Author: staff

Nearly 60 years after his conviction on what he claimed were racist and retaliatory federal charges, the first Black U.S. Secret Service agent assigned to a presidential detail has been pardoned by President Joe Biden.Chicagoan Abraham Bolden, 87, who served on the security detail for President John F. Kennedy, was among 78 people granted pardons or commutations of their sentences on Tuesday as part of Biden’s first use of his executive clemency powers.AdvertisementBolden, who’d warned about lax security practices around the president, was charged in 1964 with attempting to sell a copy of a Secret Service file to a ring of counterfeiters. His first trial ended in a hung jury, and after he was convicted in a retrial, key witnesses said they lied at the prosecutor’s request.Secret Service agent Abraham Bolden is seen outside the court at the Federal Building in Chicago on July 7, 1964, where he was being tried for attempting to sell government investigative reports. He continued to maintain his innocence. (George Quinn / Chicago Tribune)A longtime resident of Chicago’s South Side, Bolden served about three years in federal prison. He has long maintained his innocence and wrote a book in which he argued he was targeted for speaking out against racist and unprofessional behavior in the Secret Service.AdvertisementIn a statement announcing the clemencies, Biden said, “America is a nation of laws and second chances, redemption, and rehabilitation.”“Elected officials on both sides of the aisle, faith leaders, civil rights advocates, and law enforcement leaders agree that our criminal justice system can and should reflect these core values that enable safer and stronger communities,” the statement read.Bolden could not be reached for comment Tuesday. A woman who identified herself as his caregiver answered the phone at his Auburn Gresham neighborhood bungalow and said he was in poor health and overwhelmed by all the calls of support. “It’s been such a long time coming,” she said.In a statement posted Tuesday afternoon on his Facebook page, Bolden said he got the call about the pardon early in the morning and accepted the “justifiable action by President Joe Biden with sincere gratitude.”He also thanked his family for “giving me the will to fight through some of the darkest days of my life.”Abraham Bolden, secret service agent sentenced to six years in prison for bribery conspiracy charges, walks with his wife, Barbara, in the U.S. courthouse after the jury’s verdict on Aug. 12, 1964. Editors note: this historic print has some hand painting on it. (Cy Wolf / Chicago Tribune)“While initial attempts to affirm my innocence were unsuccessful, almost 60 years later, my victory was won,” he wrote. “It is my hope that my pardon will inspire others to continue to fight for justice and to stand on the truth.”Bolden’s story was featured in a 2010 Chicago Tribune column by Dawn Turner Trice, including his account of how a chance run-in with Kennedy in Chicago led to him being promoted to Washington to join the president’s protective team.In April 1961, Bolden was working as a Secret Service agent based in Chicago and had been assigned to guard a cordoned-off bathroom at the McCormick Place convention center when Kennedy arrived for a political event. He said the president stopped at the restroom door and asked him, “Has there ever been a Negro Secret Service agent on White House detail in Washington, D.C.?’”AdvertisementBolden said, “I told him, ‘Not to my knowledge, Mr. President.’ And he asked me if I would like to be the first, and I told him, ‘Yes, sir, Mr. President.’”Two months later, Bolden, who was 26 at the time, was sent to Washington, where he said he immediately “ran into some harsh racism” among the ranks. He said he asked off of the detail after enduring racial slurs from fellow agents and small nooses were left around his workplace. He also said he was shocked by the lax security around the president, including agents who womanized and drank on duty. He complained to superiors, and that is when he became a target.After Kennedy’s assassination in Dallas in 1963, Bolden said he’d planned to try to talk to someone on the Warren Commission, but instead he was suddenly escorted back to Chicago, where he was charged with soliciting a $50,000 bribe from the boss of a ring of counterfeiters.Former secret service agent and author Abraham Bolden at Mather Cafe in Chicago on Jan. 13, 2010. He wrote a book in which he argued he was targeted for speaking out against racist and unprofessional behavior in the Secret Service. (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune)“The aftermath of Kennedy’s assassination led to events that would implicate me in a case of bribery,” Bolden said in his statement Tuesday. “After two high-profile trials, held before a trial judge who told the deliberating jury to find me guilty, I was convicted and served a six-year sentence.”Bolden, who was released after serving about 39 months behind bars, always maintained his innocence. He twice asked President Richard Nixon for a pardon but was denied, and his appeals to a succession of presidents over the years were met by silence from the White House.Bolden, meanwhile, stayed in Chicago, working as an automotive quality control supervisor before retiring in 2001. His wife, Barbara, who is now deceased, convinced him to write his memoir, “The Echo From Dealey Plaza,” and stood by him throughout his ordeal, he said.Advertisement“She held our family together during these tragic times,” Bolden’s statement read.jmeisner@chicagotribune.com

The largest single group of cherry trees in Chicago is at the cusp of full bloom, with peak viewing expected to start within days. Thousands of people have come to see the 160 trees surrounding the Columbia Basin lagoon, just south of the Museum of Science and Industry, according to Chicago Park District manager of art initiatives Michael Dimitroff.AdvertisementDimitroff said that 5,000 people viewed the pink and white blooms last weekend alone, with some laying out blankets in the spirit of hanami, the Japanese tradition of savoring cherry blossom season with leisurely viewings, picnics and festivals.“It was the picture of harmony,” Dimitroff said. “It was like ‘Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte’ — the Seurat painting but the Japanese hanami version.”AdvertisementRemy Tiu is photographed by her friend Candy Manuel, who drove from Elgin to see the cherry blossoms south of the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago on April 26, 2022.
(Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)America’s romance with cherry blossoms was imported from Japan, where the blooms are celebrated as symbols of spring and the fleeting nature of beauty.“There’s something beautiful about every stage of the process: watching the buds, watching them fully open, when the little heart-shaped petals fall to the ground, the fragrance in the air,” said Park District operations support manager Karen Szyjka.“You can go out there even when it’s raining; (you can go) in the morning or in the evening. There’s something to be appreciated in every moment,” she said.The Park District is posting updates on the blossoms’ progress and will hold a free Hanami Sakura Celebration Sunday from noon to 3 p.m. at Jackson Park, in partnership with the Japanese Arts Foundation, Japanese Culture Center, Consulate General of Japan in Chicago and the Jackson Park Advisory Council. The event will feature traditional drumming and dancing, origami and haikuBlooming cherry blossoms south of the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)America’s signature cherry blossom display was born in 1912, when Japan gave 3,000 cherry trees to Washington, D.C., to be planted along the Potomac River. Those trees would be joined by others, and today Washington’s cherry blossom festival is a tourist attraction and a widely recognized rite of spring.Chicago, with its notoriously punishing climate, was a less obvious candidate for a mass planting. But beginning in 2013, the nonprofit Project 120 and the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Chicago took on the challenge.They planted trees in Jackson Park to commemorate the 120th anniversary of the 1893 World’s Fair and the 50th anniversary of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Chicago, according to the consulate general of Japan in Chicago and the Park District.People take photographs under the cherry blossoms south of the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago on April 26, 2022. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)There were years when the temperamental young trees barely bloomed or the wind carried off the blossoms within days, but 2021 brought a full-fledged viewing season.AdvertisementIf the weather holds, this year’s blossoms could last another week or two, but then again, a storm could bring them down in two days, Dimitroff said.“It’s all weather dependent,” he said, and that’s in keeping with hanami. “The idea is, it’s a fleeting moment in your life, so go out and celebrate.”nschoenberg@chicagotribune.com

If you’re part of the crowd that believes the Chicago Bears need to add help for Justin Fields at wide receiver, perhaps it’s encouraging that rookie general manager Ryan Poles omitted the position as an area of strength for Days 2 and 3 of the NFL draft.Surely Poles didn’t want to tip his hand a little more than 48 hours before the draft begins Thursday night. He spoke for about 20 minutes Tuesday afternoon, praising the staff he brought with him and those he inherited at Halas Hall for their diligence in the process while not discussing any individual players.AdvertisementMaybe Poles not mentioning the position is a good sign for those clamoring for a wide receiver with one of the Bears’ two second-round picks. Asked where he anticipates the draft having strength on Friday (Rounds 2-3) and Saturday (Rounds 4-7), Poles listed four other position groups. “I would say the O-line depth is pretty good,” he said. “Some good depth at the DBs. There’s a couple good defensive linemen. The running back class may not be top-heavy but there’s a ton — it’s crazy how many running backs there are.Advertisement“I think a lot of it has to do with the COVID year. A lot of those guys are kicking back, so middle to bottom, definitely free agency, there’s a massive amount of players. That’s why it took so much time to get the board set not only at the top but at the bottom. There are a lot of players on this board.”ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 30Virginia McCaskey, the daughter of George Halas, took over as majority owner of the Chicago Bears in 1983. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)Poles mentioned multiple times that — in the right position and for the right return — he’s open to moving down in the draft to add to the current collection of six picks. The Bears own Nos. 39 and 48 in Round 2 and No. 71 in Round 3. They don’t pick again until No. 148 in Round 5, and it’s in that wide gap that Poles might like to add picks.It’s also possible to envision Poles focusing on the offensive and defensive lines in Round 2 before exploring help at wide receiver, where the Bears added Byron Pringle, Equanimeous St. Brown and David Moore in free agency.Poles stated a goal of improving the offensive line when he was hired, and the biggest addition has been the signing of center Lucas Patrick, whom the GM praised again for toughness and leadership. Expectations for Patrick also should be shaped by his two-year, $8 million contract.[ [Don’t miss] New Bears center Lucas Patrick — already a Justin Fields fan — plans ‘to keep him as clean as possible’ ]The Bears could look to draft a guard to plug in on the right side, where they tried to add Ryan Bates as a restricted free agent. Or perhaps they see a future left tackle in Central Michigan’s Bernhard Raimann, Tulsa’s Tyler Smith or Ohio State’s Nicholas Petit-Frere and would shift Larry Borom inside to guard.Unless Poles believes strongly in Borom at left tackle, Teven Jenkins at right tackle and Sam Mustipher at right guard, he has to make a move to buttress a line the Bears hope will be significantly better in a new offense under a new staff.It stands to reason the Bears will seriously consider adding a defensive lineman with one of their top picks. They tried to commit the most resources in free agency there before nixing a three-year, $40.5 million deal with Larry Ogunjobi because of medical concerns. Coach Matt Eberflus wants to deploy his defensive line in waves with as many as nine players in the rotation, so the defense needs talent and depth up front.Houston’s Logan Hall could be available in Round 2, and he has the versatility to play three technique — where the Bears would have used Ogunjobi — as well as elsewhere on the line. Hall could be a similar piece to DeForest Buckner, who anchored the line for Eberflus when he coordinated the Indianapolis Colts defense.AdvertisementPoles stopped short of using the word “rebuilding” when discussing the state of the roster he inherited.“No, the rebuild thing is like super sensitive,” he said. “No, we’re constructing a very good football team. Regardless of how you use whatever term that is, we just continue to add talent. And young talent, older talent, whatever it takes to make the best team possible.“You know, late night with the wife, you’re watching TV, you get like the home network where there are some rooms that are good. You might have to redo some countertops over here, some fresh paint over there. Some rooms are good. You don’t need to touch them. It’s kind of the thought process there. That’s not a rebuild either.”[ [Don’t miss] Ryan Poles’ remodeling project is about to take a big step forward. Here’s how he prepared for his 1st draft as Bears GM. ]Maybe he doesn’t want to call it a rebuild, but the Bears are in the beginning stages of construction and this roster needs to be rebuilt. They can go after a wide receiver if they see a dynamic player with the skills to be a major producer in the offense. Or Poles can keep the focus in the trenches because, as he knows, no good team is built without strength on both sides of the line.“Anytime you just improve the team overall, you’re helping all of the players out,” Poles said when asked about supporting Fields. “That can look different. You could say he needs receivers, receivers, receivers, but he needs blocking, too, and he also needs balance in terms of running the ball efficiently and getting that done up front.“And then you can do some play-action pass stuff, then you can do different things. Turnovers. Maybe a returner to flip the field to score more points. So it’s all connected. That’s really why the mindset is to get the best players on this team as possible. If I get too lopsided and be like, ‘I’ve got to do this specific thing,’ I think that’s where you lead into big mistakes.”

Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles shied away from using the word “rebuild” on Tuesday, noting the term can be “super sensitive” when it comes to evaluating teams’ paths forward.His work in his first few months on the job, he claimed, is more like a remodeling project on an HGTV show he might catch late at night with his wife.Advertisement“You might have to redo some countertops over here, some fresh paint over there,” Poles said during his draft-week news conference at Halas Hall. “Some rooms are good. You don’t need to touch them. So that’s kind of the thought process there. That’s not a rebuild either.”[ [Don’t miss] When do the Chicago Bears pick? What do the mock drafts say? Everything you need to know about the 2022 NFL draft. ]So far, the most striking progress in Poles’ renovation of a Bears roster that hasn’t had a winning season since 2018 has been ripping out key veterans.AdvertisementHe traded Khalil Mack and let go of Allen Robinson, Eddie Goldman, Danny Trevathan, Akiem Hicks and Tarik Cohen. Then, he spent modestly in free agency on center Lucas Patrick, defensive tackle Justin Jones and defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad.But Poles will have a chance to brighten more than one position room at Halas Hall as he and his staff enter their first NFL draft together with the Bears. That starts Friday with pick Nos. 39 and 48 in the second round and No. 71 in the third round.Poles has been in draft rooms before over 13 seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, but this, of course, will be different.“The responsibility of making the pick, yeah, it’s bigger,” he said. “But at the same time, you just rely on the work that everyone put in to make the right decision. And that was the cool thing about doing a lot of these mock-up drafts. We feel comfortable with the way that this thing is going to play out.”As Poles prepared for his first draft as GM over the last several weeks, he remembered the late Don Horton, his Boston College offensive line coach.ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 46Players stretch during warmups at Bears minicamp at Halas Hall on April 20, 2022. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)Horton would drill his linemen over and over on blitz cards, so that when they reached game day, they recognized defensive fronts and communicated smoothly.Poles got his staff ready for the big weekend by drilling them with draft simulations, complete with fake trade calls.“Just to test our communication, test our trade charts, test all of that to make sure that everything’s smooth on game day, and we’re just applying that,” he said. “And I feel really confident at this point.”AdvertisementThe Bears don’t have a first-round pick Thursday because former GM Ryan Pace traded it to move up to draft quarterback Justin Fields last year. For those hoping Poles will make a surprise move up, it should be noted he instead spoke more than once of moving back to add to the Bears’ six picks.[ [Don’t miss] Who will the Chicago Bears select? Brad Biggs’ NFL mock draft 3.0. ]So Poles and his staff will spend Thursday night running more simulations, pretending they are picking at No. 10 or 20 to see how their system plays out before Friday.“Just act like we’re in different spots and rep out communication to make sure when we go the next day that we’re ready,” Poles said.Poles brought his scouting staff into Halas Hall for 12 days at the beginning of April.He ran anonymous polls on staff members’ cellphones to determine how they stacked players at different positions and then overall, displaying the group results on a screen to discuss. Sometimes, the runaway vote was for one player. Occasionally, it led to diving deeper into tape.“The key is sometimes you just want to remove groupthink,” Poles said. “If I polled everyone and you had to raise your hand, sometimes you look around (at other people). It just removes that, and everyone puts their thoughts and ideas down.”Advertisement[ [Don’t miss] Should GM Ryan Poles trade up? Which WR can the Chicago Bears select? 4 questions heading into the NFL draft. ]With that work done, Poles said the actual draft day usually is a little calmer and quieter than people might think because “pretty much the hay is in the barn.”As most GMs do on draft week, Poles left it open to interpretation when it comes to what positions he will target. The Bears have obvious needs at wide receiver, offensive line and cornerback, but when asked specifically about providing offensive help for Fields, he said, “any time you just improve the team overall, you’re helping all of the players out.”When asked if he will look at addressing the need of a specific type of receiver, he said it depends on whether such a player is available at the right value on the draft board.“The biggest takeaway is you can talk yourself into anything at this point,” he said. “That’s why I’m not overcooking this board. I’m taking a step back after today because I think sometimes you keep staring at it and you keep sliding guys around and doing crazy stuff.”And “crazy stuff” might not help Poles finish his remodeling project on schedule.

The Chicago Bulls never have come back from a 3-1 deficit to win a best-of-seven playoff series, so the odds of them taking the next three games from the Milwaukee Bucks already were slim before Zach LaVine entered health and safety protocols for COVID-19 on Tuesday.After a glint of optimism emerged following the Bulls’ Game 2 win in Milwaukee, we now return to our regularly scheduled pessimism already in progress. No one believed the Bulls had a chance before the series began, and after back-to-back blowout losses at home and with LaVine’s uncertain health status, no one believes it now.AdvertisementBut the schedule says the game must go on if the Bucks plan on moving into the second round. And if you’ve followed the story from training camp on, you owe it to yourself to tune in one more time for what’s expected to be the Bulls’ final run.The Bucks clearly are a superior defensive team, denying the Bulls inside and forcing them to try to beat them from the perimeter. Without Lonzo Ball in the lineup, it’s a strategy that works well for Bulls opponents. AdvertisementBut the Bulls also have been their own worst enemy, missing open jumpers and getting little production from the bench. Of the 16 playoff teams, the Bulls ranked last through Monday in points per game (94) and field-goal percentage (39.8%) and were second-to-last in 3-point shooting (28%).They also were at the bottom in free-throw attempts per game (15.3) — nearly five fewer than the 15th-ranked Toronto Raptors (20.2) — more evidence of their inability to go downhill against the more physical Bucks defenders.Bulls guard Zach LaVine and forward DeMar DeRozan head to the locker room after the Game 4 loss at the United Center on April 24, 2022. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)“From Game 3 to Game 4, just some good habits defending as a team and keeping everybody accountable,” Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo said. “People were taking individual pride keeping guys in front of them, having that mentality. … It’s a very, very good habit.“We did it in Game 3. We did it in Game 4. And hopefully we can do it in Game 5 and get (the series) over. This is how we play. Our defense has got to be always on.”If LaVine isn’t available for Game 5, the onus will be on DeMar DeRozan to carry the Bulls on his back again. He has done it before, but expecting him to keep doing it again and again in the playoffs is asking a lot, especially with a top defender in Jrue Holiday keeping him from getting to his preferred spots.[ [Don’t miss] How the Chicago Bulls have fared in their 1st-round series vs. Milwaukee Bucks ]There also is some luck involved. At the end of another dispiriting first half Sunday with the Bulls down by 15, DeRozan threw up a 3-pointer from the right corner that looked dead on. But the ball rimmed out as the United Center crowd groaned in unison, and the Bulls never got closer than eight in the second half.DeRozan said Tuesday he trusts his teammates to do whatever it takes, adding: “It’s on me using their aggressiveness — however they attack me, take the ball out of my hand (or) whatever it may be — just getting my teammates more involved and figuring out and picking and choosing my spots.”DeRozan averaged 27.9 points on 50.4% shooting in the regular season, but those numbers were down to 23.3 points on 40% shooting in the first four playoff games — and that’s including his 41-point effort in Game 2.AdvertisementBucks guard Grayson Allen puts up a three-point shot as Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan looks on at the United Center on April 24, 2022. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)The Bucks have taken it upon themselves to contain DeRozan and LaVine, whose scoring also was down from 24.4 points per game during the season to 19.3 through Game 4. If he’s unavailable Wednesday, Nikola Vučević will be expected to increase his scoring load. Vučević has averaged 19.5 points in the series, up from 17.6 in the regular season, despite a drop-off in shooting from 47.3% to 42.1%.Rest assured the Bucks won’t take Game 5 for granted, even if starting guards LaVine and Alex Caruso, who remained in concussion protocol Tuesday, are both unavailable.“They have great players over there,” Holiday said. “It’s hard to play one-on-one. They have some great scorers. So we’re just looking to see multiple people (defend) and for our defense to swarm and play with the same intensity that we did these last two games.”Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.Bulls coach Billy Donovan put a lot on the plate of his five starters in the first two games at the expense of Javonte Green, Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu, three players whose contributions in the regular season helped keep the team afloat during injuries and COVID-related absences. It made sense to give more playing time to his best players, and it worked in Game 2.White’s late-season shooting slump has continued, as he has converted only 31% (9 of 29) of his field-goal attempts and 4 of 16 3-pointers.[ [Don’t miss] Column: Grayson Allen feeds off boos from Chicago Bulls fans — and Milwaukee Bucks teammates — in a sizzling Game 4 performance ]But if LaVine and Caruso can’t go, those three reserves as well as Derrick Jones Jr. will be called upon to step up as they did on many occasions during the regular season. Dosunmu hit back-to-back 3s in the third quarter Sunday to briefly give the Bulls hope they could pull off a miracle from 22 points down before Antetokounmpo muscled inside and Grayson Allen sank another 3.AdvertisementThe Bucks cruised from there, looking like the defending champions once again. Allen was a nonfactor in the first two games before shooting lights out in 22- and 27-point performances in Games 3 and 4.“The first two games of the series, zero and (three) points,” Allen said. “That’s OK. I still know I can do it. I was able to get the opportunity the last two games and did it. Just a constant reminder: Don’t let that bad voice take over.”That’s a lesson the Bulls reserves should heed in Game 5. What happened before Wednesday is meaningless, and every new day is an opportunity to shine.For them, the season starts now.

Clearly Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane doesn’t like the word “rebuild.”“I mean, I guess it’s all noise, right?” he said. “You could talk about ‘rebuild’ — it seems like that word is brought up a lot — but as a player it’s more about just trying to be the best you can be and to help the team win.”Advertisement“Rebuild” comes up a lot because the Hawks made it the centerpiece of their public introduction of new general manager Kyle Davidson.“We’re going to look at more of a rebuild here,” Davidson said in March. “There are some things that we really need to fix that are going to take time. No matter if it takes three years, five years to get to the level of success that we’re looking to achieve, when we get there, it’s our mission to stay there.”Advertisement[ [Don’t miss] Kyle Davidson is fully aware of the task ahead as the new Blackhawks GM: ‘It’s clear we need to be better. The standings tell us that every day.’ ]Still, players such as Alex DeBrincat have expressed a desire to “accelerate” the rebuild by winning sooner than expected, so it begs the question: Do the players’ and the organization’s perceptions of the rebuild align?“Yeah, you can win and still be in a rebuild,” Kane said Tuesday at the United Center in what amounted to an exit interview for the season. “I think there are teams that have accelerated that, too, right?”Kane held up the Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers as prime examples.The Kings have leaped from a .438 points percentage during the abbreviated 2020-21 season to a .600 percentage that puts them in playoff position.The Rangers finished fifth in the reconfigured eight-team East Division last season but rank second in the Metropolitan this season.However, a naysayer could point out that — if one discounts the expanded postseason format in 2019-20 — each team has had a three-season gap since its previous playoff appearance.“You can win and still be in rebuild. …You obviously need those young guys to take next steps but I think it can be done quicker than maybe some people think.”—Patrick Kane pointing to the LA Kings and NY Rangers as teams that accelerated their rebuilds pic.twitter.com/77xRKUN020— Phillip Thompson (@_phil_thompson) April 26, 2022

Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.Nevertheless, Kane said, “You look at L.A., they had some young guys that … maybe exceeded some of their front-office expectations, and all of a sudden they’re in a spot where they can sign guys like (Phillip) Danault and trade for (Viktor) Arvidsson and they’re a better team.“Same thing with the Rangers, right?. It was like they put out that memo a couple of years ago that they’re rebuilding, and all of a sudden they’re one of the best teams in the league a couple of years later. Obviously you bring a guy in like (Artemi) Panarin, that helps. Or a guy like (goaltender Igor) Shesterkin, he comes to the forefront.”AdvertisementKane referenced those teams but also took stock of the youth on the Hawks roster.“You need those young guys obviously to take next steps, but I think it could be done quicker than maybe some people think,” he said. “So as a player, like I said, you’re not worried about how long it takes or what’s going on as far as when we’re going to win again, but you’re always trying to help that process move along as quickly as possible.”[ [Don’t miss] Dominik Kubalík looks to ‘refresh my mind’ rather than worry about whether the Blackhawks want to re-sign him ]Defenseman Connor Murphy, making his first media appearance since suffering a concussion against the Ottawa Senators on March 12, agreed with Kane’s line of thinking.“I think every player, no matter what stage is spoken about the organization that you’re in, is going to be equally as eager to make the playoffs and work as hard to get there,” Murphy said. “And it doesn’t mean that you’re not going to (make the playoffs) each year just because you’re in a rebuild.“I don’t look at it with any negativity. … I’m happy to be here as long as I’m wanted and fortunate, even though we’ve had some struggling seasons, to be a part of this group.”

Workers at Starbucks locations in Cary and Peoria won union elections Tuesday, making the stores the first and second Starbucks to unionize in Illinois.Starbucks employees in Cary voted 17-4 and employees in Peoria voted 9-2 to unionize, said Esau Chavez, a union organizer with the Chicago and Midwest Regional Joint Board of Workers United. Workers United is the Service Employees International Union affiliate that represents the Starbucks workers.Advertisement“We’re feeling incredibly empowered,” said Jon Gill, a barista at the Peoria store at 1200 W. Main St. in the Campustown Shopping Center.“The wins that we are seeing at Starbucks are proof that no massive corporation is invincible,” said Gill, who has worked at the Peoria location since December. Gill said they would like to see wage increases as well as a contract with guaranteed hours so employees’ access to the company’s benefits is protected.Advertisement“Workers do have power, and if they organize, they can reach that power,” Gill said.Employees at 230 Starbucks locations have filed for union elections in 31 states, according to Casey Moore, a barista on the Starbucks Workers United communications committee. Out of 35 stores that have had elections, 32 have voted to unionize, Moore said.In statements, organizing committees at both Illinois stores celebrated Tuesday’s votes.“This is a win for every store, and really every partner that works for Starbucks. There is still a long road ahead, but we look forward to working with corporate as partners in making Starbucks the best employer for essential workers,” said workers at the Cary store, which is located at 620 Northwest Highway.“Our victory here in Peoria is a product of the incredible organizing that Starbucks workers have done across the country. We stand in solidarity with every Starbucks worker and any worker fighting for a better world,” the Peoria organizing committee said.A representative for Starbucks did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Parties have one week to file objections to the votes with the National Labor Relations Board, said agency spokesperson Kayla Blado. If no objections are filed, the results will be certified.In Chicago, six stores have filed for elections, according to Grace Easterby, an organizer with the Chicago and Midwest Regional Joint Board of Workers United. Three of those stores — in the Loop, Logan Square and Hyde Park — have election dates set for June 7, with ballots going out to workers in early May.AdvertisementThe other Chicago Starbucks that have filed for union elections are in Bucktown, Edgewater and Edgewater Beach. tasoglin@chicagotribune.com

Workers at Starbucks locations in Cary and Peoria won union elections Tuesday, making the stores the first and second Starbucks to unionize in Illinois.Starbucks employees in Cary voted 17-4 and employees in Peoria voted 9-2 to unionize, said Esau Chavez, a union organizer with the Chicago and Midwest Regional Joint Board of Workers United. Workers United is the Service Employees International Union affiliate that represents the Starbucks workers.Advertisement“We’re feeling incredibly empowered,” said Jon Gill, a barista at the Peoria store at 1200 W. Main St. in the Campustown Shopping Center.“The wins that we are seeing at Starbucks are proof that no massive corporation is invincible,” said Gill, who has worked at the Peoria location since December. Gill said they would like to see wage increases as well as a contract with guaranteed hours so employees’ access to the company’s benefits is protected.Advertisement“Workers do have power, and if they organize, they can reach that power,” Gill said.Employees at 230 Starbucks locations have filed for union elections in 31 states, according to Casey Moore, a barista on the Starbucks Workers United communications committee. Out of 35 stores that have had elections, 32 have voted to unionize, Moore said.In statements, organizing committees at both Illinois stores celebrated Tuesday’s votes.“This is a win for every store, and really every partner that works for Starbucks. There is still a long road ahead, but we look forward to working with corporate as partners in making Starbucks the best employer for essential workers,” said workers at the Cary store, which is located at 620 Northwest Highway.“Our victory here in Peoria is a product of the incredible organizing that Starbucks workers have done across the country. We stand in solidarity with every Starbucks worker and any worker fighting for a better world,” the Peoria organizing committee said.A representative for Starbucks did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Parties have one week to file objections to the votes with the National Labor Relations Board, said agency spokesperson Kayla Blado. If no objections are filed, the results will be certified.In Chicago, six stores have filed for elections, according to Grace Easterby, an organizer with the Chicago and Midwest Regional Joint Board of Workers United. Three of those stores — in the Loop, Logan Square and Hyde Park — have election dates set for June 7, with ballots going out to workers in early May.AdvertisementThe other Chicago Starbucks that have filed for union elections are in Bucktown, Edgewater and Edgewater Beach. tasoglin@chicagotribune.com

A Gary man was convicted Monday of killing a woman’s boyfriend who came to get her from his basement apartment.Antonio “Cadillac” West, 54, of the 2500 block of Connecticut Street, was charged in the Sept. 8 murder of Shawn Rhyan Pewitt, 39, of Rockvale, Tennessee.AdvertisementHis murder conviction carries a penalty from 45-65 years. West was also convicted of a firearms enhancement, which could add up to 20 more years.Prosecutors said West fatally shot him after Pewitt went to pull the woman, his child’s mother, from the apartment after West had supplied her drugs for several hours and forced her to have sex as payment.AdvertisementDefense lawyers Kerry Connor and Sonya Scott-Dix said the state’s case were various pieces of witness testimony that did not line up. It was mixed with sloppy police work including large holes in what forensics were collected from the scene, Connor said.The woman also went freely with West and at no point — including to Lowell Police — indicated she was in danger or used her cellphone to call for help, the lawyer said.The woman, Pewitt and another man were at a drug house nearby in Gary on Sept. 7, when West arrived, charges state. They all briefly went outside West’s apartment.Pewitt wanted her to leave, but West told her to go inside. She did because she was afraid of him, the woman said. West forced her to have sex for six hits of crack cocaine, according to court documents.Later on, she went with him for an appointment at a Social Security office and waited in the car. She called Pewitt, who told her to get out of the car and walk for help, documents state.The woman was too scared and waited in the car, going back with West to his apartment, documents said. Pewitt returned to the apartment to get her, documents said.“Let’s go,” he said, according to the probable cause affidavit.“Hell, no,” West responded.Advertisement“You want to come outside, I’ll crack your head,” Pewitt said.West fired a shot that hit him once in the chest, according to court documents. The woman tried to help him, screaming for someone to call 911. West fled in a white SUV.Pewitt was transported to Methodist Northlake where he was pronounced dead.Deputy Prosecuting Attorneys Jacob Brandewie and Arturo Balcazar led the state’s case. Senior Judge Michael Bergerson filled in for Judge Natalie Bokota during the trial.

A federal judge in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday sentenced two North Shore brothers to six months of probation, including 60 days on home detention, for illegally entering the U.S. Capitol during the attack on Jan. 6, 2021.In rejecting jail time, U.S. District Judge Thomas Hogan said the conduct that Christian Kulas and his older brother, Mark Kulas Jr., engaged in was “somewhat minimal from other rioters” who attacked police, damaged property or otherwise tried to disrupt the government that day.AdvertisementHogan also noted that the brothers and their family, including their immigrant parents, have been subjected to sustained attacks on social media since they were charged, including physical threats and anti-immigrant “animus” that the judge said was “very unfortunate.”Kulas Jr., 27, of Lake Forest, and Christian Kulas, 24, of Kenilworth, pleaded guilty in December to parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building, a misdemeanor that called for up to six months in jail.AdvertisementThe brothers are sons of the wealthy owner of a North Shore maid service, Kulas Maids, and attended Lake Forest High School.A criminal complaint against Christian Kulas said the younger brother was captured on social media and surveillance images wearing a Burberry coat and a hat with the Donald Trump campaign slogan “Keep America Great.”Video clips on an Instagram account associated with Kulas also showed people at a rally where Trump was speaking and video of rioters at the Capitol steps after the rally.Mark Kulas Jr. was charged in late November, five months after his younger brother.As part of their plea agreement, each of the brothers agreed to pay a $500 restitution fee. Damages to the Capitol building on Jan. 6 totaled about $1.5 million, according to court records.According to a statement of offense, the brothers flew from Illinois to Washington the day before the attack. They attended the Trump rally, then marched to the Capitol building. Both wore hats with Trump’s political slogans.The brothers spent about 20 minutes in the Capitol building, entering after rioters earlier had forced the doors open, according to the court document.“There is no evidence that Christian Kulas or Mark Kulas Jr. otherwise assisted the rioters using force against the police line in an effort to open the doorway,” and the brothers returned to Illinois on Jan. 7, the statement says.AdvertisementThe Kulases have remained free on personal recognizance bonds since being charged.The brothers are among at least 27 Illinoisans charged in the Capitol attack, which has evolved into the largest criminal investigation in the country’s history.jmeisner@chicagotribune.com