Steven Sturtevant showed the patience of his age to earn Buck of the Week honors.
“Nov. 2 was the start of my two-week vacation to hunt the Illinois rut,” he emailed. “This guy showed up on camera in late August and no sign until now. He was my No. 1 target for the rut.”
The big buck reappeared about 5 p.m. in Kane County. Sturtevant had a good opportunity at 25 yards and he arrowed it.
“At 73, it’s a awesome feeling,” he emailed.
A buck like that feels awesome at any age I think.
BOTW, the celebration of bucks and their stories (the stories matter) around Chicago outdoors and beyond, runs Wednesdays in the paper Sun-Times.
To make submissions, email ([email protected]) or contact me on Facebook (Dale Bowman), X (@BowmanOutside), Instagram (@BowmanOutside) or Bluesky (@BowmanOutside.bsky.social).
“Dinner’s on Me with Gavin Rossdale” is finally ready. On Feb. 13, the brand-new series — offering a mix of cooking and conversation with the musician and special dinner guests — will debut on on WatchFree+, a free streaming service available on Vizio TVs and the Vizio mobile app.
“I’ve been talking about it for some time,” Rossdale shares in a recent Zoom interview from his home recording studio, not far from the kitchen and dining room where the new show takes place. “My only form of expression was making songs and I thought that it would be really fun to open up a new side of myself that people wouldn’t have seen before.”
As viewers watch Rossdale cook up grouper in a black peppercorn sauce for Selma Blair or deconstructed fish tacos for Serena Williams, they get a whole new appreciation for the talent of the famous Brit who, for 30 years, has been known to most as the eclectic and sultry frontman of rock band Bush. Though it’s not too much of a leap — in Rossdale’s opinion, there’s a clear intersection of music and food.
“There’s something similar with how musicians have to be consistent each night with songs, and chefs and kitchens have to be consistent with dishes. … Working on the line, you could argue it’s similar to being on a stage,” he says. “There’s a sustained focus on your craft.”
The new series takes cues from some of Rossdale’s favorite shows like “Dinner for Five” with Jon Favreau and “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee” with Jerry Seinfeld. It’s a natural extension of what Rossdale has always looked forward to when he’s not touring the world performing hits like “Machinehead,” “Everything Zen” and “Swallowed” (which he will do again this month at Aragon Ballroom on Dec. 13 as part of Q101’s Twisted Xmas). That is, cooking for his three boys (with ex-wife Gwen Stefani) and a motley crew of friends and colleagues.
More than cooking though, “Dinner’s on Me with Gavin Rossdale” also hones in on the intimate conversations that come over sharing a meal (and sometimes a good sing-along too).
“I’m very inquisitive … especially about people that have done cool things … because it’s through that you can identify with people,” says Rossdale.
Among his special guests, also including Tom Jones, Jack McBrayer and Brooke Shields, one of Rossdale’s favorite moments was cooking for Chicago rapper Common.
“What I liked about Common is he’s a true Renaissance Man and that’s a beautiful thing going into 2025 for him to have achieved so much in so many areas,” Rossdale shares. He was also moved by a beautiful prayer of grace that Common recited before they dined. “I’m not religious so it was a beautiful moment sharing in his culture and feeling the gravity of that amount of respect and reverence.”
Singer Gavin Rossdale is also a cooking enthusiast with a new series featuring some of his favorite recipes and famous friends.
The episode with Selma Blair was another high point that tested Rossdale’s creative cooking ideas. Rossdale admits he really didn’t start cooking until later in life, shortly before Bush found worldwide stardom with its 1994 debut “Sixteen Stone.” He was broke and living in London’s Notting Hill with a roommate reared in an Italian restaurant, and Rossdale got inspired. He has forever taken that curiosity with him into the kitchen.
Before the taping with Blair, the actor told Rossdale she was big fan of curries but cautioned it would probably be too much work. So, Rossdale says, “I did something a bit oft-kilter, with a bit of spice but not too spicy.” What resulted is the grouper in black peppercorn sauce recipe he shares here (see below).
“This dish is very Chinese-based but what’s unusual about it is that the black pepper sauce uses butter, which takes it from a Chinese dish to Singaporean. … If you taste the sauce before you put the butter in, and if you taste it after, it’s completely different.”
When Rossdale heads back to Chicago this week, he’s going to miss one of his own favorite gatherings over a meal — with a good friend, the late Steve Albini and wife Heather Whinna.
“Steve was also a great cook,” Rossdale remembers. Bush worked with the lauded audio engineer and producer on their sophomore album, 1996’s “Razorblade Suitcase”with Albini honing in on the rawer, frenetic side of the band. Ever since, the two had a “really nice ongoing good friendship,” says Rossdale, who is planning on paying his respects at the newly dedicated Steve Albini Way near his Electrical Audio studio.
Thinking of Albini and 30 years of Bush (the band just released the compilation album, “Loaded: The Greatest Hits 1993-2024”) gives Rossdale pause and also a hunger for the future.
“It feels empowering to have been part of a wave of something that people felt culturally,” Rossdale says of finding his spot in the revered ‘90s rock milieu. “For me, it leads a drive to be more creative, have more thirst for knowledge … it’s this weird thing of forging forward, trying to do interesting things … and being aware of making stuff that people connect to. That’s a really beautiful thing.”
Grouper in Black Peppercorn Sauce
Try Gavin Rossdale’s recipe for grouper in black peppercorn sauce.
INGREDIENTS:
For the fish:
Japanese grouper or swordfish (cut into portions on bias)
For the sauce:
6 tbsp oyster sauce
6 tbsp white sugar
6 tbsp sweet soy
2 tbsp butter
4 cloves garlic (grated)
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 spring onion
2 tbsp white pepper
Black pepper (lightly crushed)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat a cast iron, copper, or stainless steel pan (the heavier the better) and bring to medium heat. Add a neutral oil like grapeseed oil.
2. Ensure the skin of the fish is very dry before cooking. Avoid crowding the pan, ideally cooking one filet at a time. Gently press the filet skin-side down in the pan for 3 to 4 minutes and hold evenly to develop a good crust. Flip over and add ½-cup of butter and baste for another 2 minutes. Remove from the heat when it reaches a temperature of 155 degrees Fahrenheit. Rest and cover in more butter.
3. Make the sauce by melting the butter in a pan, and add the rest of the wet ingredients and heat gently. Be sure to add plenty of black pepper.
4. Serve the fish on a bed of rice and pour the sauce over it. Pair with a vegetable of choice, like broccolini. Garnish with cilantro to taste (optional).
During this festive season, with its lengthy to-do lists, socializing and houseguests, a simple dinner sandwiched between holiday prep provides a welcome respite.
A recipe that’s rustic and easy, with optional shortcuts, is satisfying and comforting and can be enjoyed at the kitchen table or in front of the fire.
And guess what? It can also stand in as a low-key appetizer, divvied into small portions and offered to unannounced visitors or lingering house guests.
This is a white pizza, which means there is no tomato sauce. The ingredients on the pizza evoke the mountains, with nutty, alpine cheese and slippery golden onions.
For the easiest prep, use a prepared pizza dough. There are many options available in supermarkets of decent quality. This recipe provides instructions for oven-baking, but the pizza can also be prepared on a grill over indirect high heat.
NOTE: If you have the time and bandwidth, try the recipe below for homemade dough. It’s an adapted recipe from Roberta’s, a popular Brooklyn pizzeria, via Sam Sifton at The New York Times. It’s easy to make but requires rising time, preferably overnight in the refrigerator. For your extra effort, gift yourself with a double recipe and freeze the extras for later use. (Simply defrost the frozen dough overnight in the refrigerator before using.)
Caramelized Onion and Gruyere Pizza
Yield: Makes one 12- to 14-inch pizza
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 large yellow onions, halved, thinly sliced
Kosher salt
1 large garlic clove, grated
1 ball prepared pizza dough, about 1 pound, defrosted if frozen, at room temperature
1/3 cup packed finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
1 cup packed grated Gruyere cheese, about 4 ounces
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish
Freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook the onions until they are soft, golden and beginning to caramelize in spots, 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and garlic in a small bowl.
3. Place a pizza stone on the lowest rack in the oven. Heat the oven to its highest setting, about 500 degrees.
4. Generously dust a pizza peel with flour or line a rimless baking sheet with a piece of parchment. Thinly roll or stretch the dough into a 12- to 14-inch circle or oval (it’s OK if it’s irregular in shape). Transfer the dough to the peel or the parchment.
5. Brush the dough with some of the oil, leaving a 1/2-inch border clear. Sprinkle half of the Parmigiano-Reggiano over the oil. Spread the onions over the pizza. Top with the Gruyere and thyme. Sprinkle the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano over the pizza. Garnish with freshly ground black pepper and lightly season with salt.
6. Carefully slide the pizza onto the pizza stone. Bake until the toppings begin to char and the crust is crisp and golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes, rotating the pizza once for even cooking.
7. Slide the pizza off the stone and transfer to a cutting board. Immediately brush the border with some of the remaining oil. Garnish with thyme leaves.
8. Let stand for 3 to 5 minutes before cutting into wedges. Serve warm.
Roberta’s Pizza Dough
Total time: 25 minutes plus rest and rising time Yield: Makes 2 dough balls
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon (153 grams) 00 flour
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon and 2 teaspoons (153 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon (8 grams) fine sea salt
3/4 teaspoon (2 grams) active dry yeast
1 teaspoon (4 grams) extra-virgin olive oil
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine flours and salt.
2. In a small mixing bowl, stir together 200 grams (a little less than 1 cup) lukewarm tap water, the yeast and the olive oil, then pour it into flour mixture. Knead with your hands until well combined, approximately 3 minutes, then let the mixture rest for 15 minutes.
3. Knead rested dough for 3 minutes. Cut into 2 equal pieces and shape each into a ball. Place on a heavily floured surface, cover with dampened cloth, and let rest and rise for 3 to 4 hours at room temperature or for 8 to 24 hours in the refrigerator. (If you refrigerate the dough, remove it 30 to 45 minutes before you begin to shape it for pizza.)
4. To make pizza, place each dough ball on a heavily floured surface and use your fingers to stretch it, then your hands to shape it into rounds or squares. Top and bake.
Lynda Balslev is an award-winning writer, cookbook author and recipe developer, and authors the blog TasteFood, More recipes can be found at chicago.suntimes.com/taste.
Emmy-winning actor Jane Lynch’s holiday cabaret, “A Swingin’ Little Christmas,” promises to be a delightful blend of comedy and music for the holidays. Joining Lynch are Kate Flannery, Tim Davis and the Tony Guerrero Quintet. From Dec. 12-15 at Steppenwolf Theater, 1650 N. Halsted. Tickets: $79-$119. Visit steppenwolf.org.
The touring cast of “Les Miserables” sings “One Day More.”
“Les Miserables,” the musical based on the 1862 novel by Victor Hugo, is a story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption. It features Boublil & Schonberg’s score, filled with now classic songs, which helped make this one of the world’s most popular musicals. From Dec. 17-Jan. 5 at Cadillac Palace, 151 W. Randolph. Tickets: $40-$165. Visit broadwayinchicago.com.
Hell in a Handbag Productions presents the 25th anniversary edition of “Rudolph the Red-Hosed Reindeer (An Unauthorized Musical Parody),” its adults-only, twisted adaptation of the classic television special. From Dec. 13-Jan. 5 at Hoover Leppen Theatre at Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted. Tickets: $32-$65. Visit handbagproductions.org.
“Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol”
“Manual Cinema’s Christmas Carol” is the performance collective’s imaginative adaptation which updates the holiday tale as Aunt Trudy, an avowed holiday skeptic, is recruited to channel her late husband’s famous Christmas cheer. From Dec. 13-29 at Studebaker Theater, Fine Arts Building, 410 S. Michigan. Tickets: $45-$65. Visit fineartsbuilding.com.
PlayMakers Laboratory presents “That’s Weird, Grandma: A Holiday Spectacular,” a sketch show featuring adaptations of stories written by elementary school students. From Dec. 12-15 at Neo-Futurist Theater, 5153 N. Ashland. Tickets: $15, $25. Visit playmakerslab.org.
“Fairytale of New York”
Taking its name from the popular song by The Pogues, “Fairytale of New York” is an Irish-inspired concert with music and dance featuring holiday favorites and traditional Irish sing-along songs. From Dec. 17-18 at Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place, 175 E. Chestnut. Tickets: $45-$115. Visit broadwayinchicago.com.
“It’s a Wonderful Life — A Live Radio Play“ features five actors performing dozens of characters in this staging of the classic story. From Dec. 13-29 at Athenaeum Center, 2936 N. Southport,. Tickets: $33. Visit athenaeumcenter.org.
Dance
Chicago Tap Theatre and the Chicago Tap Allstars present “Winter Wonderland,” a holiday-themed performance in commemoration of Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah and the winter season. At 1 p.m. Dec. 14 at Harold Washington Cultural Center, 4701 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Dr. Tickets: $25. Visit maddrhythms.com.
“Mary, A Holiday Dansical,” performed by members of Black Girls Dance, is a modern twist on the traditional “Black Nativity” told through ballet, hip-hop, tap and contemporary dance. At 6 p.m. Dec. 15 at Logan Center for the Arts, 915 E. 60th. Tickets: $20-$60. Visit blackgirlsdance.org.
“The Nutcracker,” presented by Hyde Park School of Dance, features ballet, modern dance, hip-hop, breakdancing and more. From Dec. 13-15 at Mandel Hall, University of Chicago, 1131 E. 57th. Tickets: $15-$35, children 5 and under free. Visit hydeparkdance.org.
Celebrate the holiday season with Ballet Chicago’s staging of “The Nutcracker.” From Dec. 13-15 at Athenaeum Center, 2936 N. Southport ($20-$60 athenaeumcenter.org), and Dec. 20-22 at Harris Theater, 205 E. Randolph ($31-$76; harristheaterchicago.org).
Music
Jennifer Hudson performs a Christmas show Dec. 13 at the Chicago Theatre.
Jennifer Hudson recently released “The Gift of Love,” her first album of seasonal music, which features collaborations with South African a cappella quintet The Joy (“Carol of the Bells”) and her beau Common (“Almost Christmas”) as well as her stunning take on Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” Hudson is now on a four-city tour celebrating the holidays which includes a performance at 8 p.m. Dec. 13 at Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State. Tickets: $50+. Visit ticketmaster.com.
Get a dose of Christmas cheer at Merry, Merry Chicago, a run of six concerts featuring familiar carols, holiday songs and festive surprises, including the local favorite “Christmas in Chicago,” performed by members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chicago Symphony Chorus. From Dec. 18-23 at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan. Tickets: $55+. Visit cso.org.
Pentatonix has an a cappella show Dec. 12 at the Allstate Arena.
The popular a cappella ensemble with the perfect harmonies, Pentatonix, returns with its annual holiday extravaganza of seasonal music. The group is featured in the new Netflix holiday movie “Meet Me Next Christmas,” a romantic comedy about a woman desperately trying to find a ticket to a sold-out Pentatonix concert. At 7 p.m. Dec. 12 at Allstate Arena, 6920 N. Mannheim, Rosemont. Tickets: $50+. Visit ticketmaster.com.
Mariachi Herencia de Mexico delivers a holiday concert that honors the magic of Christmas and the cultural vibrancy of Mexico with a blend of holiday classics and mariachi traditions. At 3 p.m. Dec. 15 at Thalia Hall, 1807 S. Allport ($40; thaliahallchicago.com); 7 p.m. Dec. 20 and 2, 5, 8 p.m. Dec. 21 at Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N. Lincoln ($40; oldtownschool.org).
Dave Koz and Friends return with the 27th edition of their jazz-based Christmas show, which always offers a fresh take on holiday classics. This year’s tour features the return of guitarist-singer Jonathan Butler and special guests: saxophonist Vincent Ingala, guitarist Adam Hawley and vocalist Rebecca Jade. At 7:30 p.m. Dec. 12 at Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Ida B. Wells. Tickets: $35.50. Visit auditoriumtheatre.org.
The Newberry Consort presents “A Latin American Christmas,” a concert of traditional holiday music of Central and South America. At 7:30 p.m. Dec. 13 at St. Mary of the Lake Catholic Church, 4220 N. Sheridan; at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 14 at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 939 Hinman, Evanston, and 4 p.m. Dec. 15 at National Museum of Mexican Art, 1852 W. 19th. Tickets: $10-$65. Visit newberryconsort.org.
Museums
“Project a Black Planet: The Art and Culture of Panafrica” is the first major exhibition to survey Pan-Africanism’s widespread influence on art and culture. Featured are some 350 objects, spanning the 1920s to the present, made by artists in Africa, North and South America and Europe. These span genres from paintings and speeches to video art, record albums and sculptural installations. From Dec. 15-March 30 at Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan. Admission: $14-$32. Visit artic.edu.
“Making an Impression: Immigrant Printing in Chicago” examines how the city became a vital center of multicultural printing and celebrates what makes Chicago’s immigrant printers, their work and their communities unique. From Dec. 12-March 29 Newberry Library, 60 W. Walton. Admission is free. Visit newberry.org.
Movies
Will Ferrell (right) in “Elf.”
Enjoy the hilarious saga of Buddy (Will Ferrell), a Santa’s helper who doesn’t quite fit in at the North Pole and who goes on an adventure to New York City in search of his real father, in Jon Favreau’s 2003 film “Elf.” Members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra perform John Debney’s score. At 7:30 p.m. Dec. 13, 1:30 p.m. Dec. 14 and 3 p.m. Dec. 15 at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan. Tickets: $79+. Visit cso.org.
Holiday Fun
The Illumination light show is up now at Morton Arborteum.
Illumination: Tree Lights features 17 dazzling light and music displays, beginning in the Grand Garden and ending in the waterfront finale at Meadow Lake. New this year is a display of interactive tree shapes synchronized to different musical instruments plus added dates to the popular late-night experience, Electric Illumination. To Jan. 4 at Morton Arboretum, 4100 Ill. Rt. 52, Lisle. Admission price varies, children 3 and under free. Visit mortonarb.org.
Wear your best ugly holiday sweater and hit the dance floor at the Shedd Aquarium’s first Holiday House Party, with music provided by Dee Jay Alicia. Plus up-close animal encounters and new expansive exhibits to enhance the celebration. From 7-11 p.m. Dec. 14 at 1200 S. DuSable Lake Shore Dr. Tickets: $19.95, $39.95. Visit sheddaquarium.org.
Randolph Street Holiday Market features 125 sellers with vintage and modern goods for gifting, entertaining and decorating. Plus craft cocktails, food, music, crafts for children and more. From 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Dec. 14-15 at Plumbers Union Hall, 1340 W. Washington. Admission: $12; children 12 and under free. Visit randolphstreetmarket.com.
We break down complex business news to help you understand how money moves in Chicago and how it affects you.
A federal judge in Texas rejected the auction sale of Alex Jones’ Infowars to The Onion satirical news outlet, criticizing the bidding for the conspiracy theory platform as flawed as well as how much money families of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary shooting stood to receive.
The decision late Tuesday night is a victory for Jones, whose Infowars site was put up for sale as part of his bankruptcy case in the wake of the nearly $1.5 billion that courts have ordered him to pay over falsely calling one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history a hoax. Families of the Sandy Hook victims had backed The Onion’s bid.
Following a two-day hearing in Houston, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez said he would not approve the sale, while citing concerns about transparency in the auction. That clears the way for Jones to keep — at least for now — Infowars, which is headquartered in Austin, Texas. The Onion had planned to kick Jones out and relaunch Infowars in January as a parody.
“We are deeply disappointed in today’s decision, but The Onion will continue to seek a resolution that helps the Sandy Hook families receive a positive outcome for the horror they endured,” Ben Collins, CEO of The Onion’s parent company, Global Tetrahedron, posted on social media late Tuesday.
Lopez cited problems — but no wrongdoing — with the auction process. He said he said he did not think that those involved in the auction acted in bad faith and that everyone “put their best foot forward and tried to play within the rules.”
Still, Lopez said he said he did not want another auction and left it up to the trustee who oversaw the auction to determine the next steps.
The Onion offered $1.75 million in cash and other incentives for Infowars’ assets in the auction. First United American Companies, which runs a website in Jones’ name that sells nutritional supplements, bid $3.5 million.
The bids were a fraction of the money that Jones has been ordered to pay in defamation lawsuits in Connecticut and Texas filed by relatives of victims of the Sandy Hook shooting. Lopez said the auction outcome “left a lot of money on the table” for families.
“You got to scratch and claw and get everything you can for them,” Lopez said.
Christopher Mattei, a lawyer for the Sandy Hook families who sued Jones in Connecticut, said they were disappointed in the judge’s ruling.
“These families, who have already persevered through countless delays and roadblocks, remain resilient and determined as ever to hold Alex Jones and his corrupt businesses accountable for the harm he has caused,” Mattei said in a statement. “This decision doesn’t change the fact that, soon, Alex Jones will begin to pay his debt to these families and he will continue doing so for as long as it takes.”
Jones, who did not attend the proceedings, went back on his program late Tuesday to celebrate the judge’s ruling, calling the auction “ridiculous” and “fraudulent.”
Although The Onion’s cash offer was lower than that of First United American, it also included a pledge by many of the Sandy Hook families to forgo $750,000 of the auction proceeds due to them and give it to other creditors, providing the other creditors more money than they would receive under First United American’s bid.
Alex Jones’ bankruptcy case
The sale of Infowars is part of Jones’ personal bankruptcy case, which he filed in late 2022 after he was ordered to pay nearly $1.5 billion in defamation lawsuits in Connecticut and Texas filed by relatives of victims of the Sandy Hook shooting.
Jones repeatedly called the shooting that killed 20 children and six educators a hoax staged by actors and aimed at increasing gun control. Parents and children of many of the victims testified in court that they were traumatized by Jones’ conspiracies and threats from his followers.
Jones has since acknowledged that the Connecticut school shooting happened.
Most of the proceeds from the sale of Infowars, as well as many of Jones’ personal assets, will go to the Sandy Hook families. Some proceeds will go to Jones’ other creditors.
Auction overseer defends his decision
Trustee Christopher Murray had defended The Onion’s bid in court this week, testifying that he did not favor either bidder over the other and was not biased.
He also revealed that First United American submitted a revised bid in recent days, but he said he could not accept it because the Sandy Hook families in the Connecticut lawsuit objected.
The Onion valued its bid, with the Sandy Hook families’ offer, at $7 million because that amount was equal to a purchase price that would provide the same amount of money to the other creditors.
In a court filing last month, Murray’s lawyers called First United American’s request to disqualify The Onion’s bid a “disappointed bidder’s improper attempt to influence an otherwise fair and open election process.”
Jones’ attorney, Ben Broocks, noted that the Sandy Hook lawsuit judgments could be overturned in pending appeals and got Murray to acknowledge that the Sandy Hook families’ offer in The Onion bid could fall apart if that happens. That’s because the percentage of the auction proceeds they would be entitled to could drop sharply and they wouldn’t get the $750,000 from the sale to give to other creditors.
Up for sale were all the equipment and other assets in the Infowars studio in Austin, as well as the rights to its social media accounts, websites, video archive and product trademarks. Jones uses the studio to broadcast his far-right, conspiracy theory-filled shows on the Infowars website, his account on the social platform X and radio stations. Many of Jones’ personal assets also are being sold.
Jones has set up another studio, websites and social media accounts in case The Onion wins approval to buy Infowars and kicks him out. Jones has said he could continue using the Infowars platforms if the auction winner is friendly to him.
Jones is appealing the money he has been ordered to pay in judgments citing free speech rights.
An Illinois man was arrested Tuesday evening for allegedly physically assaulting a South Carolina U.S. representative.
U.S. Capitol Police arrested James McIntyre, 33, around 6 p.m. after an incident was reported in the Rayburn House Office Building, a police spokesperson said. Capitol police didn’t identify the representative, but South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace posted on X that she was “physically accosted at the Capitol tonight by a pro-tr*ns man.”
I was physically accosted at the Capitol tonight by a pro-tr*ns man. One new brace for my wrist and some ice for my arm and it’ll heal just fine.
The Capitol police arrested the guy.
Your tr*ns violence and threats on my life will only make me double down. FAFO. #HoldTheLine
McIntyre faces a misdemeanor charge of assaulting a government official. He was in the building at a time when it was open to the public and was screened by security to enter the building.
Last month, Mace garnered controversy by introducing a resolution to bar transgender women from using female restrooms on Capitol Hill. The move came after Sarah McBride of Delaware was elected, making her the first openly transgender woman set to serve in the House. While the resolution did not name the Delaware representative-elect, Mace told The Washington Post that “it’s 100 percent about McBride.”
The federal judge presiding over former Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan’s corruption trial ruled Wednesday that ex-state Rep. Edward “Eddie” Acevedo will be required to testify in the case, despite concerns about his mental competency.
Acevedo appeared in court again Wednesday with a walker, and U.S. District Judge John Blakey called him to the front of the courtroom while he made his ruling. Blakey said there is a difference between “credibility” and “competency.” He also explained to Acevedo that “if you give truthful answers to questions in this proceeding, they cannot be used against you directly or indirectly.”
He told Acevedo that he would likely testify Monday, and he asked the former legislator if he understood.
“Yes sir,” Acevedo said.
Before the judge handed down his ruling, attorneys argued at length about Acevedo’s competency and the likelihood of an outburst on the witness stand. Defense attorneys said they saw no warning sign of such behavior during a meeting with Acevedo on Tuesday, and they no longer believed there was a need to safeguard his testimony through a video deposition.
The judge had suggested the video, which could be edited and then shown to jurors, for fear of “contemptuous conduct” by Acevedo on the witness stand.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amarjeet Bhachu warned on Wednesday that Acevedo made unsolicited comments about Madigan during his previous testimony before a grand jury. But Madigan attorney Todd Pugh made clear to the judge that Acevedo is the feds’ witness, and they call him to the witness stand “at their own peril” — signaling the risk of a mistrial motion.
Acevedo’s attorney, Gabrielle Sansonetti, insisted that all of Acevedo’s testimony would be tainted by a dementia diagnosis.
“Everybody has an interest in this proceeding and how it goes,” she said. “I have an interest in Mr. Acevedo. That’s my interest. And not putting somebody on the stand to just humiliate them. For what reason?”
The judge previously ruled that Acevedo could not avoid testifying in Madigan’s trial by asserting his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. However, Sansonetti followed up by insisting that Acevedo has dementia and is not competent to testify.
Records from Acevedo’s sentencing in 2022 on a tax evasion charge show that he had been diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment earlier that year.
“Mr. Acevedo initially developed symptoms of short-term memory loss in 2016 but reported worsening following a COVID 19 infection in 2020,” the records stated. “Currently, Mr. Acevedo reports misplacing items, forgetting grandchildrens’ names, conversations and passwords, and difficulty paying his bills. His family and friends have also noticed waxing and waning forgetfulness.”
Blakey met with Acevedo and lawyers from the case in his chambers Tuesday before making his latest ruling.
Acevedo plays a role in two alleged bribery schemes in Madigan’s trial involving ComEd and AT&T Illinois. He has never faced criminal charges for that specific conduct, but he served a six-month sentence for the tax evasion charge in a spinoff prosecution.
Madigan is accused of leading a criminal enterprise designed to enhance his political power and reward his allies. His longtime associate, Michael McClain, is also on trial and accused of acting as an agent of that alleged enterprise.
Prosecutors say that, as part of the conspiracy, Madigan agreed to accept bribes from ComEd in the form of jobs, contracts and money for his allies while legislation crucial to ComEd’s bottom line moved through Springfield. McClain has already been convicted for his role in that scheme.
The feds say Acevedo is one of five Madigan allies who were funneled money from ComEd while doing little or no work for the utility. They say Acevedo received $120,000 in 2017 and 2018, after he left the General Assembly, as part of the scheme.
Prosecutors also say Madigan was bribed similarly by AT&T Illinois in 2017, as it sought to pass its own bill in the Legislature, by paying Acevedo $22,500. Jurors began hearing evidence related to those allegations on Tuesday.
Jurors have been told that Acevedo was important to Madigan because he was a leader in the Latino community, and that population had begun to grow in Madigan’s 22nd District. Acevedo co-chaired the General Assembly’s Latino Caucus.
A former Chicago police officer, Acevedo represented the 2nd District from 1997 until 2017, before an unsuccessful campaign for Cook County sheriff in 2018. He pleaded guilty to tax evasion in 2021.
With four games left to play, the Sun-Times’ Bears experts — Patrick Finley, Jason Lieser and Mark Potash — analyze the Bears’ tumultuous season and where the franchise goes from here:
The Bears’ decision to fire Matt Eberflus was …
FINLEY: Deserved. But if quarterback Caleb Williams continues to struggle the way he did in San Francisco, it’s fair to wonder why the team insisted on having Thomas Brown run the team when he was just getting the hang of running the offense.
LIESER: Something that never should have been necessary, because he clearly was a shaky hire to begin with. They needed an offensive minded coach, just like they do now. Also, the Bears bungled the process by interviewing coaches without a general manager in place, and it sure seemed like they’d settled on finalists before general manager Ryan Poles arrived. And even then, Dan Quinn was a far more qualified and appealing choice.
POTASH: Inevitable. The red flags and indicators of Eberflus’ flaws as a head coach were all too clear and mounting quickly — his ill-fated hiring of Shane Waldron over Kliff Kingsbury among others; the Tyrique Stevenson incident and Eberflus’ handling of it; the Hail Mary itself; the clock-management fiasco; and most of all, the team’s poor response to adversity made the decision an easy one.
Is the Bears’ vacancy the NFL’s best?
FINLEY: It’s better than the Jets and Saints, whose quarterbacks have a combined $100 million in dead salary cap hits owed to them were they cut this offseason. Ask me again after “Black Monday.” The Cowboys job will be better when it opens up. The Giants might be. The Jaguars have Trevor Lawrence and the Raiders might have the No. 1 overall pick.
LIESER: Yes, because of Williams. Regardless of all the other hang-ups about the Bears, the opportunity to coach a talented quarterback on his rookie contract is going to make this job highly coveted.
POTASH: No. Another disappointing season has exposed the dysfunction of Halas Hall that starts at the top. With the Bears history of failure from the GMs to the head coaches to coordinators, coaching candidates who are coveted by other teams are likely to be making sure the Bears are the right fit for them as much or more than the Bears are making sure he is the right fit for them.
Who should be the next head coach?
FINLEY: Mike Vrabel is the most stable choice available. The Bears, however, need to hire a head coach who calls offensive plays, and he doesn’t do that. Lions coordinator Ben Johnson will be the prize of the offseason coaching carousel. He’s been picky the last two hiring cycles, so Johnson will be interviewing the Bears, and vice versa. One concern I have is the Lions’ indoor/outdoor splits this year — Jared Goff has a 116.1 passer rating in domes and a 65.5 outside of them.
LIESER: Kingsbury. The Bears must get the best coach available and should have a shot at Johnson, Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores and all other top candidates. The Commanders offensive coordinator has experience as a head coach, is familiar with Williams from their time together at USC and immediately ignited his own offense with a rookie quarterback this season.
POTASH: The most proven offensive coach available would be the safest choice, because it at least aligns the coach with Williams. But maybe Flores — a retread who was curiously fired after two winning seasons with the Dolphins, and is suing the NFL. The Bears aren’t likely to be comfortable with that, and at this point hiring the guy who makes them uncomfortable and is not like them could be what the Bears need.
What was Ryan Poles’ biggest mistake?
FINLEY: Not firing Eberflus in the offseason to align the timelines of Williams and his head coach. Instead, the Bears are teaming their first-round quarterback with a new coach in Year 2, the same thing they did to Mitch Trubisky and Justin Fields. And we all saw how that turned out.
LIESER: Horribly misjudging his offensive line. Poles thought he had at least a league-average line with tremendous depth. Not at all. If he can, he should open next season with new starters in four of the five spots.
POTASH: Believing in his offensive line. Poles was fixated on getting weapons for his quarterback — whether it was Fields or Williams. And while acquiring skill-position players was cheered — like drafting Rome Odunze at No. 9 even after trading for Keenan Allen — Poles’ faith in linemen other than 2023 No. 10 overall pick Darnell Wright has not been rewarded.
Have your expectations for Caleb Williams changed?
FINLEY: I worry that the sacks he’s taken and the points he’s been asked to chase have taught Williams some bad habits. I’m concerned he has to learn a new playbook next year. But Williams has still been productive by rookie quarterback standards. He’s one of five first-year players ever to have a passer rating over 87, at least 15 passing touchdowns and five or fewer interceptions. The others: C.J. Stroud, Dak Prescott, Robert Griffin III and Otto Graham.
LIESER: Not for 2025. Williams wasn’t as pro-ready as he and everyone else thought, but he has developed in spite of offensive line trouble, disastrous coaching and other Bears malfunctions. He’s a good bet for a big Year 2 once he gets an offseason to regroup and is paired with a better coach.
POTASH: No. Any quarterback who steps into Halas Hall comes with inherent doubt — even a No. 1 overall pick with Williams’ credentials. Williams has extraordinary skills to be an elite quarterback in the NFL, but has yet to display the “it” factor that tilts the field the Bears’ way and makes overachievers of those around him. He’s better than Fields, but still needs a lot around him to be all he can be.
What has been the Bears’ biggest disappointment?
FINLEY: That president/CEO Kevin Warren still hasn’t found a stadium site or a way to finance new construction. Coaches come and go — especially at Halas Hall, where the Bears will be hiring their fifth in 12 years — but a new stadium would be one of the most significant developments in Bears history. The clock is ticking.
LIESER: There are more choices for this question than there are in a Cheesecake Factory menu, but running back D’Andre Swift stands out. While it’s not entirely on him given the faulty offensive line and coaching, there was a good chance going into the season Swift would be the best weapon in this offense. He has had some big plays, but hasn’t given the Bears the consistent production they need.
POTASH: That the hires of Poles and Warren haven’t altered the dysfunction at Halas Hall. The Bears still don’t manage crisis well and still struggle to hire the right people. That does not bode well for a franchise that again is in the process of change.
Will the Bears win another game?
FINLEY: One — against the Seahawks on Dec. 26, because the wrong team has a way of winning Thursday night games.
LIESER: Probably not, which would land them at 4-13. Last season, that record got the Commanders the No. 2 pick. If the Bears win any game, it likely would be the finale against the Packers, but only if coach Matt LaFleur sits his starters ahead of the playoffs.
POTASH: Even in the midst of a seven-game losing streak during which they fired Waldron and Eberflus, the Bears lost to the Lions, Packers and Vikings by a combined seven points. So they’re capable. But at this point, the Bears need more than a win to restore faith they are headed in the right direction.
Alynda Segarra of Hurray for the Riff Raff in New Mexico with the Edsel Ranger from the video for “Hawkmoon” Credit: Denny
Alynda Segarra’s latest album as Hurray for the Riff Raff, last winter’s The Past Is Still Alive, is a folk odyssey in motion, chronicling train hopping and bus trips. Its lyrics name-check just about every corner of the country: San Francisco, Minnesota, Florida, the southwest. “I was young when I left home / I never stopped running,” Segarra sings on the title track, “Snake Plant (The Past Is Still Alive).”
In real life too, Segarra has been on the move: Earlier this year, they left their longtime home base in New Orleans and relocated to Chicago. They’ve switched cities in part to be closer to collaborators, they explain, and in part because Chicago feels like a better personal and musical fit for where they’re headed at the moment. “I just really want to create a nest here,” they say.
Segarra began their travels in the mid-aughts, leaving their home in the Bronx at age 17 to hop trains like their hero Woody Guthrie. The Past Is Still Alive, they say, is a “scrapbook” or “memory box” of that history: “Hiding from the cops / In Ogallala, Nebraska” (“Ogallala”); wearing a “bathing suit on a two-day drive” (“Snake Plant”); a friend with a “dildo waving on her car antenna” (“Hawkmoon”). Recording for the album began in Durham, North Carolina, a month after the death of Segarra’s father.
“I’ve always had this really hard relationship to memory, because I feel like my memory is, in some ways, really spotty, and then in other ways it feels overwhelming and intense,” Segarra says. “It feels really emotional. The stuff that I do remember—I couldn’t tell you the name of the town, but I could tell you how I felt.” Putting all those memories in an album, they say, “felt very therapeutic.”
Alynda Segarra recorded The Past Is Still Alive in North Carolina, but the touring band supporting it came mostly from Chicago.
Segarra’s band has changed from record to record; the name “Hurray for the Riff Raff” refers to whoever they’re working with now, not to a steady group. For The Past Is Still Alive, they enlisted producer Brad Cook, who’d also worked with Segarra on the 2022 album Life on Earth. The musicians, Segarra says, were “his buddies . . . a whole North Carolina crew,” including Brad’s brother Phil, Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes, Matt Douglas of the Mountain Goats, S.G. Goodman, and Meg Duffy. Most of those people weren’t available to tour with Hurray for the Riff Raff, though, so after the record came out in February, Segarra needed to put together a band in order to get out and support it. That band ended up consisting mostly of Chicagoans.
This is partly because Segarra’s sometime guitarist, Johnny Wilson, is from Chicago. He’s also their longtime tour manager and sound engineer, and he’s worked with many artists here, including multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Nnamdï Ogbonnaya, one of the founders of Sooper Records. In the 2010s, Wilson and Ogbonnaya played together in the punk band Nervous Passenger, and Wilson is now part of Ogbonnaya’s touring group. So when Segarra needed a bassist for a show in Tulsa, Oklahoma, reaching out to Ogbonnaya was a natural move.
“I’d never actually listened to a full [Hurray for the Riff Raff] record,” Ogbonnaya admits. “My introduction to the band came when I was asked to play with them. But they just needed me to fill in for one show. And I was like, yeah, I’ll do that.”
One gig turned into another and then into a regular role. (“They’re not sick of me yet, so I’ll stick around as long as they want me around!” Ogbonnaya says.) Thanks to Wilson and Ogbonnaya’s connections, Segarra’s band soon filled up with other Chicago musicians, especially from the orbit of Sooper Records. On Hurray for the Riff Raff’s recent tour to Mexico, the lineup included Marcus Drake on drums, Sen Morimoto on keyboards, Kaina on background vocals, and Parker Grogan (now in Sacramento, but formerly a Chicagoan) on guitar.
Because Segarra was traveling with Chicagoans, throughout 2024 the band used Chicago as a place to rest and recover between tour stops. Segarra finally moved here permanently in September.
Segarra had been living in New Orleans for around 15 years. “I really needed a change,” they say. In New Orleans, they explain, most musicians don’t tour. “You stay in town and you play your gig every day,” they say. “I was feeling like me and New Orleans were growing apart, because I was gone all the time. I was losing touch with the way that that city operates musically.”
Segarra also considered the benefits of living in a blue state. They came out as nonbinary before the release of Life on Earth, and The Past Is Still Alive is in many ways a tribute to queer community and queer friends. “When I was coming up learning folk music and being a train rider, all of the people that I was friends with who were interested in old fiddle tunes or learning banjo or any of these traditional songs were queer people,” they say. The song “Hawkmoon” memorializes their friend Miss Jonathan, the first trans woman they’d met. “She opened up my eyes / In the holes of her fishnet tights,” Segarra sings. They also remember seeing Miss Jonathan being beaten in the street.
“There’s such a strong queer resistance and history in the south that gets overlooked,” Segarra says. “There’s going to be people all over the country who are very scared and very concerned with what’s happening and with where our country is being led. And we’re going to play in Florida, because there’s people in Florida who really want to go have a show where they feel a bit of calm, or a place where they can go and feel a little bit healed in this really chaotic time.”
As much as southern resistance and southern community inspire Segarra, though, the current political climate has made even a blue city like New Orleans feel precarious. “Louisiana got lucky during COVID, because we had a Democratic governor,” they say. “He was conservative, but he believed in science. But there’s a new governor there now. . . . ”
Segarra admits to feeling bad about jumping ship to come north. “But I don’t know if guilt really does anything for you or anybody,” they say. “What brought me [to Chicago] was knowing that I would have a strong artistic community that I could survive these times with. So that’s really what I thought about in my move.”
That community is already coming together. In addition to touring with Chicagoans, Segarra has been working with Chicago independent video producer and director Jeff Perlman. Perlman is close friends with Wilson; they used to play in the band Rat Hammer together, and in the mid-2010s they ran a Humboldt Park DIY venue called the Flowershop. Wilson even officiated at Perlman’s wedding.
The video for “Hawkmoon” was shot in late 2023 in Tucumcari, New Mexico.
Wilson connected Perlman and Segarra, and the two have since collaborated on a couple of videos for The Past Is Still Alive. They made the first, for “Hawkmoon,” in late 2023, a few months before the album came out. They shot it in Tucumcari, New Mexico. Perlman says they were inspired by indie westerns and heist films such Wild at Heart, Badlands, and Paris, Texas. Segarra, wearing a cowboy hat, joins mononymous actor-musician Denny to smash car windows with a golf club and dance on a motel bed covered with money. Perlman and his friend and codirector, Sean Kelly, drove out in a van and “two-man-banded that whole video, which was a heavy lift but super fun.”
Perlman and Segarra made the second video, for “Buffalo,” in August and September of this year, and it’s a more direct welcome to Chicago. The song is a strummed elegy for lost creatures: “Will we go like the woolly mammoth / Or the dear dodo / Gone like the Bachman’s warbler / Disappeared like the melting snow.” Segarra’s phrasing emphasizes the ends of lines and the pauses for breath, giving the song a sense of claustrophobia and of life baffled, trapped, and yearning.
Much of the video for “Buffalo” was filmed inside the Field Museum.
“The lyric content just immediately conjured a museum,” Perlman says. He reached out to a contact at the Field Museum, who set up a shoot inside. For much of the video, Segarra shares the screen with taxidermied animals, playing their guitar and soulfully serenading glass-eyed deer, birds, zebra, tigers, and warthogs.
In other footage, Segarra stands outside a pen containing live bison. Those scenes too were shot in Chicagoland. “I was like, it’d be cool if we could get live buffalo,” Perlman says. “So I just googled bison farms and found a ranch called Broken Wagon in northwest Indiana. And they were super gracious.”
Perlman loved the experience of working with Segarra, with or without bison. “They’re the perfect combination of somebody who knows what they want and has vision but also respects other people’s visions and creativity,” he says. “So it was a really easy dialogue to get on the same page. They bring so much to the table, but at the same time they have so much trust for people to do what they do. That’s a rare and pretty awesome thing.”
Segarra is still touring, but they say they’re looking forward to immersing themselves in Chicago. They’re planning to explore our jazz scene. “I was living in another jazz city, but the jazz here is very different,” they said. “New Orleans is very focused on trad jazz, and that’s the music that I learned playing on the street. I’m really excited to go to some Chicago jazz clubs and have a psychedelic experience.”
Segarra is also thinking about working with their touring band on some recordings. “I haven’t written anything yet, but I really want to use the winter to be inspired,” they say. “I have some ideas, but yeah, I definitely want to create with these guys.”
Segarra says they’re planning to cut a single or B-side with Ogbonnaya shortly. They specifically praise the folk-tinged Kara Jackson album Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love?, which Ogbonnaya produced. “That record is the best-sounding record I’ve heard in so long,” they say.
“I love these guys,” Segarra adds. “It’s hard to make new friends in your 30s, you know?”
Ogbonnaya is also enthusiastic about the collaboration. “I just love Alynda’s lyrics so much,” he says. “Everything in their songs is so visceral, and every time I hear a lyric I can picture an image. I’m a very visual person, visual learner—have been since forever. And I think every line of theirs, I can picture where they are at that moment or what they’re thinking about. I think that’s beautiful. I don’t think a lot of people can do it the way that they can, so it just feels very special to me. And really honest.”
Ogbonnaya, who grew up here, says he thinks Segarra is a good fit for Chicago. “It goes back to just talking about honesty,” he says. “You get a kind of midwest honesty here; people aren’t going to let shit slide, like they do maybe on the coasts. Yes, I am a hater! I feel like this is a different type of honest energy here, where it just feels real. It feels, like, attainable here. People go to LA for this big dream, but shit just feels real here and more, like, working-class—people just doing it, making it happen.”
Segarra is planning to tour with Bright Eyes in February and March, this time in the south and southwest. (“I did that with the last record, and I’m excited to do it again,” they say.) They don’t have firm plans for Chicago performances yet. They’re hoping to get booked for the second annual Evanston Folk Festival in September 2025. They’ve somehow never played at the Old Town School of Folk Music, which seems like it would be a natural fit.
“It’s kind of fun when you enter into the other cycle, the next cycle of an album campaign,” they say, “because you can just be more creative and there’s a little bit more freedom in what you can do. I’d love to play a solo set or a more acoustic set, or something like that.”
In the meantime, Segarra is enjoying their new home. “Meeting people here,” they say, “feels more like where I’m at in my life. Everybody is writing music, and they’re all, like, blending genres. I feel very lucky.”
Reader Recommends: CONCERTS
Upcoming shows to have on your radar.
Sun 12/15 at Thalia Hall and Fri 12/20 – Sat 12/21 at Old Town School of Folk Music
Thu 12/12 at Reggies Rock Club
Fri 12/13 at House of Blues
Sat 12/14 at a location that will be provided the same morning to anyone who buys a ticket
Mary Matthews and her former roommate at a Rogers Park nursing home once witnessed staffers tie another patient to a chair with a bed sheet around his waist, something “you can’t even do to prisoners,” Matthews says.
Shortly after complaining about the disturbing scene, Matthews’ roommate was forced out of the facility, the result of a separate, bogus complaint she says managers coerced another resident into filing.
But other nursing home residents have faced even worse repercussions after speaking up about problems, Matthews says, from physical harm to withholding food and medicine — so many feel it’s better to keep quiet.
“They’re not likely to get any kind of relief from it, and they’re very likely to get retaliation from it,” said Matthews, who now lives on her own in West Ridge.
She and other advocates for nursing home residents claim such retaliation, though illegal, runs rampant in long-term care facilities across the state. That’s why they’re urging state senators to advance legislation that aims to deter it by giving residents more leverage to file lawsuits against facility owners.
A bill filed in Springfield almost a year ago by West Side state Sen. Lakesia Collins, D-Chicago, would amend Illinois’ Nursing Home Care Act to allow for residents to sue facility owners over claims of retaliation for at least two months’ rent and attorney fees, plus statutory damages.
Seventeen additional senators have signed on as cosponsors of the bill, but advocates worry Illinois Senate President Don Harmon could let the legislative clock expire on it under pressure from a nursing home industry trade group that opposes the bill — and that has made massive financial contributions to Harmon’s political operation.
The Health Care Council of Illinois argues laws on the books are sufficient, and that Senate Bill 3559 would prompt a flurry of meritless lawsuits and new legal costs that would end up harming “the very individuals it seeks to protect.”
The bill will die if it’s not passed by the end of the veto session Jan. 7, before a new General Assembly is inaugurated.
“At some point, our legislators are going to stop protecting a profit-making business that’s violating the laws and refusing to actually take care of people,” said Fran Tobin, coordinator of the Alliance for Community Services, a coalition of labor groups that advocate for seniors, low-income residents and people with disabilities.
Harmon, the Oak Park Democrat who can make or break legislation in the Senate, hasn’t weighed in on the bill.
“I have met with proponents of this measure several times,” Harmon said in a statement. “We’re still working on some sticking points and hope to come to an agreement that is suitable for everyone involved. This is a complex issue, and it’s always better to take the time necessary to produce a good bill.”
The Health Care Council of Illinois argues the state should focus on “expanding education and strengthening existing programs.”
“Protecting the health, safety, and well-being of nursing home residents and staff is the top priority for HCCI and its members. We are actively engaging with the sponsors of SB 3559, as we did during spring session, to ensure that the legislation fulfills its intended purpose without inadvertently causing harm to the very individuals it seeks to protect,” the council’s communications director, Lindsey Hess, said in a statement.
“It is crucial to highlight that existing laws already provide residents with strong retaliation protections,” Hess said, including “a robust and thorough complaint investigation program” through the Illinois Department of Public Health.
But advocates and residents complain the state’s system comes up short. A report commissioned by the Alliance for Community Services and released last week documented 42 state investigations of abuse and retaliation claims that advocates say illustrate how widespread the problem is.
North Side nursing home resident Lyndsay Sullivan.
“We know it’s illegal, but we also know it happens all the time, and there’s no actual incentive for the people who make the money out of this system to actually make sure that the law is followed in their facilities,” Tobin said.
And without the possibility of larger claims, many lawyers are not willing to take on the cases of lower-income residents, proponents say.
“Giving more teeth to the law that’s already in place is something that will help residents now and in the future,” said Lyndsay Sullivan, an Alliance board member who lives in a North Side care facility.
Tobin believes their bill is being held up by Harmon, who controls political committees that have received more than $2 million from the Health Care Council of Illinois’ political action committee since he was elected Senate president in 2020.
The council’s PAC has given millions of dollars over the years to politicians on both sides of the aisle, state election board records show.
They’ve given $301,000 this year to the Friends of Don Harmon for State Senate committee, plus an additional $35,000 to the Illinois Senate Democratic Fund, the campaign war chest Harmon uses to protect his party’s supermajority in the chamber.
Collins, the bill sponsor, has received two campaign contributions from the council this year totaling $1,250. She couldn’t be reached for comment.
Last year, Gov. JB Pritzker vetoed part of a bill backed by Harmon that would’ve provided tens of millions of dollars in property tax breaks for nursing homes in Cook County. The governor suggested legislators wouldn’t have approved it “had they been aware of this aspect of the bill.”
Harmon’s spokesman rejected that characterization at the time, saying “[l]egislative decisions are always made based on what is in the best interests of the public and to ensure all people and organizations are treated fairly under the law.”
Lawmakers are scheduled to return to Springfield Jan. 2.
