A 37-year-old Rice Lake farmer was arrested in connection with the murder of George Monroe whose decomposed body was found earlier this month near his cabin on West Tischer Road Officers said the suspect is regarded as a dangerous character in the vicinity where he lives Salk polio vaccine inoculations for Duluth first and second grade school children have been rescheduled following a decision to use a two-shot program Children living east of Lake Avenue will be inoculated at Jefferson School while those east of Lake Avenue will be given shots at Lincoln School The architect on the proposed Morgan Park swimming pool told the Duluth School Board he would go to the low bidders to see if they can find ways to trim the cost more than $200,000 above what the board will have available in its capital improvements budget The Virginia Public Library is closed indefinitely after being damaged by smoke and heat from a fire that destroyed the nearby Virginia Boat 5th Avenue sporting goods store An estimated 40% of the library's books will need to be replaced More than a year after Esporta Fitness abruptly shut its doors in Morgan Park a new gym is expected to take its place later this year A UFC Gym will take over the current vacant site which sits inside Marshfield Plaza at 11520 S Marshfield Avenue.“This UFC GYM is more than just a fitness center—it’s a victory for community voice and shared purpose,” Ald Ronnie Mosley (21st Ward) said in a press release announcing the news “We are restoring access to wellness and proving that our neighborhoods are worthy of world-class investment.”The gym is expected to open in the fall of 2025 Mosley, like other community members of his ward, was surprised last spring when Esporta Fitness, a gym under the LA Fitness brand, announced it would be closing without warning Neighbors learned of the closure when they saw notices on the door upon entering the facility the UFC Gym announcement comes after “months of organizing by residents and community leaders after the closure of the previous health club left a significant gap in wellness services.” The UFC Gym youth programming and personal training classes The fitness franchise  offers various classes in the fighting styles such as Brazilian jiu-jitsu as well as yoga Morgan Park will be the second Chicago location for the brand and the first one on the city’s South Side The brand has over 160 gyms across the country including surrounding Chicago suburbs Orland Park and Naperville with the first month and last month costs due at signing plus a $99 enrollment fee and a $59 annual assessment fee 60 days after enrollment The gym also offers free passes for those who are interested in viewing amenities before becoming a member Subscribe to The TRiiBE Weekly to receive top stories and movement calls-to-action delivered straight to your inbox The TRiiBE is a media company that is reshaping the narrative of Black Chicago in pursuit of truth and liberation This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page South Side Weekly If you ever find yourself zipping down Western Avenue in the Morgan Park neighborhood and you suddenly have the intense desire to have a homemade wood-fired arugula & prosciutto pizza a cold one brewed in-house and a crowler to enjoy at home—don’t be surprised That urge you feel is probably because you’re in the vicinity of Open Outcry Brewing Company If I had time to hang out every week at a neighborhood pub for light bites after-work libations or dinner with family and friends this would certainly be the kind of place I’d choose casual vibe that feels perfect for catching up with friends or simply flying solo with a pint Sign up to get the Weekly Digest delivered to your inbox Before I stepped into the cheerful and brightly colored pub I noticed the sidewalk leading to Open Outcry was painted with large brightly colored yellow directional arrows yellow arrows pointing me towards the very place I was already headed to I noticed that most people were seated near the front the next best place was inside looking out I scanned the place and quickly realized that there were plenty of other “perfect” spots to choose from The bottom line is: where you sit seems to depend largely on the company you’re with and the mood that you’re in If you want to chat with friends and have more privacy there’s a corner spot at the back of the restaurant with four leather chairs arranged in a cozy circle (also with a TV mounted above).  I moseyed over to the uber-cool bar that co-owner Katie Beck told me she and her husband Jim had renovated and expanded.  Her husband Jim is the other half and together they took over ownership of Outcry in May had started the pub a few years back at the former location of O’Brien’s Pub Asked what led to their decision to become the new owners Kate said the decision was not a hard one to make “We met with John [the former owner] for a couple of hours and we left there and I was in the car with my husband and said ‘Let’s make a pros and cons list,’ and that was it,” she said I was struck by the sight of a variety of beers on tap: IPAs and a rotating seasonal selection with fun names like the Piña Colada Speculator popped right over to greet me and make menu and drink suggestions She was knowledgeable about the food choices I asked her about her picks for brews on tap versus regular drink specials I decided to go with her recommended drink a blackberry liqueur and a dash of their grapefruit radler Open Outcry Brewing Company is more than just a place to grab a drink It’s a cozy community hub where you can sit back Open Outcry Brewing Company, 10934 S. Western Ave. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 11am–10pm; Thursdays–Saturdays, 11am–11pm; Sundays, 11am–9pm; closed Mondays. (773) 629-6055, openoutcrybrewing.com and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" View More View More all Morgan Park residents have had to come to and leave their neighborhood by way of just one road A rickety 108-year-old railroad bridge crossing over Idaho Street — the only other neighborhood access road — appears to be in danger of an imminent failure and I feel bad about that,” said Jim Benning Duluth’s director of public works and utilities “But I would feel worse if it collapsed and hurt someone.” although Benning expressed optimism Tuesday it finally could reopen by the end of April Mayor Roger Reinert explained that the bridge and the company has been in no hurry to tackle repairs to the idle structure “We’ve been aggressively in conversations with the railroad,” he said because of their federal standing and monopoly status.” With the mayor frequently in his ear and after repeated delays Benning admitted feeling a sense of dread at the thought of appearing before a group of neighbors gathered at the Morgan Park Community Club on Tuesday evening “I thought I was maybe going to be met with pitchforks and torches at this meeting While Benning had invited a CN representative to attend the meeting as well he said that person was unable to make it due to another work commitment the same evening But he was able to consult with CN and told residents that a railroad representative said crews intend to commence repairs Monday He described a plan to encapsulate some of the bridge supports with concrete to arrest further erosion of already compromised steel Benning said the city would then likely install Jersey barriers (modular concrete bumps) to protect the supports from any traffic collisions that could threaten the structure Plans also call for the speed limit to be reduced at the underpass Benning said Idaho Street could reopen to traffic by the end of April But he made it clear the pending work would only buy some additional time referring to the measures as a temporary “Band-Aid” of sorts Benning believes the bridge will need to come down and it’s not going to get better with time Benning unequivocally placed the Idaho Street overpass at the bottom of its class is the worst bridge in the city of Duluth,” he said “I’ve been looking at that bridge for more than 20 years and I’ve watched it go from bad to worse over that time.” Benning noted fist-sized holes in some of the I-beams that support the bridge He also observed 3- to 4-foot cracks and added emphatically “You don’t need to be an engineer to know it’s bad,” he said noting that about two-thirds of the original steel has rusted away on some supports especially around the splash line from passing traffic The city and CN went back and forth several times before agreeing on a shared assessment of the bridge’s structural integrity said she’s concerned about the limited access in and out of her neighborhood and she’s also long worried about the structural integrity of the bridge Berg shudders to think about it falling while kids are climbing or horsing around on it Duluth Fire Chief Shawn Krizaj said the city’s fire rigs still have decent access to Morgan Park but acknowledged that "a neighborhood of this size is supposed to have two means of ingress and egress.” Podemski contends the single access point compromises the neighborhood’s safety noting that response times would be swifter using Idaho Street for some calls supported the temporary closure of Idaho Street due to legitimate offsetting public safety concerns If Idaho Street were to remain closed indefinitely Krizaj said the city would have had to consider a replacement route But he noted the time it would have taken to build another access road into Morgan Park likely would have eclipsed the timeline for a repair Podemski welcomed the news of a pending temporary fix yet still remains uneasy but I still do feel concerned about the safety of it 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by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX Reveal is public radio’s first one-hour radio show and podcast dedicated to investigative reporting A weekly program presented by the New Yorker magazine’s editor killer beats and the edgiest new talent in storytelling come together for a weekly show that straps audiences into an audio rollercoaster Radiolab is known for its deep-dive journalism and innovative sound design Created in 2002 by former host Jad Abumrad the program began as an exploration of scientific inquiry Over the years it has evolved to become a platform for long-form journalism and storytelling Radiolab is hosted by Lulu Miller and Latif Nasser A 19-year-old man was shot to death Tuesday night in Morgan Park A 19-year-old high school senior was shot to death Tuesday night in Morgan Park on the Far South Side was in the 1000 block of 115th Street when a male approached him and opened fire about 8:10 p.m. Chicago police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office said suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was taken to Roseland Hospital Winfield was in the 12th grade at Morgan Park High School “We are extremely saddened by this loss and will do everything we can to help our school community heal,” Kuzma said in a letter to Morgan Park High School families and staff Kuzma said the school is working closely with the school district’s Crisis Management Unit to provide grief counseling and support to students and staff Information about funeral services will be shared as soon as information is available Terms of Use • Privacy Notice • Cookie Policy • Terms of Sale It’s been nearly four months since Idaho Street in the Morgan Park neighborhood has been closed off The City of Duluth determined that the railroad bridge overpass was unsafe to travel underneath The Idaho Street repairs for the bridge have been conducted by the Canadian National Railway The railroad bridge is actually owned by the Canadian National Railway. WDIO News asked for CN to comment on the ongoing repairs and they released a statement about the progress and we are committed to ensuring the highest standards in our operations CN conducted necessary repairs on our rail bridge over Idaho Street in Duluth We are actively working with the City of Duluth on the next steps to reopen the roadway.” WDIO News also reached out to the City of Duluth about what the plan of action is for the bridge repairs over Idaho Street “CN has completed their structural analysis The City is working with a local consulting firm to validate the results from the analysis to confirm it’s safe to reopen This will require permission from the Railroad for the City to conduct additional testing The City of Duluth is moving this forward as quickly as possible and appreciate residents’ patience.” The affected section of Idaho Street will remain closed until further notice The Morgan Park neighborhood is still accessible from the main entrance point at 88th Avenue W Any person with disabilities who needs help accessing the content of the FCC Public file should contact Vicki Kaping at vkaping@wdio.com or (218) 727-6864 A 24-year-old man was shot in a vehicle Monday night in Morgan Park A man was critically wounded in a shooting in Morgan Park on Monday night was in a car in the 11300 block of South Morgan Avenue at 7:55 p.m He was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn in critical condition Chicago Police Department | Sun-Times file photo Albert Winfield is still in disbelief that his son is no longer with him The high school senior was about to graduate and planning to study engineering in college ‘I can’t wait to get out of this house and go to school,’ and I said ‘that’s good!’” Albert Winfield said “He wanted to go to Michigan State if he could’ve.” The two had just started the process of applying to scholarships and colleges before Treyvon Winfield’s violent death earlier this week “It’s still hard for me to put this all together so I am taking it day by day Whoever did this I hope they get caught,” he said was with his girlfriend when he was fatally shot in the 1000 block of West 115th Street on the Far South Side at about 8:10 p.m according to police and Morgan Park High School Treyvon Winfield’s 23-year-old girlfriend was behind the wheel of a 2013 red Ford Fiesta When his girlfriend arrived to pick him up Treyvon Winfield had been walking with two other men in a gangway The three of them got into the car when one of the individuals started acting “erratic” and pulled out a handgun The individual got out of the car and opened fire at it as Winfield’s girlfriend pulled away When she realized Treyvon Winfield had been shot she immediately drove him to Roseland Community Hospital Treyvon Winfield died of multiple gunshot wounds and his death was ruled a homicide according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office Treyvon Winfield was a hard worker and a deeply caring and loyal son bright young man who could have been anything he wanted to be in life It’s sad that his life was short,” Albert Winfield said The community has deeply felt the loss of Treyvon Winfield Morgan Park High School Principal Dan Kuzma said in a letter to families and staff and the school is working closely with the district’s Crisis Management Unit to provide grief counseling and support to students and staff “We are extremely saddened by this loss and will do everything we can to help our school community heal,” Kuzma said in the letter Information about funeral services will be shared as soon as it is available no arrests have been made; Area 2 detectives are investigating 2024 at 9:13 pm CSTExpandMorris' Mick Smith (Rob Oesterle) CHICAGO — Things couldn’t have gone better for Morris in the early going of Saturday’s Class 5A quarterfinal against top-seeded Morgan Park in a 21-7 win at Gatley Stadium. The defense delivered four turnovers, all in the first quarter. Morris (8-4) was able to convert the first of the turnovers into a touchdown for a quick 7-0 lead. After that, it was conventional defense that limited the Mustangs and sent Morris to a semifinal matchup at Joliet Catholic Academy, a 43-8 winner over Peoria, next week. On the game’s second play from scrimmage, Morris’ Mick Smith hit Morgan Park’s Terrance Gurley to force a fumble and teammate Logan Sparrow recovered at the Mustangs’ 24. After a run of no gain, Morris quarterback Brady Varner threw to Jack Wheeler, who outjumped the defender to grab the ball in the end zone and Connor Ahearn’s extra-point kick gave Morris a 7-0 lead with 10:42 to play in the first quarter. “I saw Jack had one-on-one coverage,” Varner said. “When I see that, I am going to throw it to him. I know he can make the play against just about anyone one-on-one.” Morris wasn’t done taking the ball away, though. On the ensuing kickoff, the Morgan Park return man coughed the ball up and Morris’ Brady Babington recovered at the Mustang 35. Morgan Park’s defense was equal to the task, though, and forced Morris to give the ball up on downs. Morgan Park was able to get a 19-yard gain on third and 10, but again the Mustang receiver fumbled while being tackled and Smith fell on it at the Morris 39. Morgan Park forced a punt and, on the second play of Morgan Park’s next drive, quarterback Marcus Thaxton launched a deep pass. Morris’ Brett Bounds broke up the pass and Smith was on the spot to grab it before it hit the ground for an interception at the Morris 37. “On the first fumble, their running back was coming right at me,” Smith said. “I just went low and when I came up, I hit the ball and it came out. On the interception, Brett always seems to be around the ball and I was in the right place after he knocked it down. “Our defense came out hot. All of the credit goes to the defensive linemen. They were plugging the gaps and that let the linebackers and DBs flow to the ball. It was a total team win tonight.” Morgan Park appeared to score a game-tying touchdown on a 34-yard screen from Thaxton to Gurley, but the Mustangs were called for holding and faced fourth and 4. Thaxton’s next pass was incomplete and Morris took over on downs. Neither team was able to score again before halftime and Morris took a 7-0 lead into intermission despite being outgained 138-44. “Our defense came to play today,” Morris coach Alan Thorson said. “[Defensive coordinator] Ryan Clauson and and defensive staff did a great job. Morgan Park has great athletes who can break a big play at any time, but our coaches had a great game plan. “In a game like this, momentum is everything. We’re on the road against the top seed in the bracket and we’re still a pretty young team. We learned some lessons in some of our losses this year and that showed tonight.” Morris grabbed a 14-0 lead midway through the third quarter on a 24-yard TD pass from Varner to Ethan Mumbrue on fourth and 3. It was a bit of a trick play, as Mumbrue had switched places with lineman Brogan Kjellesvik, who lined up on the right as a wide receiver and Mumbrue lined up as the tight end on the left side. All of the attention was paid to the right side of the formation and Mumbrue was left all alone. “We knew they were playing a single-high safety and that they would roll him to the right,” Varner said. “I knew Ethan would be wide open and he was.” Morgan Park (10-2) finally got its offense going on the next drive, taking advantage of two 15-yard penalties on the Morris defense on the same play to quickly move to the Morris 25. From there, Gurley ran six of the next seven plays, finally scoring from a yard out, to make it 14-7 with 1:27 left in the third. The Mustangs attempted an onside kick, but Morris recovered and began to bleed the clock by running out of a full-house backfield. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Varner connected with Ximi Baftiri for an eight-yard gain on 3rd and 6 to keep the drive alive. From there, it was a heavy diet of Caeden Curran and Griffin Zweeres. Morris got it to fourth and goal from the 1 after a 5-yard gain by Zweeres, and Varner snuck in from there to provide the game’s final score. “The offensive line did a great job all night,” Varner said. “A lot of credit goes to Brogan Kjellesvik. He moved to whatever side we wanted to run and we just got behind him. The defense deserves a lot of credit, too. They gave us the ball in great position all night. “We learned a lot from our losses this year and that has shown in the playoffs.” Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network and foster lasting friendships for students entering grades Pre-K through 8th Students have the space to explore their interests on the academy’s 20-acre campus Choice is an essential ingredient in MPA’s approach offering campers the freedom to select from a diverse range of activities that spark their interests and fuel their passions to create their own schedule “We pride ourselves on providing a wide variety of classes and programs,” Director of Summer Camp Nicole Gaynor said in a news release Their offerings reflect their focus on innovative and immersive experiences ensuring every camper finds something that excites and engages them we strive to create a dynamic environment where every camper feels empowered to explore their interests and discover new passions,” Gaynor said “We believe in the power of choice and the importance of providing a diverse range of activities to foster growth and development.” Morgan Park Academy Summer Camp offers three sessions from June 23 to July 3; July 7 to July 18; and July 21 to Aug All classes are led by an outstanding team of teachers and supported by counselors These professionals are dedicated to fostering a space where creativity can flourish and where the focus is on building friendships and play “Our goal is to make every camper feel like they belong and are valued for who they are,” Gaynor said Families can find out more and register for the camps at MPA Summer Camp or call 773-881-6700 Serving students from prekindergarten through grade 12 Morgan Park Academy is an independent college preparatory school founded in 1873 that annually ranks among the top private schools in the state and first among all schools in Chicago’s Southland area Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. The Morgan Park Hi-Y Club will perform its inaugural blackface minstrel show at Morgan Park School The show will feature an interlocutor (or leader) several "end men" (who exchange comic retorts with the interlocutor) and a chorus of 30 club members Addressing the Fatherless Boy Association at the Duluth YMCA superintendent of the state training school at Red Wing said juvenile delinquency can be combated by giving youths a chance to prove themselves at playing ball mowing a lawn or pumping gas at a gas station Daily Express Amtrak passenger service between the Twin Ports and Minneapolis will start April 14 under an agreement between the National Railroad Passenger Service and the state of Minnesota stops may be scheduled in Sandstone and/or Cambridge The City of Duluth issued a closure of the section of Idaho Street that enters into and exits out of the Morgan Park neighborhood effective immediately a structural review of the railroad bridge that passes over that section of the street deemed the bridge overpass unsafe City officials say the structural review found advanced deterioration on the CN Railroad owned and maintained bridge Due to these findings the passage beneath the structure is no longer advised The affected section of Idaho Street will remain closed until further notice The public is asked to observe signs and barricades in the area The Morgan Park neighborhood is accessible from the main entrance point at 88th Avenue W The Metra Board of Directors has awarded a $8.7 million contract to IHC Construction Companies of Elgin to renovate the 115th Street/Morgan Park Station on the Rock Island Line Work is expected to begin later this year at the station to replace the existing platform shelters create a new plaza and sidewalks and address stormwater management needs The project will also include resurfacing the station’s two parking areas and new lighting.  Metra has set a goal for the project to expend 25 percent of the contract total using disadvantage business enterprises firms The agency says IHC has committed to meeting the goal by using various subcontractors.  A rendering shows part of the Morgan Park Commons development Construction is expected to kick off early next year on a 12-acre site in Morgan Park once floated by Mayor Brandon Johnson as a location for “winterized base camps” for migrants The Far South Community Development Corp. said its long-planned mixed-use development, Morgan Park Commons, will go before the Chicago Plan Commission in early 2025 the group hopes to break ground within the first quarter The project would redevelop a former Jewel grocery store and the Halsted Indoor Mall with the goal of bringing energy — and people — back to the intersection of 115th and Halsted streets a park and a performing and culinary arts center Chicago-based DL3 Realty is the co-developer for the site with the Far South CDC and the Preservation of Affordable Housing is the co-developer for the first residential phase of the project according to Far South CDC President Abraham Lacy Lamar Johnson Collaborative is the architect Lacy said the recent closure of discount grocer Aldi’s West Pullman store at 821 W further illustrates the need for Morgan Park Commons He said if shovels were in the ground this year — like they were scheduled to be — there would have been a 50% chance of Aldi staying “You have to make the community attractive for a grocery store,” he said “It’s incumbent upon us that when we’re developing They’re going to have some 300 to 400 people that’s going to be at this location every day That means increased foot traffic.’ That’s what Morgan Park Commons looks to do.” Grocery stores notoriously operate on razor-thin margins They need foot traffic and need to be in high-density areas to fuel them Density is what Lacy hopes to create with Morgan Park Commons He plans to achieve that by building affordable housing with 258 units across the project’s four phases president of Far South Community Development Corp. at the site of its Morgan Park Commons development in the 800 block of West 115th Street “Density is everything right now,” Lacy said “We are a community in this area that has lost the population What Morgan Park Commons looks to do is to bring that sort of density back.” The units would include studios and one-bedroom apartments as well as three-bedroom townhomes Rents will be restricted to under 120% of the area median income with the bulk of the apartments renting for about 60% to 80% of the area median income Lacy said the project will help diversify housing stock in a neighborhood that’s primarily single-family homes he said he couldn’t find any mixed-used apartment projects south of 95th Street Morgan Park Commons will also help the Far South CDC’s mission of wealth-building by creating a pathway to home ownership “You can literally raise a family here and go from apartment living to home ownership,” he said “We help people go from apartments to housing and they get enormous down payment assistance after purchasing it from Jewel’s parent Albertsons But Lacy said the city is turning over its half to the Far South CDC “We now have a much clearer pathway toward ownership than we did when Albertsons still had hold on the property,” Lacy said “That’s one of the great benefits that we see that came out of this situation.” The project has the support of city and state officials with the state appropriating $15 million in seed money in addition to low-income housing tax credits awarded by the city the Far South CDC is scouting opportunities for redeveloping Maple Park Marketplace the shopping center anchored by the now-closed Aldi The group hopes to add a pharmacy and urgent care center on the Walgreen’s site Rendering showing an aerial view of the 12-acre Morgan Park Commons project METAMORA — Chicago Morgan Park proved to be an insurmountable degree of difficulty for Metamora in the second round of the IHSA Class 5A football playoffs Saturday at Malone Field by a 10-1 Morgan Park team loaded with future college talent November rain tumbled down on the sideline in the final moments of the game helping mask eyes that were already wet under their helmets Senior running back Evan Keil hugged teammates Senior linebacker Cam Nickel was inconsolable None of them will ever play football for Metamora again who will play next season at Western Illinois Metamora finished 7-4 and knew what to expect from across the field Morgan Park showed up late — its bus was initially AWOL from the parking lot in their Bloomington hotel when they were ready to leave — and the Chicago team arrived at Malone Field 39 minutes before kickoff put on its uniforms and five plays after kickoff scored the first of three touchdowns in the opening quarter Morgan Park had an unstoppable air game with quarterback Marcus Thaxton He completed his first nine passes — six of which were for 20-plus yards He finished 9-of-11 for 168 yards and two touchdown passes "It's not like we blew coverages," Metamora coach Jared Grebner said we're going to see them playing on Saturdays after high school." who carried 10 times for 163 yards and four touchdowns Metamora got a big game from running back Jaiduan Cranford who ran 14 times for 118 yards and two touchdowns then added a third score on a 34-yard TD catch Redbirds senior running back Evan Keil ran 18 times for 72 yards and a TD He ran seven times on Metamora's final drive finishing his prep career with a 1-yard scoring run "I'm going to miss these seniors," Metamora quarterback Stephen Petri said "I appreciate everything they've done for me Gurley raced 40 yards for a TD 90 seconds into the game The Redbirds punched right back with a 55-yard run from Cranford for 7-7 at 9:09 Gurley rolled across from the 2 just 61 seconds later for 14-7 and the teams had combined for three touchdowns on the first 11 plays of the game Cranford had another big run — 47 yards — on the second play of the second quarter to pull Metamora within 21-14 Thaxton tossed a 27-yard TD pass to Rankin for 27-14 at 8:49 left in the half "We got a little bit of a late start because we had a bus situation," Thaxton said Metamora responded with a 10-play drive capped when Cranford caught a screen pass and raced 34 yards down the right sideline for a TD to get within 27-21 with 2:43 left in the half But Thaxton calmly sat in the pocket and fired a perfect pass 31 yards to Pierre Jackson for 35-21 with 80 seconds left Morgan Park blew it open in the third quarter with a 55-yard TD run by Gurley then a 40-yard TD run by Gurley and a 65-yard pick-6 from Kendall Griffin with 5:26 left for 55-21 Metamora added Keil's touchdown run with 4:12 left in the fourth quarter and there was nothing more to do on the Redbirds sideline but say goodbye Grebner was asked what the worst part of his job was and then at eighth-grade graduation and then four years on your team It's especially hard for me because my son Grebner gathered the team around him on the field ran past the Metamora team circle to get to the parking lot Grebner had one more piece of business to attend to in the Metamora huddle players and coaches gather around and sing Happy Birthday to him they sang Happy Birthday to quarterback Petri Grebner told Petri to call out the cadence to break the huddle and send the team on its way for the final time Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com He can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com DULUTH — Jen Jackl and Andrew Holperin's home for the past two years comes with some very unique features: two working vault doors complete with individual safety deposit boxes in one of them The couple have lived in the former Park State Bank building in Morgan Park and converted it into a single-family home The transformation took a former office building and turned it into a one-bedroom (a second room could also be used as a bedroom) "We do not consider ourselves flippers because that has a lot of implications of speed and lack of care meticulous and paid a lot of attention to details." Details such as preserving the original tile floor in the safety deposit box vault and matching other elements of the house with the colors found there they probably chose that color because it's the color of money "So you'll see green in the curtains I sewed myself and gold in the accents and hardware everywhere." "I'm not sure if it was built with horse and buggies in mind or what the plan was for it," Jackl said "But it worked well for us as a workshop space Andrew could work on building cabinets or other elements down here and then bring them upstairs when they were done We could separate the work zone a little bit from the living area." Jackl and Holperin added a workout area and spa to a room that previously housed a kitchenette for bank workers Jackl credits Holperin for most of the renovation work on the home He built new cabinets; removed walls; installed insulation; cracked the vault combinations; created new light fixtures for the main floor; sanded down dentil moulding around the main floor; and much more The building came with some unique complications and he said he drilled a hole in the floor for a plumbing project," Jackl said He had a diamond drill bit and just kept pushing through it the couple moved the walls of what used to be the bank manager's office and waiting room out farther to create the master bedroom with a walk-in closet and master bathroom kitchen and dining area encompass the rest of the open airy space surrounded by tall glass windows "We put up this wall here to give the kitchen space and added that island dining space there I wanted it to be an open space that worked well for entertaining," Jackl said The two vaults are on the main floor on opposite sides of the kitchen The couple turned one into a butler's pantry and the other they kept as the safety deposit room with a bar Jackl said the bank house has two night-deposit boxes One was completely sealed before they took ownership The other has a safe they cannot open that leads to the men's restroom in the basement "I'm pretty sure there's some stuff in there "And we have had a couple of people stop by since we bought the place wanting to make a deposit." Jackl said they'd also had a lot of community interest in the home since they took it over They've put up several private residence signs to let people know it's now a home Jackl said she and her husband were sad to sell the house as the project was fun to work on and they'd hoped to stay there a few more years She had plans to build a carriage house on the property's parking lot so you have to have a plan for that," Jackl said I think we'll find the right people for the space." — The Renew Church is expanding its reach now helping to renew some wardrobes in the Morgan Park neighborhood The pastor of the church is the brains behind the new Renew Thrift Store which will offer a mix of items — including free non-perishable food and gently used clothing “Eventually we want to open up a drop off center for kids will be free and all the profits from this would go to help families in need and it would help support kids programs,” said Rob Skutevik the owner & pastor of the Renew Church & Thrift Store “So that was really about three months ago that started And it was really started by another ministry we saw down in Texas doing a very similar thing.” The owner hopes to expand soon and is currently networking with local businesses like Second Harvest Northland to find ways to better support the community There's a lot riding on Shadows for Ubisoft and it's making a fantastic first impression OK Ubisoft, I'm excited for Assassin's Creed Shadows When Shadows was announced three years ago as "Codename Red," I was prepared to give it a big ol' shrug Back then it was billed as the next "RPG" Assassin's Creed in the vein of Odyssey or Valhalla which sounded like the opposite of the AC games I wanted to play again Not even its Japan setting turned me around a destination so highly requested for so long that Ubi let Sony beat them to the bag with Ghost of Tsushima "we peaked with Ezio" fan to wonder: Are we back This was the stuff on my mind going into a six-hour Shadows play session at Ubisoft Quebec the first time anyone outside the studio has played the twice-delayed action RPG It was largely a gameplay showcase: I played through part of each character's prologue but not long enough to see Naoe and Yasuke meet and one main questline in the Harima province The idea behind Shadows' dual protagonists is ambitious This is Ubisoft simulating two distinct videogame fantasies in a bid to satisfy two very different almost opposing types of AC fans: the old purists who want hoods and the folks who love stepping into the boots of historical warrior archetypes What's remarkable is that Ubisoft might just pull it off and disassembling guard patrols one stab at a time as Naoe The dynamic lighting is just as cool as I hoped—that Splinter Cell visibility meter adds welcome complexity and expression to sneaking compounds aren't just obstacle courses of hay bales and waist-high cover but projections of hazardous light and malleable shadows charting a safe path to my goals My gut says Shadows is the strongest stealth package in 18 years of Assassin's Creed But a bigger surprise was how much fun I also had charging barricaded doors and shrugging off glancing blows as Shadows' historical Black samurai controlling Naoe and Yasuke felt like playing two different action games but their toolsets forced me to look at the same obstacles from different angles using her grapple hook to reach a vantage point and map out a basic plan to get where I'm going Her kit revolves around a ghost playstyle—noisemakers and a limited supply of kunai that can kill from a distance He's best played by barging into the action maintaining the element of surprise just long enough to decapitate the biggest guy in the castle I love the way Ubi makes Yasuke's height and muscle mass a genuine gameplay-relevant asset—one time I sprinted up to a guard who hadn't seen me yet and Yasuke shoved him so hard he went flying 20 feet off a cliff His light attacks slice through the blocks of fodder soldiers as if they're not even holding swords Most attacks that I failed to block or dodge barely staggered him One of Yasuke's cooldown abilities is this glorious exaggerated kick that turns pipsqueak samurai into lethal projectiles Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals Against heavily armored samurai or brutes with big clubs Naoe's margin for error is essentially zero I love that Naoe and Yasuke's playstyles are also defined by what they can't do Naoe can glide over rooftops and parkour up towers but those fodder enemies that are bugs on Yasuke's windshield are an actual problem for her when outnumbered and with the mid-tier gear I was playing with she could only withstand three or four hits before going down I died or narrowly escaped every time I tried to fight more than three enemies at a time and against heavily armored samurai or brutes with big clubs But those limitations are fun to work around or maybe consider going around them instead Yasuke's limitations are more practical and often hilarious but a hopeless buffoon when a lighter touch is needed His surprise attack is called a "brutal assassination," which is very loud and noticeable but won't alert guards if you're totally alone He can sort of climb if a ledge is comfortably within his reach and his wobbly stance on narrow ledges is best described as worrisome I tried to haul Yasuke across a tightrope between two buildings The rope immediately snapped under his weight dropping the heavily armored samurai into an embarrassing tumble in full view of guards There's a version of Assassin's Creed Shadows that could've taken the Ezio copout of making both characters good enough at fighting and stealth that who you play becomes arbitrary I respect that Ubisoft is doubling down on Naoe and Yasuke's differences in ways that deepen its action and reflect what we know so far about their personalities Naoe's origins include cliches that this series can't seem to shake—a personal tragedy dead family member who was secretly an assassin the whole time a vow of revenge—but I'm interested to see Naoe and Yasuke's first encounter (Ubi suggested they start as enemies) Yasuke's introduction is a more interesting retelling of his real-life counterpart: We see him arrive in Kyoto as a slave of Jesuit priests By the time we're introduced to a cabal of masked killers who rule Japan's underground you can see the Ubisoft open world pieces snapping together: Targets spread across the map just begging for a knife to the neck We were let loose to explore somewhere in the middle of the game Naoe and Yasuke were well along in recruiting allies and building up a hideout to call home (more on that later) The story beats of the main quest I played weren't particularly great—a young lord goes missing and it might be an inside job—but I learned a few things like how Yasuke and Naoe seem to operate as independent problem solvers with no sworn lords or masters and that I love how Shadows handles its hands-off exploration and a variety of other open world Ubi joints of the last few years many objectives aren't immediately identified on Shadows' map the game feeds you clues to find your target or that the house you're looking for is in "southeast Harima" near a specific shrine but I get a big kick out of turning boring GPS waypoints into immersive mini-investigations especially because they help me learn landmarks and appreciate environmental details There's an option to turn on traditional waypoints if that all sounds like the worst but there's also a shortcut baked into the game loop you can spend "scouts" to reveal objectives in a small area Seems like a nice compromise—you still have to follow the clues to find the general area on the map and are also used to smuggle supplies out of compounds Those supplies feed into Yasuke and Naoe's hideout a headquarters in the middle of the map that players expand on over time with workshops and loads of other hand-placed buildings that serve as permanent upgrades unlocks the ability to socket additional perks on legendary gear I suspect some will dump hours into beautifying their home base—there are tons of statues or you can build a live-in petting zoo by observing animals in the world and unlocking them in the hideout A few other Shadows thoughts and questions after six hours: you never know how to read into it: is this a "our game's great we need to change everything immediately delay" Ubisoft has a lot riding on Shadows' success but what I played showed a level of confidence I haven't seen from the publisher in years Six hours is a drop in the bucket of what's likely a 40-60 hour game but I'm feeling a lot better two months ahead of Shadows than I did two months ahead of Star Wars Outlaws Assassin's Creed Shadows is finally (cross your fingers) coming out March 20 Morgan ParkSocial Links NavigationStaff WriterMorgan has been writing for PC Gamer since 2018 first as a freelancer and currently as a staff writer he spent most of high school and all of college writing at small gaming sites that didn't pay him Morgan is a beat writer following the latest and greatest shooters and the communities that play them and he'll even write about a boring strategy game Morris’ Jack Wheeler (27) catches a pass and scores a touchdown against Morgan Park in the Class 5A quarterfinals The season Morgan Park had been building toward for years ended much sooner than planned The Mustangs lost to Morris 21-7 in the Class 5A quarterfinals Saturday There is no shame in losing to one of the best-known football programs in the state but Morris has lost four games this season and was beaten 42-0 by Sycamore in Week 8 A look at Morgan Park’s schedule this season raises a major concern: Is the level of play in Public League football too low for a team to achieve playoff success ‘‘I am worried about that,’’ Mustangs coach Chris James said Morgan Park held its own in a loss to Class 8A power Marist in Week 1 But the next seven weeks of the regular season were spent blowing out Public League opponents by a combined 325-13 ‘‘We get into a real game with a team like Morris and it is the first time we’ve been in that situation in months,’’ James said ‘‘We fumbled five times in the first quarter But there is no question that our conference didn’t help prepare us for that.’’ Morgan Park didn’t even play all the top Public League teams The Mustangs didn’t have games against Taft Amundsen and Young have improved steadily over the last several years But Public League football appears to be a long way from providing enough quality opposition to build a team into a legitimate state-title threat ‘‘I’m in huge favor of the district format that was proposed,’’ James said ‘‘Or if someone would let us into another conference I love CPS — this is nothing against them — but this has been a thing for a long time Nazareth won state with four and five losses because they were battle-tested.’’ Nazareth has lost only two games this season and will host St Francis in the Class 5A semifinals Saturday The Roadrunners are building a solid rivalry with St The two-time defending state champions beat St Francis beat Nazareth 39-36 in Week 9 this season Playoff football generally goes as expected with established powers rolling through the bracket But the brackets were a little more unpredictable this season with a few unexpected teams advancing to the semifinals The Bulldogs (11-1) lost to Libertyville 48-15 in Week 2 and fell off the Super 25 radar They faced only two opponents that finished above .500 the rest of the regular season No one saw the quarterfinal victory against Kankakee coming helped Richards pull off the upset with 113 yards and a touchdown Loyola and Lincoln-Way East were considered Nos. 1A and 1B in the Super 25 back in August The Ramblers had an up-and-down season but are playing their best football now The showdown everyone has waited for will happen Saturday in the Class 8A semis in Frankfort This is a true rivalry game in so many ways It’s a private school against a public school and the north suburbs against the south suburbs Loyola has ended Lincoln-Way East’s last three seasons — in the quarterfinals in 2021 and in the championship game the last two seasons ‘‘It’s going to be awesome,’’ Loyola linebacker Max Mendoza said and Jovan Clark were key to Morgan Park’s success this year Morgan Park’s Jovan Clark wasn’t wondering if he’d play college football But Clark came back from a torn anterior cruciate ligament to become one of Illinois’ premier linebackers Clark and two teammates made their college intentions official on the first day of the early signing period They headline a senior class that helped Morgan Park establish itself as the Public League’s dominant program with three straight trips to the Class 5A quarterfinals And they all took different paths to this point “I didn’t know if I was ever gonna return back to the field,” Clark said “Coming back from an ACL is definitely tough But I had a great support system: my family “The whole Morgan Park community just stuck by my side and was always with me throughout the whole journey.” Clark is graduating soon and heading off to begin his next chapter early like other high school athletes navigating the recruiting process in the portal era felt the weight of the decision he was making “The process was — I wouldn’t say stressful I was still going through things as a teenager typical life things I had to grasp on my own You’ve just got to stay true to what you want to do transferring to Morgan Park this year from a school in Georgia The Mustangs made him feel at home right away Saying goodbye to this senior group won’t be easy for Morgan Park coach Chris James “You built the program to this level,” James said we wouldn’t be in the position we are without those players.” Griffin and Durr are freshman receivers at Illinois and Wyoming Grayer is a senior defensive back who’s still uncommitted “Now we’re going to be a good program year in and year out,” James said Morgan Park’s Terrance Gurley (5) carries the ball against Simeon at Gately Stadium It’s a cavernous facility that can make large crowds feel small On Saturday afternoon Morgan Park supporters had the visiting side nearly at capacity There was a huge crowd in Simeon’s home stands and a sizable group of fans in the park behind the north end zone It was the perfect setting for the premier matchup of the Public League football season Terrance Gurley burst free for a 61-yard touchdown on the second play of the game and the Mustangs rolled to a 42-6 victory over Simeon in the Battle of Vincennes “Not everyone gets to play in front of a crowd like that Gurley also scored on a 40-yard run late in the third quarter “[Gurley] got all the reps this summer; he was the one,” Morgan Park coach Chris James said The Mustangs only allowed two touchdowns the rest of the season 1 seed in the south region of the state playoffs I heard the crowd and the energy,” Morgan Park cornerback Ahmad Grayer said Mustangs quarterback Marcus Thaxton threw two touchdown passes to Pierre Jackson and one to Nasir Rankin He was 5-for-10 for 134 yards with one interception Morgan Park’s Pierre Jackson (9) carries the ball against Simeon during the game at Gately Stadium “We just wanted to come out and be aggressive and physical and play nasty,” Morgan Park linebacker Jacob Ware said “We knew they would try to do little stuff to bug us but we had to find ways to fight through that.” 6-1 Public Red) scored on a six-yard run by James Bell late in the third quarter “We didn’t show up today,” Simeon coach Sinque Turner said We came out way too flat to play against a high-powered Morgan Park team like that 7-0) are the best program in the Public League and Chicago Public Schools’ only hope for a deep run in the state playoffs “They are behind us and a huge reason we have the resources to be a good team.” Simeon quarterback Kaleb Sims was 7-for-21 for 142 yards This is Turner’s first year as the Wolverines’ head coach after successful stints at Westinghouse and Kenwood Simeon is a state-playoff qualifier in Class 6A “This is the stage we have always been waiting for,” Turner said “But our team didn’t show up with the crowd.” Marcus Thaxton to Pierre Jackson for an 18-yard TD just before halftime. Morgan Park leads Simeon 20-0. pic.twitter.com/PpOZRDk4Oc — Northern Bedrock Preservation Corps has a new headquarters in the Morgan Park area Steel building in Morgan Park in September of 2024 and has since been working to transform it into a space that will fit their needs Their goal is to create a space that can be used for several purposes It also includes things like a tool library and housing for people in workforce development programs The group says they’re looking to welcome anyone “We welcome anyone,” said Charley Langowski “Our baseline understanding is that you’re brand new to the trades and then people that have worked in stained glass shops It’s a wide gamut of folks we reach.” In order to open the second floor housing to public program — The of Duluth has temporarily closed down a road after a structural review of a train bridge that passes over a Morgan Park area street A portion of Idaho Street will be closed until further notice after the city found advanced deterioration on a CN Railroad bridge that passes over the street The city said the neighborhood is accessible through the entrance at 88th Avenue West ExpandAmboy’s Tyrah Vaessen makes a pass against Morgan Park Academy Tuesday in the Class 1A Hinckley-Big Rock Sectional semifinal HINCKLEY – Amboy leveraged its height advantage over Morgan Park Academy on both ends of the court in Tuesday’s second semifinal of the Class 1A Hinckley-Big Rock Sectional. Working the ball into the low post for inside baskets and crashing the defensive boards, the Clippers defeated the Warriors 54-26. Amboy, the Subsectional B second seed, returns to Hinckley on Thursday to face St. Edward, seeded second in Subsectional A for the sectional crown and a berth in next week’s Harvest Christian Academy Supersectional. The Green Wave beat Yorkville Christian 46-20 in the first semifinal. The Clippers last won a sectional in 2019. St. Edward defeated Amboy 55-27 early in the season. “They definitely took advantage of their height,” Morgan Park coach Tom Drahozal said. “We did not shoot the ball well at all, but credit to them, they played well.” “We didn’t shoot it quite as well as we needed to, but we were able to get the ball inside quite a few times,” Amboy coach Mike McCracken said. The Clippers' coach was pleased with his team’s defense. “We did a lot of good things. We got better at defensing the drive. We knew it was coming,” McCracken said. “We weren’t stepping up and taking it off the pick.” Six-foot senior Emily Sachs was in the thick of things both offensively and defensively for Amboy. Sachs scored all of her team-high 18 points from in the paint and pulled down nine of the team’s 31 defensive rebounds. “Emily stepped out real big because she only averages five or six [points],” McCracken said. “We were able to get it to her easier, and it was great to see her step up and play as well as she did.” “Communications was definitely key with us,” Sachs said about her teams’ success on both ends of the court. “Making sure we were communicating with each other.” ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 11Amboy’s Tyrah Vaessen makes a pass against Morgan Park Academy Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, in the Class 1A Hinckley-Big Rock Sectional semifinal. Amboy won 54-26 and will face Elgin St. Edward at 6 p.m. Thursday for the title. (Alex T. Paschal) The Clippers' Jillian Anderson notched a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Senior Tyrah Vaessen also snared 10 rebounds. Addison Pertell scored nine points. Amboy limited the Chicago school to one basket for a 14-2 lead after the first quarter. Warriors sophomore Tiara William scored the first of her team-high 18 points at the 4:57 mark of the period. The Warriors matched the Clippers basket for basket in the early going of the second quarter but could not sustain the momentum. Amboy led 25-10 at the break. Williams was the key to Morgan Park’s offense. “We knew we had to continue her because she’s a good passer on top of a good shooter,” the Amboy coach said. “So we did well at times.” The Clippers continued their domination in the third quarter and started the final frame with a 37-18 lead. Amboy will need to step up its game in the St. Edward rematch. “They beat us earlier in the year pretty easily. It was right after [Addison] Pertell broke her thumb and so we were at our worst,” McCracken said. “We will have to play better than we did tonight as far as passing wise, you know, because they’re going to be putting more pressure on than we had tonight.” Jared Birchfield is a contributor to Shaw Local News Network Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More Ohio — The City of Akron is inviting residents to celebrate the updated Morgan Park which has undergone nearly two years of improvements.  The revitalization of the park began back in 2022 when Ward 5 Councilman Johnnie Hannah applied for the Akron Parks Challenge The challenge allows residents and organizations to pitch ways on how to improve a park in Akron While it wasn't selected for the challenge that year the Akron Parks Collaborative saw a need to improve the state of the park the first improvement to the park came in June 2022 through a partnership with KaBOOM! which helps build a community-designed playground all the basketball courts have been resurfaced and have new backboards and posts more park furnishings and native plant landscaping.  The funds for the improvements came from the City of Akron,  Akron Parks Collaborative More information can be found here. Morgan Park’s Terrence Gurley (5) refuses to go down as he picks up a first down against Morris An up-and-down regular season had Morris flying under the radar in the Class 5A playoffs “We’ve had a young team and I joke like we’ve kind of become this forgotten team,” coach Alan Thorson said I think we just needed time to grow and learn from some of our mistakes early on.” That growth was evident on Saturday evening and as a result Morris is back in the state semifinals for the 15th time in program history Brady Varner passed for two touchdowns and ran for another the defense and special teams forced four early turnovers and Morris beat Morgan Park 21-7 at Gately Stadium Morris (8-4) plays at Joliet Catholic (9-3) next weekend in the latest installment of one of the state’s premier rivalries Morris lost its last two regular-season games But senior center Dakota Goff expected a turnaround “We took those losses and instead of pondering on them Morris went ahead less than 90 seconds into the game and never trailed Two plays after Morgan Park (10-2) lost a fumble on its second offensive play Varner hit Illinois baseball recruit Jack Wheeler for a 24-yard touchdown pass Morris had three more takeaways in the first eight minutes of the game — two on fumbles and one on an interception “Morgan Park’s got some athletes and some really “I thought we did some things to confuse them and get them off their game.” “They did some things defensively way differently than [they did] on tape Morris had only two first downs in the first half “It was kind of a chess match for a while,” Thorson said went to more of our power game in the second half.” a 24-yarder to Ethan Mombrue on fourth-and-three for a TD that made it 14-0 at 4:42 of the third quarter “We thought we were going to throw the ball this game,” Varner said “But we just had to run the ball because the line was doing good.” Varner finished 7 of 11 passing for 66 yards and two touchdowns Caeden Curran helped keep the clock running with 15 carries for 77 yards and Griffin Zweeres added 40 yards on 18 carries Morgan Park made it a one-score game again when Terrance Gurley scored from a yard out with 1:27 left in the third quarter But Morris then ran off more than eight minutes on a 13-play drive capped by Varner’s one-yard sneak That made it 21-7 with 5:14 left and Morgan Park couldn’t respond Gurley had a game-high 98 yards on 21 carries for the Mustangs and senior quarterback Marcus Thaxton was 9 of 17 passing for 67 yards with one interception Morgan Park was trying to become the first Public League team to reach the semifinals since 2017 “Feeling like you had everything that you needed — this is really “This is one of the most painful moments I’ve had as a coach We’ve just got to take care of the ball better.” A man was killed and another wounded Wednesday in a shooting in Morgan Park on the South Side in the 11800 block of South Watkins Avenue when someone opened fire was shot in the chest and was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn according to police and the medical examiner’s office The other man suffered a graze wound to his side and declined medical attention