Category: News
What Inflation Alarmists Missed In Their Warnings
What Inflation Alarmists Missed In Their Warnings
Authored by Lance Roberts via RealInvestmentAdvice.com,
Over the last couple of years, inflation alarmists such as Paul Tudor Jones, James Grant, and Jeff Gundlach have all said that inflation is returning with force. In different ways, they each stated that they would not own Treasury bonds due to the expectation that inflation would rise as the dollar declined due to the ongoing deficits. They have all argued, in some form or another, that ballooning deficits, tariffs, and the “dollar debasement” would drive inflation much higher, with yields of 6% or more on the 10-year Treasury as inevitable.
As Jeff Gundlach noted in June of this year, a “reckoning is coming” for U.S. debt, and yields on long-term bonds could continue to rise as the economy weakens. Paul Tudor Jones said in October 2024 that “all roads lead to inflation.” Lastly, in June 2024, James Grant stated that “persistent inflation” is the new norm.
However, while these are brilliant, well-regarded gentlemen, the forecasts have not panned out, at least so far, as they believed, because they ignored the structural weight of the “3-Ds” (Debt, Deficits, and Demographics) on economic growth, which drives inflation.
Of course, it hasn’t been just these three gentlemen discussing higher inflation and higher interest rates. Inflation alarmists have filled media headlines over the last few years, making a myriad of claims, but they have misunderstood what drives inflation in a consumer-driven economy. Furthermore, they misjudged the nature of money creation in a debt-saturated system.
Veil Of Money
Let’s start by understanding the basics of money supply. The media often states that the Government is “printing money,” which will lead to inflation. The reasoning is sound on the surface; if a government prints more dollars, each of those dollars has less value, in theory. However, that view misses two crucial points. First, as discussed in “Money Printing,” the government does not “print money.”
“Modern economies operate under an endogenous money system, meaning banks create money in response to economic activity. As the Bank of England explained in its 2014 paper “Money creation in the modern economy,” it is not central banks that directly dictate broad money growth, but rather commercial banks extending credit when they see viable opportunities. Put simply: loans create deposits.“
Re-read that last bolded sentence, which is the most critical point. The U.S. does not “print” money. All money is lent into existence, as we continued explaining in that post.
“This means that the growth of the money supply closely follows the economy’s growth. When businesses expand, hire, and invest, banks extend more credit, and the money supply grows. Conversely, when the economy slows and loan demand weakens, money supply growth contracts, regardless of how much the Federal Reserve expands its balance sheet. We saw this after 2008: despite unprecedented quantitative easing, money growth and inflation remained subdued because banks hoarded reserves instead of lending.
It’s easy to point to M2 charts and scream “debasement. “ However, the money supply must grow as the economy grows. If it doesn’t, deflationary risks emerge. Therefore, the key is whether money creation exceeds economic growth in a sustained way. Since 1959, the money supply has grown in alignment with economic growth.”
A better way to assess this is by comparing M2 to GDP. Historically, the two have tracked closely. Even during the COVID-19 shock, M2 as a percentage of GDP remained below 100%, indicating that money supply growth was broadly aligned with economic output. Today, that ratio is falling, not rising.
The reality is that the growth rates of M2 highly correlate with the state of the economy.
This brings us to the “Veil of Money” theory, which posits that money serves as a neutral medium of exchange, affecting only the nominal price level, but not the underlying fundamental economic factors, such as output, employment, and the allocation of resources. In this view, money overlays the real economy like a veil, and to understand economic activity, one must “pierce the monetary veil.”
During the pandemic, the money supply spiked. But that’s not the whole story. Bank reserves ballooned, yet lending barely moved. Consumer demand rose temporarily due to direct payments, rather than a structural shift in consumption. Once those payments stopped and the economy reopened, that demand faded, supply increased, and inflation started to recede. In other words, the increase in the money supply did not alter the real economy; in fact, it may have worsened it.
As such, the problem for the inflation alarmists is that inflation occurs only when demand exceeds supply. In a service-based, aging economy that’s already over-leveraged, such a demand surge rarely occurs sustainably.
While the inflation surge of 2021 and 2022 was real, it wasn’t systemic. It was the result of excessive government interventions in concert with global supply shocks. That combination created a short-term explosion in prices. But it was never sustainable.
The 3 D’s: Debt, Deficits, Demographics
To understand why inflation alarmists have been incorrect, at least so far, you have to understand the “3Ds”: Debt, Deficits, and Demographics.
Let’s return to the basics of “inflation,” which is simply the function of “supply and demand.” Nothing more. Nothing less. As we noted previously:
“Inflation is the rise in prices due to supply and demand imbalances. Rising wages and consumer demand for products and services that grow faster than the available supply create higher prices (aka inflation). The following economic illustration is taught in every ‘Econ 101’ class. Unsurprisingly, inflation is the consequence if supply is restricted and demand increases via monetary interventions.”
With this concept in mind, let’s start with the debt. Currently, total U.S. debt, comprising government, corporate, and household debt, stands at record levels. As shown below, when that debt, as a percentage of GDP, grows, it slows economic activity as increased interest payments consume income, thereby limiting consumption and investment.
What the inflation alarmists miss is that every dollar borrowed must be repaid with future income. As more income is allocated to servicing debt, less is available for spending, which reduces demand in the economy and, as shown, leads to lower inflation. That’s why high debt is deflationary, not inflationary. Such is also why expectations of yields hitting 6% or more remain unfounded, as an economy that is dependent on debt to function can’t support higher rates.
The second “D”, deficits, are also problematic to the inflation alarmists’ view. Annual deficits are now routine. The government borrows to fund everything from defense to entitlements to foreign aid, with the Congressional Budget Office projecting trillion-dollar deficits for the next decade. As the deficit grows, more money is diverted from productive investments into debt service, which again negatively impacts economic activity. As shown, when the deficit is reduced, it is because economic activity has increased, resulting in higher revenue for the government and potentially leading to inflationary pressures.
The long-term consequence of persistent deficits is low growth as more debt is needed to generate less output. That dynamic has played out in Japan, Europe, and now the U.S. However, ironically, while everyone hopes for lower inflation, which is economically repressive, we should be discussing how to increase inflation through stronger economic growth.
Lastly, the most overlooked driver of disinflation is the decline of demographics in the U.S. The population is aging, and the U.S. workforce growth rate is falling. Immigration has slowed. Birth rates are down. Fewer workers and more retirees result in lower production and consumption. Older people spend less. They don’t buy homes, take out loans, and live on fixed incomes, which translates to lower economic velocity.
At the same time, entitlements such as Social Security and Medicare are proliferating, absorbing an increasing share of the federal budget. That adds to debt, increasing deficits, which feeds into economic retardation.
Put all three together, high debt, chronic deficits, and an aging population, and you get structural stagnation, keeping inflation low, capping long-term rates, and reducing economic prosperity.
What the Market Is Telling You
The bond market isn’t stupid. When inflation spiked, yields rose, briefly. But as soon as growth slowed and fiscal drag returned, yields fell. Long-term expectations remain subdued, with the 10-year breakeven inflation rate still near 2.3 percent. The Fed’s own projections indicate that inflation will return to target over time. As shown, the spike in the Fed’s preferred measure of inflation, the trimmed mean PCE inflation rate, has returned to the bond market’s view of inflation. While the Fed took a lot of heat for saying inflation would be “transient,” ultimately, they were correct.
If inflation were going to stay hot, you’d see it in long-dated yields and in the breakeven rates. However, for now, at least, you don’t. That’s because markets understand what Wall Street celebrities don’t: structural forces matter more than temporary shocks.
If you’re expecting another surge in inflation, you’re betting against demographics, debt dynamics, and deficit math. That’s probably going to be a bad bet.
Here’s what you should prepare for instead:
Inflation will remain volatile but is expected to trend lower.
Long-term yields will stay capped by debt service constraints.
Growth will slow as the stimulus fade continues.
The Fed will pivot again — not toward more hikes, but to rate cuts and balance sheet expansion.
Does this mean we won’t ever see another rise in inflationary pressures? No. In fact, we should be hopeful for such due to economic growth that leads to broader economic prosperity.
However, the calls for runaway inflation and 6 percent interest rates are primarily a misunderstanding of the world in which we live. We are not in a 1970s cycle, but rather in a debt cycle where every dollar of growth incurs more debt, and every attempt to tighten policy leads to deflationary pressures.
That’s not a theory. It’s what the data shows. And until something changes in the structure of our economy, it’s what you should expect.
Tyler Durden
Fri, 12/19/2025 – 15:40
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/what-inflation-alarmists-missed-their-warnings
Juez anula condena de uno de los hombres culpables del asesinato de Jam Master Jay de Run-DMC
NUEVA YORK (AP) — Juez anula condena de uno de los hombres culpables del asesinato de Jam Master Jay de Run-DMC.
Chicago Public Schools shows academic gains, but more work is ahead, officials say
While Chicago Public Schools students continue to show post-pandemic gains in reading and math, district interim CEO Macquline King said that the “encouraging” data is just the start toward meeting the district’s long-term goals.
While the most recent data is encouraging, “We are not satisfied,” King said at a Board of Education meeting Thursday. “There are areas where more investment and better strategies are needed for students to reach their full potential. If we are to achieve the … five-year strategic plan, we must do better.”
In 2024, CPS put forth a five-year strategic plan aiming to increase the number of third through eighth graders who meet proficiency levels in math and reading by 20%. Nonetheless, recent data shows CPS students are hitting the mark in math and reading skills at their grade levels, and are outpacing their peers nationally, according to i-Ready assessment data.
On average, roughly half of Illinois students come from low-income households. Research has long linked socioeconomic status and academic achievement, concluding that lower-income students face more hurdles in learning at school and home.
These achievements are “even more incredible,” according to Alfonso Carmona, acting chief education officer, since a majority of CPS students — roughly 72% — face these economic barriers.
The district also shared that about 56% students are earning early college and career credentials — about 13,000 CPS graduates last year. That’s up from nearly 47% in 2022, when CPS first started tracking those credentials.
Attendance dips
The picture is mixed when looking at absenteeism. Daily attendance rates have increased slightly for Black students in both elementary and high school. But the district saw a dip in Latino student enrollment. The average daily attendance for Latino students at elementary schools was 91.7% this school year, down from 92% the year prior. The drop is slightly larger at high schools, from 85.5% to 85.1%.
Attendance among English learners has also decreased, according to district data.
The decline comes amid Operation Midway Blitz, President Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration enforcement campaign that has reaped chaos across Chicago since September. Many parents have reported keeping their children home from class as federal agents storm the city.
Chronic absenteeism is also slightly higher this year relative to the year prior, up from 30.2% to 30.8%. A student is considered chronically absent if they miss 10% or more of the school year.
Some board members expressed concerns with the absenteeism numbers. Chronic absenteeism has soared across the state following the COVID-19 pandemic and the shift to remote learning — and CPS remains well above the state average, according to the most recent Illinois Report Card. A large body of research has shown that it is closely linked to academic performance.
“Long before (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement), we were having trouble getting kids to school,” said board member Ellen Rosenfeld, district 4B. “You can’t exceed on the ACT if you weren’t in school. You can’t do anything.”
Rosenfeld asked whether the district had a specific plan to address the attendance data and set long-term targets. CPS’ strategic plan set a goal to reduce chronic absenteeism by at least 15% — but it has remained a stubborn metric.
“Individual schools have attendance plans, and we’ve kind of been autonomous and dealing with it, but we do see the need … to have a district-wide plan,” King told the board
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/19/chicago-public-schools-academic-gains/
Corte Suprema apoya a jueces de inmigración en caso de libertad de expresión
Por LINDSAY WHITEHURST
WASHINGTON (AP) — La Corte Suprema se puso del lado de los jueces de inmigración el viernes, rechazando por ahora al gobierno del presidente Donald Trump en un caso con posibles implicaciones para los trabajadores federales mientras los jueces consideran expandir el poder de despido presidencial.
La decisión es un paso técnico en un caso de larga duración, pero tiene que ver con los efectos de una serie de despidos de alto perfil efectuados en el régimen de Trump. Los jueces mantuvieron en pie un fallo que planteó preguntas sobre el manejo de la fuerza laboral federal por parte del gobierno del republicano, aunque también señalaron que los tribunales inferiores deberían proceder con cautela.
Los jueces de inmigración son empleados federales, y la cuestión central de la apelación es si pueden demandar para impugnar una política que restringe sus discursos públicos o si están obligados a utilizar un sistema de quejas separado para la fuerza laboral federal.
La administración republicana de Trump pidió a la Corte Suprema que interviniera después de que un tribunal de apelaciones determinara que los despidos de altos funcionarios del sistema de quejas por parte del mandatario plantearon preguntas sobre si todavía funciona como se pretende.
El Departamento de Justicia dijo que los despidos están dentro de las atribuciones del presidente y que el tribunal inferior no tenía fundamentos para plantear preguntas. El procurador general solicitó a la Corte Suprema que congelara rápidamente el fallo mientras presiona para que el caso de los jueces de inmigración sea retirado del tribunal federal.
Los jueces se negaron, aunque también dijeron que el gobierno de Trump podría regresar si los tribunales inferiores actuaban demasiado rápido. Los jueces han permitido la mayoría de los despidos de Trump por ahora y estudian si deben expandir formalmente su poder legal para despedir a funcionarios de agencias independientes al anular las protecciones laborales consagradas en una decisión tomada hace 90 años.
Un sindicato que anteriormente representaba a los jueces de inmigración, que trabajan para el Departamento de Justicia, demandó por primera vez en 2020 para impugnar una política que restringe sobre qué pueden hablar los jueces en público. Dicen que el caso es un asunto de libertad de expresión que pertenece al tribunal federal.
Ramya Krishnan, abogada del Instituto Knight First Amendment que argumentó el caso en nombre del sindicato, aplaudió la decisión que el máximo tribunal tomó el viernes. “Las restricciones a los derechos de libre expresión de los jueces de inmigración son inconstitucionales, y es intolerable que esta restricción previa siga en vigor”, afirmó.
En los últimos meses, la imposición de estrictas medidas contra la inmigración por parte de Trump ha incluido el despido de docenas de jueces de inmigración que sus aliados consideran demasiado indulgentes.
Hasta el viernes, la Casa Blanca no había respondido a un mensaje de correo electrónico donde se solicitan sus comentarios.
Aunque la orden no es una decisión final, el caso podría tener implicaciones para otros trabajadores federales que deseen impugnar despidos ante el tribunal en lugar del sistema de quejas de empleados, que actualmente es supervisado en gran parte por designados de Trump.
La decisión se produce después de una serie de victorias para el Departamento de Justicia en el expediente de emergencia del máximo tribunal. La corte se ha puesto del lado del gobierno de Trump unas dos docenas de veces en temas que van desde la inmigración hasta la financiación federal.
___
Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
Kevin Plank, Goldman Sachs Exit Any Further Development Of Billion-Dollar Ghost Town
Kevin Plank, Goldman Sachs Exit Any Further Development Of Billion-Dollar Ghost Town
Under Armour founder and CEO Kevin Plank, along with Goldman Sachs, is stepping away from further development of Baltimore Peninsula, formerly known as Port Covington, a 235-acre mixed-use waterfront redevelopment project in South Baltimore. Originally pitched as a 14-million-square-foot mini-city anchored by a new UA headquarters, a new report says less than 10% of the planned project has been built.
Representatives for Plank’s real estate development company, Sagamore Ventures, and its equity partner, Goldman Sachs, told the local paper, The Baltimore Banner, that they will remain owners of the current Baltimore Peninsula development but will exit the rest of the project, much of which remains underdeveloped.
“Baltimore Peninsula is becoming a dynamic, connected community that adds real momentum to South Baltimore and serves as a source of pride for Under Armour and the city,” Plank told the outlet.
The UA CEO said he wants to “remain focused on leading UA’s comeback” and will let others “take the lead in carrying forward the next chapters of Baltimore Peninsula’s development.”
Kevin Plank exiting future development at Baltimore Peninsula.
Read more: https://t.co/aXJy5c0JOc pic.twitter.com/KyIKi9ICtx
— The Baltimore Banner (@BaltimoreBanner) December 18, 2025
The decision to withdraw from the rest of the project apparently hinged on a $66 million land loan that came due this past fall. Instead of paying the full amount, Plank and Goldman negotiated with Bank OZK, which would take over the project and be responsible for future development.
Plank and UA made massive bets on the mini-city, situated in the heart of crime-ridden Baltimore City, a metro area that has experienced one of the largest population exoduses in generations…
Much of the exodus has been driven by disastrous one-party Democratic rule, particularly failed social and criminal justice reforms. The result was a spike in violent crime after the 2015 riots, and people either fled the struggling state or moved to surrounding counties.
Perhaps one direct consequence of the failures at City Hall is that crime and chaos hindered Plank’s mini-city from ever gaining traction. After all, the city once pitched Amazon on moving its second headquarters to the metro area, but seriously, why would any rational management team put white-collar workers in harm’s way when parts of Baltimore still resemble war zones?
But it wasn’t just Baltimore City’s horrendous leadership of Democratic kings… The UA brand has lost traction with consumers, and its stock has imploded as the company works on a turnaround plan.
Meanwhile, Plank has been offloading real estate assets in the area, or at least attempting to, such as an $18.5 million, 500-acre racehorse farm, Sagamore Farm, just north of the city.
The reason Plank and Goldman are likely stepping away from further development of the mini-city is simple: it has been called a “billion-dollar ghost town.”
Tyler Durden
Fri, 12/19/2025 – 15:20
Afternoon Briefing: Some Illinois hospitals won’t participate in medical aid-in-dying
Good afternoon, Chicago.
The budget counterproposal crafted by opponents of Mayor Brandon Johnson won a critical first vote before the full City Council today, setting the mayor up to soon concede their remarkable weekslong fight — or issue Chicago’s first mayoral veto of a budget in decades.
Aldermen voted 29-19 to approve the revenue piece of an alternative 2026 spending plan that does not include Johnson’s corporate head tax. That’s shy of the 34-vote threshold needed to override a potential mayoral veto, however, leaving the door open for the City Hall standoff to escalate further still.
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.
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Chicago police and CTA officials investigate the scene after a man was critically injured setting himself on fire at the CTA Damen Blue Line station on Dec. 19, 2025. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)
Man sets himself on fire at Damen station on CTA Blue Line
A man set himself on fire this morning at a CTA Blue Line stop at Damen Avenue in the Wicker Park neighborhood, causing significant Blue Line delays, officials said. It was not immediately clear if the fire was accidental or not. Read more here.
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While Chicago Bears officials eye Indiana as possibility for stadium site, Halas Hall is staying in Lake Forest
People participate in a candlelight vigil outside Gov. JB Pritzker’s office in Chicago on Dec. 11, 2025, to urge Pritzker to veto legislation that legalizes physician-assisted suicide in Illinois. Pritzker signed the legislation. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
Some Illinois hospital systems won’t participate in medical aid-in-dying, which is allowed under a new law
Though a new Illinois law allows doctors to help terminally ill people end their lives, several Illinois health systems with religious affiliations say they will not participate. Read more here.
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Bears tight end Colston Loveland breaks free from Bengals defenders on his way to a game-winning touchdown reception in the final seconds of the fourth quarter at Paycor Stadium on Nov. 2, 2025, in Cincinnati. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Column: Chicago Bears put Colston Loveland on the fast track — and the rookie tight end ‘just keeps learning’
For a player the team has said has “uncommon” or “rare” intangibles since he was drafted with the No. 10 pick in April, rookie Colston Loveland has been pushing himself the entire way. Read more here.
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Inocencio Carbajal, in hat, and son Marcos Carbajal, owners of Carnitas Uruapan, pose for a photo with chef Diana Dávila, owner of Mi Tocaya Antojería, along with other chefs and restaurateurs in front of Carnitas Uruapanon in Little Village on Dec. 17, 2025, during a luncheon announcing Todos Ponen, a citywide culinary fundraiser. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)
Chicago chefs to unite for ‘Todos Ponen’ in January to raise money for immigrant families severely impacted by ICE
More than 40 Chicago chefs and restaurant owners gathered this week to launch a coordinated effort to raise money for 125 families severely affected by federal immigration enforcement since the start of Operation Midway Blitz in September. Read more here.
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A blue tarp hangs to shield workers from view as they add the name of President Donald Trump to the facade of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington on Dec. 19, 2025. (Eric Lee/The New York Times)
Kennedy Center starts work to add Donald Trump’s name to the building
The handpicked board voted to rename The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts to The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts. Trump, a Republican, is chairman of the board. Read more here.
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While Chicago Bears officials eye Indiana as possibility for stadium site, Halas Hall is staying in Lake Forest
As the Chicago Bears openly consider constructing a new stadium in Northwest Indiana, team officials say the franchise’s presence in Lake Forest will continue.
Chicago Bears President Kevin Warren told the Chicago Tribune earlier this week and reiterated in a Wednesday letter to season ticket holders that the team is exploring alternative stadium sites, including Northwest Indiana, amid stalled negotiations with the state of Illinois over financial incentives for a proposed stadium in Arlington Heights.
Despite the ongoing stadium discussions, the Bears’ Halas Hall headquarters will remain in Lake Forest, according to the team.
What to know about the Chicago Bears’ possible move from Soldier Field
“Halas Hall remains in Lake Forest,” wrote Scott Hagel, the Bears’ senior vice president for public and government affairs, in an email.
The Bears began practicing in Lake Forest in 1975, leading to the construction of the original Halas Hall at Lake Forest College in 1979. In 1997, the team opened the current Halas Hall at the Conway Park office complex, and the facility has since been expanded twice.
“The City of Lake Forest has had a longstanding partnership with the Bears for decades, and we look forward to that partnership continuing,” City Manager Jason Wicha said in an interview.
The Bears began hosting their summer training camp at Halas Hall in 2020, with practices opening to the public in 2021. Many Bears players and staff members live within close proximity to the Lake Forest facility.
Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/19/chicago-bears-lake-forest-halas-hall/
Honduran man gets 16 years for stabbing girl at Little League game
A Lake County judge sentenced a man from Honduras to a maximum 16 years Friday for stabbing a 13-year-old girl in the hand as she was watching her brother’s Little League game near Lowell.
Dimas Yanes, 27, pleaded guilty in August to aggravated battery, a Level 3 felony.
The hearing took place under the shadow of the Trump administration’s ramped-up immigration enforcement and tactics, putting increasing pressure on the legal system, which gives due process to criminal defendants regardless of their citizenship status.
The U.S. Constitution is “still written, it hasn’t been changed,” Judge Gina Jones said during the hearing. Yanes was there for committing a local violent crime, not for his immigration status.
“That is what I am focused on,” she said.
She later noted Yanes was diagnosed with two mental health disorders at the Lake County Jail.
He is expected to be deported. A Lake County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman said she was checking for answers at press time on when he might be taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
Police responded around 3:45 p.m. on Aug. 31, 2024, to the 17000 block of Morse Street near Lowell.
The girl said she was in the bleachers at the Lowell VFW softball field watching the game behind home plate when a man — later identified as Yanes — “hovered,” then tried to stab her in the chest with a big knife.
She blocked him and was later taken to the hospital for cuts on her fingers. The man ran toward her mom, who dodged him. He sprinted away from the field.
The girl was “viciously stabbed” by a man who had “no legal right to be in this country,” Emily Lopez, the victim’s mother, said in court, who was emotional throughout the hearing.
The child had to sit out the rest of her eighth-grade volleyball and basketball season, Lopez said. The girl also lived with nightmares and panic attacks.
“It’s not something a simple apology can fix,” Lopez said.
The girl, who was in court with her brother, wrote in a victim impact letter that four fingers were injured, two seriously. At one point, she considered quitting sports due to her injuries.
The girl said previously she has lasting nerve damage in at least one finger.
“I want to feel safe again. I want to feel normal,” she wrote. “I don’t know if that will happen.”
Deputy Prosecutor Maureen Koonce asked for a maximum 16-year sentence. She acknowledged they may not have been able to prove the original attempted murder charge at trial.
However, if the girl hadn’t blocked Yanes, she would have been stabbed in the chest.
Yanes was arrested around 4:30 p.m. Sept. 1, 2024 in a cornfield near Indiana 231 and Iowa Street after a daylong manhunt. Police said Yanes was trying to cut his hair in order to change his appearance just prior to the arrest.
Koonce noted he was deported twice since 2015.
Yanes had a pending battery case in Georgia against a minor. There were all kinds of kids and parents at the Lowell baseball game that witnessed the attack, she said.
He said in presentencing paperwork that he intended to attack a woman on her cell phone who was giving him a “bad look” and at one point told the court interviewer that he was “not doing time for this,” Koonce said.
He was a “danger to the community,” she argued.
Defense lawyer Eric Morris acknowledged the case received widespread attention in the community and local media.
“This case has become a symbol,” he said. “We sentence a person, not a headline.”
The legal system shouldn’t “bend to politics or pressure,” he said. “Especially when a case is unpopular.”
Yanes’ life was shaped by “poverty” and “fear,” the lawyer said. His client came to the U.S. for “safety” and “opportunity,” but never found any real stability and ended up wandering around the country.
At a young age in Honduras, he was “working in the fields” and had “little chance of survival” if he didn’t leave.
At the time he encountered the baseball game, he was “hearing voices.” Morris asked for 10 or 12 years in prison.
“Equal justice is not a favor to him,” the lawyer said. “It is a protection for all of us. It’s about the kind of justice system we want for ourselves. In the hardest, most unpopular cases, the law holds steady.”
“You had every right to be safe,” Morris told the victim, adding Yanes was remorseful.
Koonce retorted that the case was not “political” as Yanes could have killed the girl.
Yanes apologized to the victim through an interpreter, telling the court he was “lost” and “not thinking with clarity” when it happened.
Jones said she was looking at Yanes’ past criminal history, including several police contacts.
“I am so sorry you had to go through what you went through,” she told Lopez. “Please give my best to your daughter.”
In a previous news release, Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr. said Yanes was deported to Honduras in 2018 but re-entered the United States illegally at some point. He has a pending deportation case in federal court.
Yanes told police he entered the U.S. in 2022 through Texas. He went to Colorado before coming to Chicago. Yanes said the stabbing was not intentional. He claimed he got the knife in the woods.
“Someone was following him and telling him to do it,” the affidavit states.
He fled when people started chasing him and threw the knife near a house near the edge of the woods. Police said they recovered a butcher-style knife believed to have been used by Yanes.
Court records also allude to an arrest for criminal trespassing in New York.
Returning from last year’s injury, St. Laurence’s Aaliyah Flores makes up for lost time. ‘I missed everything.’
After being forced to step away from the game last season by an injury, junior point guard Aaliyah Flores rediscovered something essential about herself for St. Laurence.
Flores missed her entire sophomore year recovering from a torn meniscus, taking away her joy — like the sound that her shoes make on the court or the sensation of the basketball in her hands.
“I missed everything,” Flores said. “Being out there with my team, the energy on the court. I missed all of it. Honestly, the confidence I had in myself and my teammates really helped.
“The moment I stepped back in, it was comforting. My coach also made the transition way easier than I expected.”
The 5-foot-10 made things look easy Thursday night, coming up with eight points, four rebounds, four steals and two assists for the Vikings in a 67-15 nonconference win at Hancock in Chicago.
Senior guard Ciyah Thomas scored 12 of her game-high 16 points in the first quarter and senior forward Emma Raftery added 10 points for St. Laurence (5-5).
St. Laurence’s Aaliyah Flores (0) drives to basket past Hancock’s Roselyn Padilla (10) during a nonconference game in Chicago on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (Steve Johnston / Daily Southtown)
Thomas is in her first year with the Vikings after playing last season in Hammond, Indiana. Thomas and Flores have known each other since they started in basketball together at age 5.
As part of her comeback story, Flores is averaging 14.5 points a game. She balances excellent size with prototypical vision, athleticism and the ability to create or finish for the Vikings.
“Aaliyah is very athletic and explosive,” Thomas said. “She has great moves, scores a lot and is a really good team player. I love playing with her. We’ve been teammates for a long time.
“As a person, she’s very funny and kind. She’s laid back but also goofy, which balances out really well. She has a great sense of humor, and she’s a great friend.”
St. Laurence’s Ciyah Thomas (21) celebrates with Aaliyah Flores (0) after a basket against Hancock during a nonconference game in Chicago on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (Steve Johnston / Daily Southtown)
St. Laurence coach Claire Austin is in her third season directing the program, overlapping with the arrival of Flores as a precocious freshman. Flores’ absence last winter left a clear void.
“It was tough,” Austin said. “I talked about it a lot last season, and now it’s the best feeling in the world to be talking about Aaliyah being on the floor instead of wondering what might have been.
“She has so many ways to score around the rim. Since returning from injury, we’ve emphasized her presence in the post. She’s learned how to create for herself and for her teammates.”
Her older brother, Jacob, was Flores’ earliest inspiration and helped shape her passion for the game.
St. Laurence’s Elle Rice (12) puts up a shot against Hancock’s Nina Olvera (4) during a nonconference game in Chicago on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (Steve Johnston / Daily Southtown)
“The moment I saw him play, I fell in love with the game,” Aaliyah said. “I started playing when I was about 4 years old, basically as soon as I could walk.
“My favorite part of basketball is everything — meeting new people, scoring, just about all of it.”
If Flores shows off a particular flair and style in the open floor, her creativity and flavor have a natural connection to her love of baking, which is her favorite activity off the court.
“When I was younger, I spent a lot of time in the kitchen with my grandma, baking at her house,” she said. “We’d make cakes, cookies, brownies, and that just became part of my life.
“My favorite thing to bake is simple chocolate chip cookies.”
St. Laurence’s Aaliyah Flores (0) converts a layup against Hancock during a nonconference game in Chicago on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (Steve Johnston / Daily Southtown)
Now, she’s cooking up her own recipe for success, diversifying her game by playing off the ball while basking in a triumphant return. In the process, she has her groove back.
The comeback has also opened up her college recruiting, with an offer from Delaware State.
“Defensively, I want to step it up all around by rebounding, getting stops, creating steals,” Flores said. “I want to make a bigger impact on that end.”
“I think I’ve played pretty well so far this year, but there’s always room for improvement.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/19/aaliyah-flores-st-laurence-hancock-ihsa-girls-basketball/
Naperville News Digest: DuPage Children’s Museum offering winter activities; part of Book Road closed for pipeline work
DuPage Children’s Museum plans winter-themed activities
The DuPage Children’s Museum’s Winter Break Wonderland will feature winter-themed activities for children and their families through Sunday, Jan. 4.
Children can slide in the museum’s indoor sock skating rink or use math and measurement skills to mix pretend cocoa. They can learn about ice and snow at the Zamboni table and experiment with buoyancy with icebergs and arctic animals at the water table, a museum news release said.
Other activities include a winter smells station, buckets of snowballs and a chance to build with blocks of ice or snowy bricks, no coats or mittens required.
Families looking for a quiet moment can relax in the Cozy Cabin with Northern Lights projections and campfire-inspired play, officials said.
The Naperville-based museum at 301 N. Washington St., designed for children up to age 10, offers hands-on exhibits and play. Wonderland activities are included with museum admission or membership.
For more information, go to www.dupagechildrens.org/winter-break.
Part of Book Road closed through spring for pipeline work
Book Road has be closed between 75th and 83rd streets through spring so the DuPage Water Commission can install a water pipeline beneath the roadway, Naperville city officials said.
The 30-mile water pipeline extension will provide Lake Michigan drinking water to Montgomery, Oswego and Yorkville, which are currently obtaining water from an aquifer that does not meet the needs of a growing population.
According to a project update, Book Road will be only open to local traffic between 75th Street and Rickert Drive and closed to all traffic between 75th and 83rd streets. Detours will be posted.
Sidewalks parallel to Book Road between 75th Street and Rickert Drive are closed, the project website said. Springbrook Prairie Trail on the south side of 75th Street remains open.
For more information, go to www.waterlinkpipeline.com.
Park district limits hours at some facilities for the holidays
Naperville Park District facilities will have limited hours for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, park district officials said.
Fort Hill Activity Center will be open from 6 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Dec. 24, and closed Christmas Day, Dec. 25. Regular hours will be offered Dec. 26 to 30 but reduced to 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. on New Year’s Eve and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. New Year’s Day. Exercise class members should check napervilleparks.org/groupexercise for an updated holiday schedule.
Springbrook and Naperbrook golf courses and driving ranges are closed for the season, but the golf shops will be open through Dec. 23. Weekday hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sportsman’s Park Trapshooting Range is closed Dec. 25 and Jan. 1.
Alfred Rubin Riverwalk Community Center will be closed Dec. 24-25. It will be open 8:30 a.m. to noon Dec. 31 and closed Jan. 1.
Knoch Knolls Nature Center will be closed from Dec. 24 to Jan. 1.
For more information, go to www.napervilleparks.org.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/19/naperville-museum-winter-book-closed-park-hours/
