The latest
Youth programs could deter gun violence as pandemic closes schools, coach says
Since June 22, five children 10 years old or younger have died from gun violence in Chicago, according to Sun-Times records. Ernest Radcliffe, the founder and director of several youth sports programs, including “The Show” baseball team and Wolfpack football, called the recent fatal shootings involving minors “disturbing” and “troubling.”
“I felt in my heart, I needed to step up,” he said. “It’s a proven fact that if we capture our youth at a young age and put them in something that’s very positive, put them in youth sports, that they will prosper and move on to be better people.”
Radcliffe asked for more funding and proper resources to help the youth sports organizations connect with children and teens throughout the city. This is especially paramount now, Wolfpack coach Rynell Morgan said, with the coronavirus pandemic forcing schools to go online this fall.
“With the pandemic that’s going on throughout the country and throughout the world, it is very important that we have programs for these kids to do something,” Morgan said.
Radcliffe also called on the YMCA and Park District to bring back their youth programming amid the pandemic.
Read the full story from Madeline Kenney here.
News
11:58 a.m. Sister Jean discusses quarantining, basketball’s fate, life lessons ahead of 101st birthday
One year ago Friday, Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt peered over a large birthday cake and blew out her special “1-0-0” candles burning in front of a crowd of several hundred at Damen Student Center.
It was the party of the century — at least in Sister Jean’s eyes. There was cake, appearances by Gov. J.B. Pritzker along with other prominent Illinoisans, and a star-studded video tribute featuring NBA legend Charles Barkley, Bears owner Virginia McCaskey and former Cubs manager Joe Maddon among many others.
But what made it extremely special, she said, was the opportunity to share her 100th birthday with the Loyola community of students, faculty and alumni.
“It was a wonderful day,” Sister Jean recalled.
Due to the ongoing pandemic, Loyola can’t do the same this year when Sister Jean celebrates her 101st birthday, a milestone she said she wasn’t sure she’d reach. But they’re going to do what she believes is the next best thing — hold a virtual birthday party Friday. And Loyola’s No. 1 fan is welcoming everyone to be part of her special day.
See more of Madeline Kenney’s conversation with Sister Jean here.
7:28 a.m. Eviction risk of 250K Cook County homes if state doesn’t extend moratorium, Sheriff Dart warns
Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart Wednesday urged Gov. J.B. Pritzker to extend the state’s evictions moratorium past the expiration date this weekend as residents await funding assistance that is still being doled out.
In a letter to Pritzker and Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans, Dart warned that not extending the moratorium past Saturday would put as many as 250,000 households in the county at risk of eviction.
Evicting residents during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dart wrote, would force them to go to homeless shelters or the homes of friends and families, increasing the risk of exposure in the community.
“Like you, I have been tremendously concerned about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, not just on the health and safety of residents, but on the economic future of the entire community,” Dart wrote. “The evictions moratorium set to expire on August 22nd has been a critical component of ensuring economic stability along with government efforts to aid both tenants and property owners.”
Reporter David Struett has the full story.
New Cases
- Illinois’ coronavirus climb took another dangerous step up Wednesday as health officials announced an additional 2,295 Illinoisans have contracted COVID-19, the latest nearly three-month high for the state.
- The newest cases were confirmed among a record-high 50,299 tests reported to the state, but they were still enough to raise Illinois’ testing positivity rate over the last week to 4.4%, the number experts look to to gauge how quickly the virus is spreading. It had been down to 2.5% last month.
Analysis & Commentary
7:53 a.m. Chicago schools plan for remote learning falls woefully short
In a letter to the Sun-Times editors, Muriel Balla of Hyde Park writes:
I’m not surprised the Chicago Teachers Union objects to the fall framework for remote learning presented by the Chicago Public Schools. I, too, object.
The CPS press release says nothing about additional staff needed to implement remote learning. Nor does it address any of the following:
Has free wifi been made available on every block in Chicago? Does every CPS family have at least one computer?
If the answers to those two questions are not “yes,” then how many children are being left out of CPS’ remote learning plan?
I spent almost six hours on Zoom recently. I had a virtual high school reunion and two organization meetings on the same day. I could barely sit through all that; I found myself frequently jumping up and walking around and away. CPS’ so-called plans for older elementary and high school students are laughable.
