Afternoon Briefing: Chicago's frigid temps are just right for competitive ice swimmer
With little business to act on, the Chicago Police Board gathered last night for its monthly meeting at CPD headquarters, its first since the head of the Civilian Office of Police Accountability said she would step down.
Andrea Kersten, COPA's chief administrator since 2021, announced her resignation last week amid other high-level city agency departures, including that of COPA's second-in-command, Deputy Chief Administrator Ephraim Eaddy.
Here's what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit chicagotribune.com/latest-headlines and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices.
Chicago's frigid temps this week make Lake Michigan just right for competitive ice swimmer Qing Li
Qing Li, who lives in downtown Chicago, is one of nearly a hundred American athletes competing in the growing sport of ice swimming, where people traverse frigid waters of 41 degrees or lower with nothing but a swimsuit, goggles and a swimming cap.
Hundreds of vacant lots in Chicago to be sold after landlords' bankruptcy, opening up opportunities for redevelopment
Buyers could ride the wave of new investment pouring into other South and West Side neighborhoods, said Steve Madura, senior vice president of Hilco Real Estate Sales, the company handling the sale. Read more here.
Coby White is now the centerpiece of the Chicago Bulls offense. Is he ready for the spotlight?
Bulls guard Coby White is no longer in a position where his teammates can absorb an off night — or an off week. After years as the second or third option, he will be fully in the spotlight for the rest of this season. Read more here.
Will Chicago Bears, flush with salary-cap space, be 'aggressive' in free agency? 7 thoughts entering NFL combine.
A fear-mongering autocrat rigs elections to maintain power as a rising resistance fights to bring back kindness. I'm talking, of course, about 'Princess and the Pea,' the main event of the Joffrey Ballet's mixed-repertory bill on now at the Lyric Opera. Read more here.
More top Eat. Watch. Do. stories:
U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper decided he could not grant a motion from unions representing the workers to temporarily block the layoffs. He found that their complaint amounted to an employment dispute and must follow a different process outlined in federal employment law. Read more here.
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Miami Herald
29 minutes ago
- Miami Herald
This Miami filmmaker made an animated boxing drama — starring roosters
Imagine if Rocky Balboa were a Cuban fighting rooster and his dream of becoming a great boxer was forged in Little Havana. The protagonist of 'Pollo Punch,' a short film directed by Cuban-American Miami native Alec Castillo, probably didn't need to seek inspiration from Sylvester Stallone's iconic character because Cuba has produced so many great boxers of its own. But his short film combines all the elements of a 'Rocky' film with Castillo's own roots. 'Pollo Punch' is 'basically a boxing drama with roosters,' said Castillo about the short film he presented in March at the Miami Film Festival, and that later won the Best International Animated Short Film award at the Puerto Rico Film Festival. But 'Pollo Punch' is much more; it's funny, clever, tender, and quintessentially Cuban without letting that detail overshadow it. A rooster wearing a Cuban link gold chain around his neck? Well, that's a strong start. 'Pollo Punch' is also a nostalgic and loving look at the rapidly changing Miami — where your childhood haunts, like the diner you went to after school, the bowling alley and the skating rink are disappearing. 'Seeing how the city changed rapidly in recent years, I wanted to do something that reflected the people and places where I grew up,' said Castillo, who is now based in Los Angeles. 'Whether it's an older generation speaking in a specific way that starts disappearing or a street corner being demolished to build a luxury condominium tower, much of old Miami has begun to fade away with the city's transformation,' he said. 'While I can't shoot a period live-action film in the Miami of the '70s and '80s, I can definitely animate it. With animation, I can preserve those aspects of old Miami to endure in this film,' says Castillo. Castillo is proud of the team he assembled for the project. Comedian Mike Menendez is the voice of Yunián, whose name is a product of the Cuban Generation Y. Yolanda, Yunián's hen wife, is voiced by actress Jenny Lorenzo, known for her role as the Cuban abuela, which she has popularized on social media. Lorenzo, from Kendall, also lives in Los Angeles, where she develops her career as a voice actress. El Flaco, Yunián's owner, is a humble Cuban exile trying to establish himself in a new city. 'He lives on cigarettes and Vienna sausages,' Castillo points out. He's voiced by Chris García, a comedian, actor and writer known for his work in 'Minx' (HBO) and the sitcom 'Mr. Iglesias' (Netflix) with comedian Gabriel Iglesias. Chris De La Guardia was the art director for the film. 'I met Chris while taking an art history class at Miami-Dade College, and he's a brilliant artist. Once I secured funding for the film, I knew I had to have him because his visual touch is electrifying,' said Castillo. 'Being away from home for the first time, working on this film daily, and watching the Marlins lose on TV became a helpful way to feel closer to home in a new city. It was crucial for this film to be something that people could watch when they felt a bit nostalgic and wanted to remember Miami,' said Castillo. Funding the short was a challenge, Castillo acknowledged, while offering hope to young people following these paths. 'If you have the right idea, someone will want to support it.' In his case, he got support from LatinXinAnimation, the Latino Film Institute, the Netflix Spark Animation Grant, as well as local organizations like ArtesMiami, Oolite Arts, and some private donors. 'It was crucial to gather so many talented artists and pay them for their incredible work,' he said. 'Currently, Miami just doesn't have a sustainable film industry. Many major productions want to tell stories about Miami characters; however, the current tax incentives make it difficult for them to shoot those films in South Florida,' he said, acknowledging it did offer him more opportunities to study. 'Growing up and living in Miami during my college years was undoubtedly a key factor in producing a lot of work that helped me find my creative voice,' he said, offering some examples of how it benefited him. 'As an emerging filmmaker, if you're in Miami, you'll have much more access to local tools and resources than if you were in New York or Los Angeles. It'll be much easier to shoot in a Kendall restaurant than one in Pasadena,' he noted. Castillo, 27, concluded with tips for young people who want to become filmmakers 'In the beginning, I made the mistake of trying to be too ambitious too soon,' he acknowledged. 'Start small and work your way up! The smaller the failures, the faster you can achieve great things.'
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Tomic turns back clock, US Open main draw in reach
Bernard Tomic's impressive resurgence has put the Australian two wins away from his first US Open main draw appearance in nine years. The 32-year-old offered up moments of his awkward, disruptive best in a comprehensive 6-4 6-4 defeat of American Patrick Kypson on Wednesday (AEST). One of six Australian winners on the day, Tomic next plays Portugal's Henrique Rocha after the world No.168 upset French veteran Pierre-Hugues Herbert in a lengthy three-set battle. There are US Open concerns for Australian world No.79 Chris O'Connell, who retired after losing the first set to Roberto Bautista Agut at the lead-up event in Winston Salem. The battling Aussie withdrew from last month's Toronto Masters with an oblique injury and then didn't play in Cincinnati, before attempting a return this week. Tomic, the 2009 US Open junior champion hasn't featured in the Flushing Meadows main draw since 2017 and last played qualifying in 2018. But Tomic, who climbed as high as world No.17 in 2016, has returned on a mission after aborting last week's delayed ATP Challenger final in Colombia to properly prepare for his main-draw shot. The Barranquilla decider, delayed a day because of rain, was Tomic's second final at that level in the month and could have been his first major title since 2018. Often criticised for a perceived lack of effort and intensity, Tomic has knuckled down in the last two years to surge from a career-low 835 to at least No.167 when the next rankings are calculated. A bit of Bernard Tomic magic in Barranquilla 👏 #ATPChallenger — ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) August 15, 2025 In June he took two top-100 scalps, including compatriot Rinky Hijikata. A US Open berth would be Tomic's first grand slam main draw appearance since he qualified for the Australian Open in 2021. Jason Kubler will meet Kyrian Jacquet in the second round after beating Brit George Loffhagen 6-4 7-5. Australian women Olivia Gadecki, Priscilla Hon and Lizette Cabrera all won their first-round matches, while Destanee Aiava upset eighth seed Sara Bejlek, 6-4 4-6 6-4. But Alex Bolt and Daria Saville both lost after four Australians had won first-round qualifying matches on Tuesday. The qualifiers are hoping to join a dozen Australian direct entrants, led by men's world No.8 Alex de Minaur, and wildcards Tristan Skoolkate and Tahlia Gibson.
USA Today
7 hours ago
- USA Today
6 Texas A&M players receive All-SEC honors ahead of the 2025 season
From top to bottom, the SEC is arguably the most talent-rich league across several sports. With the start of the college football season right around the corner, the conference has released its 2025 Preseason Coaches All-SEC Football Team selections. The list is packed with household names in the college football world. Some of the more notable national standouts include Anthony (Texas), Ryan Williams (Alabama), and DJ Lagway (Florida). Names familiar to Aggie fans—despite now playing outside of Aggieland- include former Aggies Eli Stowers (Vanderbilt) and LT Overton (Alabama), along with high-profile flips Cam Coleman (Auburn) and Harold Perkins (LSU). As usual, Texas A&M remains one of the more perplexing programs in college football. Routinely ranked in the top ten in recruiting, the Aggies often find themselves in the Top 20 preseason rankings, only to finish 8–4 after dropping games they were favored to win. However, expectations feel more grounded this year, thanks to the foundation Coach Mike Elko has built in his short time in Bryan–College Station. In an era when players can transfer for any reason at nearly any time, Coach Elko has earned enough trust to retain several NFL-graded talents and maintain the core of his roster, an increasingly rare feat. He enters the season with a veteran squad at key positions like offensive line, running back, and linebacker. And where there are question marks, there's depth. That's reflected in the preseason All-SEC selections, with six Aggies earning honors: First Team The lone first-team Aggie, Moss, earned this recognition. The senior was well on pace for a 1,000-yard, 12–15 touchdown season before suffering a season-ending injury after nine games. He landed on the 2024 All-SEC Second Team and earned Offensive MVP honors at the team's awards banquet. Moss finished with 765 yards on 121 carries and 10 touchdowns. Second Team A transfer from Kansas, Reed-Adams started every game at right guard. He helped power an offense that averaged 195.5 rushing yards per game—second-best in the SEC. Though he received a solid draft grade, the graduate student chose to return for one final season and will serve as a team captain. Trey Zuhn III - Offensive Line Zuhn has demonstrated year-over-year growth since he arrived in 2021. As another veteran leader up front, he played a key role in A&M's top-30 rushing attack. In 2024, he earned SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week, landed on the All-SEC Third Team, and took home the Offensive Trenches Award at the team banquet. He'll also captain the 2025 squad. Chase Bisontis - Offensive Line Bisontis likely could've landed on the second team had he not missed three games due to injury. Like Zuhn and Reed-Adams, he played a key role in anchoring the ground game while helping protect the quarterback amid instability at the position. In 2023, he earned ESPN All-American and All-SEC Freshman honors. Will Lee III - Defensive Back Lee transferred in and immediately made his presence felt, starting all 12 regular-season games. At 6'3" with rangy arms, he posed a tough matchup for opposing receivers and ranked fifth in the SEC with 10 pass breakups. He finished with 39 tackles, 12 passes defended, and two interceptions—one returned for a touchdown. He earned a 2024 All-SEC Second Team spot and won the Defensive Skill award at the banquet. Third Team Taurean York - Linebacker What York lacks in size and speed, he more than makes up for with instincts and football IQ. A relative unknown heading into his freshman season, York grabbed the starting role and thrived. He earned spots on the ESPN and All-SEC Freshman teams and was named a Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Semifinalist. The team captain led A&M with 82 tackles—12th-best in the SEC—and finished with 83 tackles, 9.5 TFLs, 2.5 sacks, and an interception. Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on X: @whosnextsports1.
