chocolate on display at Katherine Anne Confections in Irving Park." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/af53ae5/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4176x2344+0+220/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fbf%2F0f%2Ff8b19a34658052d01f813139cb2c%2F388c-x487-3d65-7.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d85a5e2/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4176x2344+0+220/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fbf%2F0f%2Ff8b19a34658052d01f813139cb2c%2F388c-x487-3d65-7.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Katherine Anne Confections in Irving Park prepares for the Easter season with a display of holiday chocolates on Thursday.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Paul Beaty/For The Sun-Times</p></div></div>
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<p>Ahead of Easter on Sunday, exquisite chocolate treats are on display at Katherine Anne Confections in Irving Park. Chocolate eggs are filled with peanut butter praline and crispy quinoa. Chubby chocolate bunnies are stuffed with lemon ganache and vanilla bean marshmallow.</p><p>Then there are the truffles: chocolates flavored with stout-infused caramel; Michigan raspberries and champagne; coffee and cream; citrus and lemongrass; Crème de menthe liqueur and other decadent ingredients.</p><p>It’s a sweet array even though the prices have gone up. One truffle now costs $3.25 compared to $2.75 in 2019. A box of eight eggs or bunnies, new this year, sells for $32, about 20% more than what prices would have been in 2023, said owner Katherine Anne Duncan.</p><p>Chocolate makers and food businesses big and small are feeling the impact of soaring global cocoa prices — the main ingredient in chocolate — and it's also hitting consumers. </p><p>Blommer Chocolate Co. last week dropped a bombshell when it announced the <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/money/2024/03/22/blommer-chocolate-close-chicago-factory" >closure of its iconic factory</a>, known for wafting mouth-watering aromas across the city. High costs of running the original 1939 chocolate factory in Fulton River District were the main reason for the decision. But its parent company, Fuji Oil Holdings, also cited “skyrocketing cocoa prices” for the candymaker’s “extraordinary losses” in fiscal year 2023.</p><p>Other treat businesses are also feeling the pinch. Mindy’s Bakery in Wicker Park, 623 N. Milwaukee Ave., uses plenty of chocolate in its cookies, brownies, cakes and hot chocolate. Prices of all its chocolate products — unsweetened, milk, dark, white, cocoa powder and decorations — have increased in the last year, Mindy's executive pastry chef Bo Durham said in an emailed statement.</p><p>Global chocolate prices are poised to climb even higher. Cocoa futures have surged this year, roughly doubling since the start of 2024. Rising temperatures and weather conditions have stressed and damaged cocoa crops in West Africa, which produces more than 70% of the global cocoa supply. Sugar prices are also rising. Futures for a pound of sugar are up about 8% in 2024, after rising 2.7% in 2023.</p><p>Food companies typically respond to higher costs in different ways such as using less chocolate, substituting ingredients or even shrinking the serving size, also known as <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/2023/5/30/23737578/shrinkflation-retail-food-groceries-consumers" >“shrinkflation.”</a></p><p>But at Katherine Anne Confections, “we are not reducing what chocolate we use, as high-quality chocolate is extremely important to us. But we definitely are raising prices,” Duncan said. She anticipates raising the price of a cup of drinking chocolate from $6 currently to $6.75 or even $7 in the next few months.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
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<img class="Image" alt="Katherine Anne Duncan stands inside her namesake chocolate store." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/765e179/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4176x2344+0+220/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F91%2Fbc%2F0bfd5e20fd51406361eb806e9f30%2F1e7f-x452-5409-7.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8e0d0d1/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4176x2344+0+220/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F91%2Fbc%2F0bfd5e20fd51406361eb806e9f30%2F1e7f-x452-5409-7.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Katherine Anne Duncan, owner of Katherine Anne Confections, at her Irving Park store.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Paul Beaty/For The Sun-Times</p></div></div>
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</div><p>The cost of chocolate from her San Francisco supplier has been increasing annually by 8% to 10% for almost a decade. Katherine Anne Confections uses about two tons of fair trade chocolate each year from Guittard Chocolate Co.</p><p>Mindy’s Bakery has tried to keep prices down, Durham said, “but as a business we have to make the decision to make money and carry on. We have not changed any of our recipes but are more conscientious about our usage and to avoid waste at all cost.”</p><p>A bag of its hot chocolate mix now sells for $30, up from $20 before the pandemic at the restaurant that predated Mindy’s, Durham said.</p><p>Food giants like Chicago's Mondelēz International, which owns chocolate brands Cadbury and Milka, are also not immune to the price hikes. The company raised chocolate prices by up to 15% last year and would consider additional price increases to help meet 2024 revenue growth forecasts.</p><p>Hershey said "historic" cocoa prices would limit earnings this year, in its 2024 outlook report released last month. “Given where cocoa prices are, we will be using every tool in our toolbox, including pricing, as a way to manage the business,” Hershey CEO Michele Buck said, during an investor call last month.</p><p>The latest report from the U.S. government’s Consumer Price Index showed the cost of candy and other sweets rose 5.8% in February compared with a year ago.</p><p>Yet, people are still consuming plenty of sweets, and the National Confectioners Association estimates sales this Easter season will surpass $5 billion. Overall, it said U.S. confectionery sales, including chocolate, candy, gum and mints, hit $48 billion in 2023 and are projected to reach $61 billion by 2028. </p><p>At Katherine Anne Confections, business is still good even though expenses are up all around, not just for chocolate. Other ingredients and supplies are also costlier due to high inflation during the pandemic. For example, compostable cups and lids used to cost 15 cents in 2019 and are now up to 50 cents, Duncan said.</p><p>The confectioner opened her first shop in Logan Square, at 2745 W. Armitage St., in 2012 and her second location last year in Irving Park, 3653 W. Irving Park Road. She said Easter sales are slower this year, though it’s unclear why.</p><p>But Duncan remains optimistic. Her customers are different than typical chocolate bar snackers. Higher prices might deter some, but “once they try our products and realize how truly delicious they are, then they’re invested,” she said.</p><p><i>Contributing: Associated Press</i></p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
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<img class="Image" alt="Tray of chocolates" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e9a7c86/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3654x2051+0+193/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F65%2F67%2Fb15e50ad6f3dd2d424176fb19f5d%2F4e88-x491-09bd-7.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/cb41e5a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3654x2051+0+193/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F65%2F67%2Fb15e50ad6f3dd2d424176fb19f5d%2F4e88-x491-09bd-7.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>A tray of chocolate is prepared at Katherine Anne Confections.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Paul Beaty/For The Sun-Times</p></div></div>
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https://chicago.suntimes.com/money/2024/03/29/cocoa-prices-chicago-chocolate-sellers-blommer-hersheyAmy Yee2024-03-29T00:01:00-05:002024-03-29T00:01:00.472-05:00Horoscope for Friday, March 29, 2024
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<h2>Moon Alert</h2><p>Avoid shopping or important decisions from 10:15 a.m. to 3 p.m. After that, the moon moves from Scorpio into Sagittarius.</p><h2>Aries (March 21-April 19)</h2><p>You might feel sympathetic and supportive to someone, which is why you will want to help them out in a practical or financial way. Be aware of the limitations of the moon alert. Avoid important decisions during that time. Be helpful, but don't give away the farm.</p><h2>Taurus (April 20-May 20)</h2><p>This is an excellent day for a heart-to-heart conversation with a close friend, partner or spouse. You can have an honest exchange with someone, which will be meaningful. The trick is to avoid agreeing to anything important during the moon alert.</p><h2>Gemini (May 21-June 20)</h2><p>This morning you might want to help a friend; or conversely, you might seek someone's help, especially at work or pertaining to your health. After the moon alert is over, a discussion with a partner or close friend might improve things in a major way.</p><h2>Cancer (June 21-July 22)</h2><p>Explore your creative potential this morning because you're in touch with your muse. (In fact, creative projects are always excellent to explore during any moon alert.) Later in the day, look for ways to introduce reforms to your work or improve your health.</p><h2>Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)</h2><p>A family member might need your help today, or perhaps you will make an appeal to a family member for assistance? Either way, you feel sympathetic toward relatives. After the moon alert is over, enjoy social opportunities. Accept invitations to schmooze or party.</p><h2>Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)</h2><p>This morning your idealism is aroused along with your imagination. You might spend time daydreaming or being lost in a fantasy world. This is a very creative time for writing and exploring the arts. After the moon alert is over, you might want to make home improvements.</p><h2>Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)</h2><p>Be careful with financial decisions or shopping today because in the morning, you might be tempted to buy something impractical but elegant or luxurious. Then comes the moon alert. Bad time to spend money. However, after the alert is over, you will be decisive.</p><h2>Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)</h2><p>This is a lovely day to schmooze with others because you feel warm, friendly and sympathetic. Enjoy casual outings, sports events and fun activities with kids. Once the moon alert is over today, you'll be resourceful and see new ways to use your assets and possessions.</p><h2>Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)</h2><p>You might feel a bit reclusive this morning. Some will seek out opportunities to meditate or enjoy private moments. However, after the moon alert is over, the moon moves into your sign, which will heighten your emotional energy in a big way. Your luck will improve as well. Bonus!</p><h2>Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)</h2><p>A warm connection with a friend or a member of a group might be meaningful to you today. Nevertheless, during the moon alert, do not agree to anything important; wait until it is over. Later in the day, you will welcome opportunities to enjoy some privacy.</p><h2>Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)</h2><p>This morning you're high visibility. People notice you. In fact, some people know personal details about your life. During the moon alert today, do not volunteer for anything or make important decisions. Afterward, enjoy schmoozing with friends and groups!</p><h2>Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)</h2><p>Feelings of escapism are strong this morning. You might want to travel or explore a new world through the internet, film or books. You will also enjoy talking to people from different backgrounds. After the moon alert is over, you might get the attention of bosses or authority figures. Someone will listen to you.</p><h2>If Your Birthday Is Today</h2><p>Actor Brendan Gleeson (1955) shares your birthday. You are observant. You approach life with a slow, steady determination. You are polite, sensitive and honest. This year is about work and building foundations in your life both physical and external as well as internal structures. You will thrive and will accomplish much.<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/horoscopes/2024/03/29/horoscopes-today-friday-march-29-2024Georgia Nicols2024-03-28T23:37:11.585-05:002024-03-29T02:00:54.241-05:00Terrence Shannon Jr. leads Illinois past Iowa State, into Elite Eight meeting with UConn
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<img class="Image" alt="APTOPIX NCAA Illinois Iowa State Basketball" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ccb3ff5/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4873x2735+0+257/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fa9%2F7c%2F2989b2ba48ac928127ccb6c90985%2Fap24089099887242.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/da87b52/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4873x2735+0+257/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fa9%2F7c%2F2989b2ba48ac928127ccb6c90985%2Fap24089099887242.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Illinois guard Terrence Shannon Jr. celebrates after his dunk against Iowa State during the first half of the Sweet 16 college basketball game in the men’s NCAA Tournament, Thursday, March 28, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Steven Senne/AP</p></div></div>
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<p>BOSTON — Beads of water sparkled on the TV screens that hung inside Illinois' locker room in the depths of TD Garden. </p><p>As coach Brad Underwood emerged, his hair — dripping wet — hung in his eyes as he smiled. </p><p>"I got a very cold shower," he said. </p><p>That shower was provided courtesy of super soaker water guns, which have become a postgame trademark of the Illini's Tournament run. Thursday, after knocking off No. 3-seeded Iowa State 72-69 to set up an Elite Eight meeting — their first since 2005 — with No. 1-seeded UConn on Saturday, Illinois celebrated with a good ol'-fashioned water fight. </p><p>"This team doesn't fear the moment," Underwood said. </p><p>No, they don't. </p><p>Not even when Illinois' star, Terrence Shannon Jr. was sent to the bench with four fouls nine minutes into the second half did Underwood's team show any signs of panic. </p><p>Is Illinois a better team with Shannon on the bench? Don't be silly. Of course not, but as he sat there for the next five minutes, the Illini maintained their lead.</p><p>But that doesn't mean Underwood wasn't sweating. </p><p>"Both," he said when asked if he was worried about losing his star. "That's an elite defender that's not in the game." </p><p>Illinois had an eight-point lead when Shannon picked up his fourth foul. The Cyclones chipped away at it, coming within two points twice, but never took the lead or even tied the score in the second half. Less than a minute after checking back into the game, Shannon knocked down a three from the corner in front of the bench he had just come off of. </p><p>"To do that cold shows he stayed in the game mentally," Underwood said. "He was always cheering and excited in the time-outs and on the bench. He was dialed in mentally. That's not an easy thing to do to, step in and bury a three."</p><p>Shannon finished with 29 points, shooting 10-for-19 from the field and 4-for-10 from three. He scored nine points in the second half, playing just six minutes. </p><p>Forget the late tipoff time. From the moment the ball was thrown up at center court, the Illini and every fan in attendance cheering for them were charged up. Their power source was, once again, Shannon.</p><p>As the stakes get higher, he seemingly only gets better. </p><p>The first half was littered with highlights from Shannon, but none sent a stronger message than what followed his second steal of the night 12 minutes into the game. After he picked off a pass from Iowa State forward Milan Momcilovic, Shannon broke out into the open court and took off through the air from just past the free-throw line. He threw down a dunk with the kind of force reserved for March's maddest moments and stood in front of the crowd under the basket for an instant, basking in his dominance. </p><p>"He's a dog," forward Quincy Guerrier said. "One of the best players in the country." </p><p>There is no questioning Shannon's Tournament brilliance, but Thursday's win over Iowa State exemplified other qualities that will be necessary to compete in Saturday's matchup with UConn. </p><p>Struggling on the offensive end with Shannon on the bench, Illinois flipped the script and went toe-to-toe with Iowa State's top-ranked defense. The Illini defended the three-point line well, forced tough twos and never wilted under the pressure of the second half. </p><p>"A lot of our conversation before the game was 'ya, they're the No. 1 defense, but we can guard, too,'" guard Luke Goode said. </p><p>In the final minute of the game, Illinois once again puffed out its chest and demonstrated the fearlessness Underwood has praised his team for. That fearlessness was necessary after they went 15-for-29 from the free-throw line. </p><p>In the waning seconds, Iowa State guard Curtis Jones made it a three-point game with three makes from the line. Illinois got the ball into the hands of their March magician — Shannon — on the ensuing inbound play. He was fouled and iced the game with two made free throws. </p><p>Thursday's win provided an already confident Illinois team with more belief. As they sat, soaked in the remnants of their celebratory water-gun fight one phrase was being repeated. </p><p>"We have three more games to go," Goode said. </p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2024/03/29/terrence-shannon-jr-leads-illinois-past-iowa-state-and-into-an-elite-eight-meeting-with-uconnAnnie Costabile2024-03-28T22:16:01.946-05:002024-03-28T23:23:38.478-05:00Bad Bunny fans show off trap, western wear as Most Wanted Tour kicks off at United Center
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<img class="Image" alt="BAD BUNNY at the United Center on Thursday, March 28, 2024-032924-3.jpeg" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8f06352/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fa5%2F18%2F195980df43d1ba05b4909d6a1ede%2Fbadbunny-032924-3.jpeg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/af68dbd/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fa5%2F18%2F195980df43d1ba05b4909d6a1ede%2Fbadbunny-032924-3.jpeg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Bad Bunny opens a three-night stand at the United Center on Thursday night. </p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere /Sun-Times</p></div></div>
</figure>
<p>Bell-bottoms, bandannas and cowboy hats were on full display as Bad Bunny fans flocked to the United Center Thursday for the first of the mega-star's three sold-out shows in Chicago. </p><p>Many concertgoers' outfits were inspired by the cover of the Puerto Rican native's latest album, "Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana," released in October. </p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
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<img class="Image" alt="Janise Cordero (left) and her sister Jessica show off their Puerto Rican pride outside United Center ahead of the first of three Bad Bunny shows on Thursday." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7fdaee6/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Ff3%2Feb%2F3311e186d42eebbeac17ab7f9d40%2F0c51-x121-3584-7.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b742595/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Ff3%2Feb%2F3311e186d42eebbeac17ab7f9d40%2F0c51-x121-3584-7.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Janise Cordero (left) and her sister Jessica show off their Puerto Rican pride outside United Center ahead of the first of three Bad Bunny shows on Thursday.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times</p></div></div>
</figure>
</div>
</div><p>Sandra Walker, 27, and Dane Blackwell, 31, said they tried to mesh western-wear with Bad Bunny's origins in trap music. </p><p>"We were inspired by his whole cowboy vibes, but he’s also a trap artist, so I was trying to go for trap meets western," Walker said. "I love everything about him. His music, his style, the way he writes his songs, he’s so real."</p><p>She said the singer has returned to his roots with his new album. </p><p>"When he first started on SoundCloud it was all trap, and so when he came out with this new album I feel like it all came full circle. Because that’s how we all knew him as — the die-hard fans." </p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
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<img class="Image" alt="Dane Blackwell (left) and his partner, Sandra Walker, were inspired by Bad Bunny's western-meets-trap vibes." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/bb608bb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fa8%2F99%2F27c51cff2c46f37f10e1e9bcb31e%2F42dc-x117-322a-7.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/110ed55/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fa8%2F99%2F27c51cff2c46f37f10e1e9bcb31e%2F42dc-x117-322a-7.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Dane Blackwell (left) and his partner, Sandra Walker, were inspired by Bad Bunny’s western-meets-trap vibes.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times</p></div></div>
</figure>
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</div><p>Brothers Oliver Pantoja, 23, and Isaac Pantoja, 19, said they threw their outfits together after getting tickets to the show at the last minute. Both wore sunglasses — the singer is well-known for sporting many styles — and Isaac in a cowboy hat. </p><p>"He represents a lot of underrepresented groups, and it’s cool that he welcomes a lot of them," Oliver said. "Whether you’re a person of color, gay, straight, trans. His music falls under this huge umbrella that it’s for anyone. I'm looking forward to the whole thing. We’re just really excited." </p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
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<img class="Image" alt="Bad Bunny plays to a sold out crowd Thursday night at the United Center in Chicago." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d6e5c36/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F71%2F7d%2F4e5c7dc64a15a324151cc30ea236%2Fbadbunny-032924-16.jpeg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/107da1c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F71%2F7d%2F4e5c7dc64a15a324151cc30ea236%2Fbadbunny-032924-16.jpeg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Bad Bunny plays to a sold out crowd Thursday night at the United Center in Chicago.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times</p></div></div>
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Isaac Pantoja (left) and his brother Oliver arrive at the United Center Thursday for Bad Bunny’s concert. “He represents a lot of underrepresented groups, and it’s cool that he welcomes a lot of them,” Oliver says of the superstar.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times</p></div></div>
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</div><p>For 19-year-old Sandy Yanez, Thursday's show was her first concert ever. She wore a cowboy hat with jeweled hearts dangling from the brim.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
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<img class="Image" alt="Sandy Yanez says Thursday's Bad Bunny show was her first concert ever. " srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8a55f60/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fe1%2Fe7%2F18665795418f7be18564579d3106%2F532f-x114-4dea-7.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/2edc9c7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fe1%2Fe7%2F18665795418f7be18564579d3106%2F532f-x114-4dea-7.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Sandy Yanez says Thursday’s Bad Bunny show was her first concert ever. </p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times</p></div></div>
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</div><p>Mother-daughter duo Teresa Mata, 57, and Carolina Mata, 24, have made seeing Bad Bunny live a tradition: Thursday's show was Teresa's third Bad Bunny concert, while Carolina has been to five. </p><p>"I love this album so much, it’s so different," Carolina said. "I think it’s going to be so much fun, especially because I'm with her. We love him. We love the energy that he brings every time he’s in Chicago."</p><p>"You’re never too old for Bad Bunny. I love everything about him," Teresa said. </p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
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<img class="Image" alt="Mother-daughter duo Teresa Mata, 57, and Carolina Mata, 24, said they've made seeing Bad Bunny live their tradition. This will be Teresa's third Bad Bunny concert, while Carolina says it'll be her fifth.
"I love this album so much, it’s so different," Carolina said. "I think it’s going to be so much fun, especially because I'm with her. We love him. We love the energy that he brings every time he’s in Chicago."" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/247b6c4/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F0b%2Fe4%2F8b95b67e129cdb26ff2726b5d50b%2F46b2-x116-0884-7.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/43830ac/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F0b%2Fe4%2F8b95b67e129cdb26ff2726b5d50b%2F46b2-x116-0884-7.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Teresa Mata, 57, and her daughter Carolina, 24, have seen Bad Bunny a combined eight times. “You’re never too old for Bad Bunny,” Teresa says.<br></p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times</p></div></div>
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</div><p>Sisters Jessica Cordero, 29, and Janise Cordero, 36, wore matching cowboy hats and boots. The two, who were born and raised in Puerto Rico, moved to Chicago a few years ago. They said they jumped at the opportunity to see him perform in their new hometown. </p><p>"We are from Puerto Rico, so we have to be here," Janise said. "We love his music and how he expresses his love of us and Puerto Rico." <br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/entertainment-and-culture/2024/03/28/trap-meets-western-fans-dress-for-the-occasion-as-bad-bunny-kicks-off-chicago-leg-of-the-most-wanted-tourCindy Hernandez