It's not very often that you hear someone singing about parking tickets and street lights in a romantic way. But that is exactly what Northern Irish singer-songwriter Ciaran Lavery does on his fun Windy City-inspired ballad, To Chicago. The track, which is performed in an exclusive music session above, begins with the lines, “I love you baby 'til the parking ticket runs out. Until the lights in the street are bright as the stars…” The song is the first single to be taken from Lavery's latest album Sweet Decay, his first since his Northern Ireland Music Prize winner Let Bad In in 2016. and it is a record filled with emotions and honesty. Recorded with an array of Irish musicians who have performed with Hozier and James Vincent McMorrow among others, the LP sees Lavery expanding his musical horizons as he explores the human condition in all its guises, including mental health. Hailing from the village of Aghagallon, which is 20 miles south of Belfast, Lavery was a … [Read more...] about Ciaran Lavery performs To Chicago in an intimate music session
Chicago
What does Dana Loesch know about ‘grieving black mothers in Chicago’?
Clay Cane is a television commentator and the author of "Live Through This: Surviving the Intersections of Sexuality, God, and Race." Follow him on Twitter @claycane. The opinions expressed in this commentary are his. (CNN)Whenever we talk about guns in America, the card-carrying members of the National Rifle Association are always the mouthpieces, equating being a gun owner with American hyper-patriotism. The historian Richard Hofstadter described the concept of "gun culture" -- guns viewed by many as part of America's heritage: "an ingredient in the American imagination." Clay Cane But there is another culture of guns that has nothing to do with patriotism or distorted views of constitutional rights. I grew up in the 1990s in West Philadelphia, a rough section of one of the most violent cities in the country at the time. I have seen as much gun violence in my life as anyone "celebrating the association of guns" in America. I heard shots outside my bedroom window, I … [Read more...] about What does Dana Loesch know about ‘grieving black mothers in Chicago’?
“Secret” deal threatens huge Chicago O’Hare airport expansion
United and American spar with city over massive deal Chris McGinnis Updated 10:44 am, Thursday, March 1, 2018 Photo: Chris McGinnis Expansion deal in jeopardy at Chicago O'Hare airport Expansion deal in jeopardy at Chicago O'Hare airport Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has unveiled an eight-year, $8.5 billion plan for a massive expansion and modernization program at O'Hare Airport – a hub for both United and American Airlines – but a last-minute objection by American threatens to delay or derail the project. If approved, the project could be complete by 2026. TravelSkills with Chris McGinnis sponsored by . American balked at signing a new lease for the expanded airport "because of a secret provision, inserted at the last minute, awarding additional gates to United," a company official told The Chicago Tribune. Until American buys into the plans, the project's future is uncertain. Just a few days … [Read more...] about “Secret” deal threatens huge Chicago O’Hare airport expansion
Joel Ward out vs. Chicago Blackhawks, Ben Smith returns
Joel Ward is injured and will be out of the lineup for the first time this season when the Sharks face the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday night at United Center. Ward was hurt in the final seconds of Friday’s game against the Ottawa Senators as he was hit from behind and into the boards by Mark Borowiecki, who was given a boarding penalty. Ward’s head and right shoulder made contract with the boards but he remained in the game. He is considered day-to-day. “Totally unnecessary. No other word for it,” Sharks coach Pete DeBoer said of the hit after Friday’s game. “Ridiculous.” Ward, 35, is fourth on the Sharks with 10 goals and 23 points as he’s off to the best offensive start in his nine-year NHL career. He’s mainly been used on the Sharks’ second line and has also been part of San Jose’ first power play unit with Logan Couture out of the lineup. For Sunday’s game, Patrick Marleau will … [Read more...] about Joel Ward out vs. Chicago Blackhawks, Ben Smith returns
Sharks vs. Blackhawks pregame: Desjardins loving Chicago, Zubrus ready for first game in teal and DeBoer focuses on winning special teams battle
A lot of words that could describe what life has been like for Chicago Blackhawks forward Andrew Desjardins the past several months. One word, though, is as succinct and accurate as any. Perfect. “My year last year couldn’t have been any better,” Desjardins said Wednesday inside the visitor’s locker room at SAP Center. “Had my baby boy, got to hold the Stanley Cup. The last six months, it was just a crazy feeling. You can’t draw it up any better than that.” Desjardins, dealt by the Sharks at the trade deadline in March for forward Ben Smith and a conditional draft pick in 2017, will be back at the Shark Tank for the second time Wednesday as a visiting player. The Desjardins deal was part of a bigger late-winter purge by Sharks general manager Doug Wilson, who also dealt Tyler Kennedy, James Sheppard and Freddie Hamilton, and waived Tye McGinn. Desjardins had been a scratch in a handful of Sharks games leading up to the trade deadline. … [Read more...] about Sharks vs. Blackhawks pregame: Desjardins loving Chicago, Zubrus ready for first game in teal and DeBoer focuses on winning special teams battle