Afternoon Edition: March 24, 2022

Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

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 rainy with a high near 44 degrees. Tonight will be cloudy with rain likely and a low around 36. Tomorrow will be mostly cloudy with scattered showers and a high near 47.

Top story

Daughter of convicted Daley aide picked to replace Patrick Daley Thompson in 11th Ward

A United Airlines head whose father was convicted of stealing from a pair of Chinatown charities is Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s choice to replace convicted former 11th Ward Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson.

Nicole Lee serves as director of social impact and community engagement for hometown United, O’Hare Airport’s flagship carrier. She was one of two finalists, but the only Asian-American, recommended by a selection committee appointed by the mayor to sift through 27 applicants.

She’s a former Chicago chapter president of the Organization of Chinese Americans and a current member of the Asian-American Advisory Council at the University of Illinois-Chicago. She spent four years chairing the local school council at Haines Elementary.

Her resume also includes stints as a founding member of the Asian Giving Circle, as chair of the BP Asian Pacific Islander Employee Network and as a board member and first vice-president of the Chinese Mutual Aid Association.

What makes the mayor’s choice somewhat controversial and politically perilous for Lightfoot is the conviction of Lee’s father and his ties to the Daley family, our Fran Spielman explains.

Gene Lee served as deputy chief of staff in the administration of Mayor Richard M. Daley.

Spielman has more on Lee’s backstory here.

More news you need

1. A handgun used in the South Loop killing of a friend of local rapper G Herbo was among a cache of weapons a trio of U.S. soldiers at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, conspired to sell in Chicago, according to court records. We previously reported the Fort Campbell soldiers are accused of selling at least two other weapons that wound up being used in shootings in Chicago.
2. Many Chicagoans lined up again today for another round of free gas courtesy of businessman and potential mayoral candidate Willie Wilson. Wilson pledged to give away $1 million in free fuel at nearly 50 gas stations in the city and the suburbs. 
3. Norberto Navarro-Torres, 30, had been detained for more than a month in Will County, which some immigration activists said was in violation of the state’s Trust Act. He was released yesterday after testifying as a witness in a trial in Will County, according to officials.
4. Madeleine Albright, the first woman U.S. secretary of state, has died of cancer at the age of 84, her family announced yesterday. Our Lynn Sweet shares how, when she would see Ms. Albright throughout the years, she would rib her about the Sun-Times not hiring her as a reporter decades ago.
5. In addition to the Revs. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, several notable speakers took to the pulpit yesterday and many turned out to honor former WVON disc jockey Pervis Spann at his funeral. The legend, known as “The Blues Man,” died last from Alzheimer’s disease at age 89.
6. The Chicago City Council yesterday finally entered the 21st Century with the debut of electronic voting — something that’s been a fixture in Springfield for years. IPads now sit at each alderperson’s seat and three video boards behind the mayor’s rostrum will display each vote.
7. Jewel-Osco has acknowledged it’s having problems implementing a contract negotiated with Local 1546 of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union. The problem affects 4,000 workers in the deli, seafood and meat departments at Chicago-area Jewel stores, the union said.

A bright one

Pitbull, Erykah Badu, Diana Ross, Grace Potter among Ravinia’s 2022 season lineup

Pitbull, Erykah Badu, Grace Potter, the Black Crowes, Common, Dwight Yoakam and Stevie Nicks are just a few of the artists scheduled to play the Ravinia Festival this summer.

Festival organizers this morning announced more than 100 concerts will take place May 20 through Sept. 18 at the Highland Park outdoor venue where some 50 artists will be making their debut over the course of the season.

This year marks Ravinia’s return to a full season of performances—the first time since 2019. In 2020, the festival canceled its entire season (only the second time in Ravinia history) due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, the festival presented an abbreviated season with 64 concerts.

Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times

Also set to play are Rodrigo y Gabriel, Jackson Browne, Esperanza Spalding, Diana Ross and more.

Also this season, Ravinia’s Steans Music Institute summer training program for young artists has named violinist-composer Jessie Montgomery as composer-in-residence for its 2022 Piano & Strings program, which will include chamber music coaching sessions and performances of several of her works by young professional musicians.

Miriam Di Nunzio has more on the lineup here.

From the press box

• With the Blackhawks on a rebuilding path, Jonathan Toews admitted yesterday that he’s considered “what it’d be like to play for another team.” Ben Pope has more on Toews’ comments.
• The Bears are taking aim at Bills offensive lineman Ryan Bates, who will sign an offer sheet with the team, sources confirmed to our Mark Potash. Given Bates is a restricted free agent, Buffalo will have the chance to match the contract.
• MLB’s streaming deals with Peacock and Apple will stick it to the fans more than the regional sports networks, Jeff Agrest writes.
• It’s “best shape of his life” season, and today’s example is Reynaldo Lopez, who told our Daryl Van Schouwen that “Everything is coming together.

Your daily question ☕

How long would you wait in line for free gas?

Email us (please include your first name and where you live) and we might include your answer in the next Afternoon Edition.

Yesterday, we asked you: Who are three Chicago artists you’d like to see headline a music festival here this summer?

Here’s what some of you said…

“Herbie Hancock, Ramsey Lewis and Bunky Greene.” — Stella Haggis

“Buddy Guy, the Smashing Pumpkins and Local H.” — Edgar Valencia

“Syleena Johnson, Chaka Khan (I only have two).” — Debbie Deb

“Liz Phair, Poi Dog Pondering and REO Speedwagon.” — Julie Alaimo

“Chicago, Earth, Wind & Fire and Cheap Trick.” — Eileen Kilroy

“Chance The Rapper, Rise Against and Wilco are my three.” — Rosario Ani

Thanks for reading the Chicago Afternoon Edition. Got a story you think we missed? Email us here.

Sign up here to get the Afternoon Edition in your inbox every day