Good afternoon. Here’s the latest news you need to know in Chicago. It’s about a 5-minute read that will brief you on today’s biggest stories.
This afternoon will be mostly sunny with a high near 61 degrees. Tonight will be mostly cloudy with a chance of showers and a low near 53. Tomorrow will see a chance of showers, thunderstorms and a high near 75.
Top story
Lawsuit filed after 3 women found dead at Rogers Park senior living facility during heat spell
Three women found dead in a Rogers Park senior living facility where the heat remained on despite complaints during a heat wave earlier this month died in conditions akin to a “brick oven,” according to an attorney representing the family of one of the victims.
A lawsuit filed this week alleges the building owner and manager, Gateway Apartments Limited Partnership and Hispanic Housing Development Corp., continued to operate the heating system at the James Sneider Apartments, 7450 N. Rogers Ave., during the week of May 9 despite abnormally warm temperatures that climbed above 80 degrees.
“What happened is deplorable. They basically had them in a brick oven and despite their pleas for help no one responded until three of them died,” said attorney Larry Rogers, who represents Janice Lee Reed’s son, Veldarin Jackson.
“My mom was my father, my mother, my best friend. ... She meant the world to me, literally,” said Jackson, a warehouse worker from Joliet.
Jackson rushed to the affordable housing facility where his mother lived on May 14 shortly after her body was found in her bedroom.
In addition to Reed, 68, Gwendolyn Osborne, 72, and Delores McNeely, 76, were found dead each inside their apartments.
The suit alleges that Reed died as a result of excessive heat and the building owner’s failure to respond to requests to turn off the heat and turn on the air conditioning system.
The Cook County medical examiner’s office has yet to rule on the cause or manner of the deaths.
Residents could not adjust the temperature in their units. Those decisions were left to building management, Rogers said.
Mitch Dudek has more on the lawsuit here.
More news you need
- Two 12-year-old boys are accused of trying to carjack a woman in Homan Square yesterday. The boys are each charged with one felony count of aggravated attempted vehicular hijacking, Chicago police said.
- In a surprise move, Ald. Michael Scott Jr. (24th), Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s hand-picked Education Committee chairman, is resigning his City Council seat to join Cinespace Studios. The departure gives Lightfoot the ability to appoint her second alderperson — the first was Ald. Nicole Lee, who replaced Patrick Daley Thompson.
- A judge today gave probation and a $20,000 fine to a man described as “a long-term but small agent” for Vincent “Uncle Mick” DelGiudice. The decision in Chicago’s federal court largely wrapped up the prosecution of a massive international gambling ring, our Jon Seidel reports.
- A group of about 24 young people laid down and pretended they were shooting victims outside City Hall yesterday before calling on the city to put more resources into youth programming that will help prevent gun violence. The group said a change in curfew wasn’t the answer.
- More than 176,000 Chicago residents applied for a pilot program that will provide individuals with a base monthly income of $500 for a year. Only 5,000 individuals will be selected through a lottery process, meaning that a person has about a 2% chance of being selected.
A bright one
As ‘This Is Us’ ends, Mandy Moore resumes life as a musician on the road
For six years, we have known her as the ultimate matriarch Rebecca Pearson on NBC’s hit series “This Is Us.” But with the show concluding tonight, actress and singer Mandy Moore is getting back on the road for the first time in over a decade to share pieces of her new album.
This time around though, she’ll have the support of her husband, Taylor Goldsmith of the indie-folk band Dawes, who knows all too well the ins and outs of being on the road. He and his bandmate/brother Griffin will be part of Moore’s touring musician ensemble, and they also will be accompanied by Moore’s infant son Gus for what she is anticipating will be the “ultimate family road trip.”
“The fact that we could line this up touring-wise where [Taylor and Griffin] could come out with us during their time off, I know it’s never going to work out to do it again,” Moore explained in a phone conversation ahead of a stop at the Vic Theatre on July 11. “So I’m definitely soaking it all in.”
With the success of the series, Moore has opened herself up to a whole new audience of fans who have found her music through a back route — and the star is looking forward to the transition from sound stage to real stage.
“For me, it’s all about connecting with people one on one, especially since we haven’t been able to do that these past two years,” she said, noting each show might have some covers but will be heavy on her original material, including 2020’s “Silver Landings.” That’s an album she never got to properly promote due to COVID; in fact, Moore gave the final in-audience performance on “The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon” in March 2020 before the great shutdown.
“That’s what I’m most looking forward to, being able to see people and feel their energy and be able to share these parts of my life from the past, the earlier records, stuff from ‘This Is Us’ and these last two albums,” said Moore. “It’ll be a fun mini-version of ‘This Is My Life.’”
Selena Fragassi has more from her conversation with Moore here.
From the press box
- The Sky will raise their championship banner into the Wintrust Arena rafters tonight before they face the Fever.
- After MLB suspended Josh Donaldson yesterday for his “Jackie” comment toward Tim Anderson, Yankees star Aaron Judge criticized Donaldson for his chirp, telling reporters, “Joke or not, I don’t think it’s the right thing to do there.”
- The Bulls will be visiting Paris for the first time since 1997 when they play the Pistons in a special regular-season game in France next January, the NBA announced.
- Does winning truly trump everything? Read Rick Telander on the troubling Deshaun Watson lawsuit saga.
Your daily question ☕
In the spirit of #TIME100, who would you put on a list of Chicago’s most influential people of 2022? Tell us why.
Send us an email at newsletters@suntimes.com and we might feature your answer in the next Afternoon Edition.
Yesterday, we asked you: What’s your favorite day trip out of the city?
Here’s what some of you said…
“Morton Arboretum. Beautiful scenery and great trails.” — Craig Barner
“There are so many great state parks just a short ride from the city. One of my favorites is Starved Rock. Every season of the year holds a whole new adventure. Soaring eagles, spring blooms, the Illinois River, hiking trails, waterfalls — all in our back yard. Did I mention the lodge? Definitely worth the trip.” — Julie Gammicchia
“Indiana Dunes State and National Park. So, close you can see Chicago from Lake Michigan. Yet, it’s a different world. But, don’t go on July 4.” — Charles Elliott
“Lake Katherine Botanical Garden in Palos Heights. A hidden gem with a beautiful waterfall.” — Rhonda Rowe-Skolnik
“My favorite in the last few years was going apple picking at All Seasons Orchard in Woodstock.” — Tom Mattson
“Chicago Botanical Garden in Glencoe. It’s a treasure! Very educational and therapeutic.” — Glorys Yarzagaray
Thanks for reading the Chicago Afternoon Edition. Got a story you think we missed? Email us here.
