CHARLOTTE, N.C. — NASCAR picked Greg Biffle as one of the top 75 drivers in its history. He was a Hall of Fame nominee for the stock car series and drove for 18 years at the top of the sport.

Yet for all the races and the handful of memorable wins, he is perhaps best remembered for his selfless and tireless work helping others as a helicopter pilot supplying aid a year ago in the devastation left behind by Hurricane Helene.

Biffle loved flying, and he was in the air again Thursday aboard a small jet that crashed at the Statesville airport north of Charlotte, authorities said. He was among seven people killed, including his wife and two children. He was 55.

“This tragedy has left all of our families heartbroken beyond words,” said a joint statement released on behalf of the victims. “Greg and Cristina were devoted parents and active philanthropists whose lives were centered around their young son Ryder and Greg’s daughter Emma. Emma was a wonderful human being with a kind soul who was loved by many people. Ryder was an active, curious and infinitely joyful child.”

The statement identified the others on board as Dennis Dutton, his son Jack and Craig Wadsworth, all “beloved by many in the NASCAR community.”

“Each of them meant everything to us, and their absence leaves an immeasurable void in our lives,” the statement said.

Biffle won championships in both the lower-tier national Truck and Xfinity series — the first driver to do so — and spent almost his entire career driving for Roush Fenway Racing, headquartered about 40 miles south of the crash site.

“I have lost a dear friend and partner in our NASCAR program,” team owner Jack Roush said on social media. “His contributions to our race team over the years are immeasurable.”

Anguish swept across the closely knit auto racing community, from drivers to team owners such as Chip Ganassi. North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein singled out Biffle for his “courage and compassion” and for helping the hurricane victims. So did NASCAR.

“Greg was more than a champion driver, he was a beloved member of the NASCAR community, a fierce competitor and a friend to so many,” the series said. “Beyond his racing career, he gave of himself for the betterment of our community. Most notably, Greg spent countless hours of his time helping the citizens of North Carolina during the disasters that followed Hurricane Helene. His tireless work saved lives.”

A native of Vancouver, Washington, Biffle made more than 800 starts across NASCAR’s three series and won the Truck Series title in 2000 and the Xfinity title in 2002. In all, he won 54 races across NASCAR’s three national circuits, including 19 at the top Cup Series level. He finished second in the championship standings to Tony Stewart in 2005, his best season, and three years later become the first driver to win two playoff races in a single year.

Biffle made his Cup debut in 2002. He earned his slot with Roush through its old “Gong Show” method of picking drivers in which candidates would go head to head trying to earn a job with one of the top teams in NASCAR.

He transitioned into semi-retirement in 2016 but returned in 2022 to run five races, including the Daytona 500. He was 52 at the time.

“I had such tremendous respect for Greg as a driver, and we shared countless tough battles on the track,” retired Hall of Fame driver Jeff Gordon wrote on social media. “Like so many others, I was inspired by his tireless relief work during Hurricane Helene. My heart goes out to the Biffle family and everyone hurting.”

Piloting was a deep love, and Biffle’s YouTube channel and social accounts were filled with joyful outings with friends and family. In 2024, Biffle won the National Motorsports Press Association’s Myers Brothers Award for his humanitarian aid efforts in the wake of Helene. Biffle piloted his personal helicopter to deliver supplies and aid to hard-hit communities in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee.

During one of his trips to the mountains, a trapped man signaled Biffle for help with a mirror. After multiple attempts, Biffle was able to land his helicopter and provide supplies to the man and his neighbors. He returned this year to check in.

“I had no idea at that point in time how devastating this storm was,” Biffle explained later. “What started out to be rescuing one family … turned into 4,000 messages. … It went viral.”

One of his partners in the effort was friend Garrett Mitchell, a YouTuber and race car driver known as Cleetus McFarland. Mitchell said the Biffle family was on its way to spend Thursday afternoon with him in Florida.

“We are devastated,” Mitchell wrote on Facebook.

So was U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina.

“The Biffles flew hundreds of rescue missions in Western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene,” Hudson wrote on social media. “The last time I spoke with Cristina, just a couple of weeks ago, she reached out to ask how she could help with relief efforts in Jamaica. That’s who the Biffles were.”

Roush, the team owner, was involved in several plane crashes during his years as a pilot and nearly died in a 2002 crash in which he landed upside down in a lake near Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama. Larry Hicks, a retired member of the U.S. Marine Corps, rescued Roush from the overturned wreckage.

Many of his former drivers have gone on to achieve their pilot’s licenses, including Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth and Mark Martin, all Hall of Fame drivers.

Biffle spent his years in retirement fabricating cars in his shop, running a quarry in Virginia and keeping up with his two children. Less than a week ago, Biffle posted a video of his family — 14-year-old daughter Emma, 5-year-old son Ryder and wife Cristina — picking out a Christmas tree on an outing that included a trip for ice cream.

“It’s been a successful day,” Biffle said. “Now it’s time to get the decorations out and get her going.”

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/19/nascar-mourns-greg-biffle-plane-crash/ 

DETROIT — On paper, the Detroit Lions are strong favorites to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday in a matchup of 8-6 teams with playoff hopes.

History points to a different outcome.

The Lions 0-5-1 in the series in the 21st century, and the Steelers even won a Super Bowl at Ford Field against the Seattle Seahawks in 2006. Then there’s Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, a thorn in the Lions’ side for years with the Green Bay Packers.

5 things to watch in Saturday night’s Chicago Bears-Green Bay Packers game — plus our Week 16 predictions

The Lions were seven-point favorites at the BetMGM online sportsbook as of Thursday and desperate for a win while chasing the Packers (9-4-1) and Chicago Bears (10-4) in the NFC North. The Steelers, meanwhile, lead the AFC North by a game over the Baltimore Ravens, who have a tough game Sunday night against the AFC East-leading New England Patriots.

Rodgers, 42, is 8-5 at Ford Field, including a 27-23 win with the Packers on Dec. 3, 2015. The Lions led 23-14 late in the fourth quarter, but Rodgers scored on a 17-yard run, then finished the game with a 61-yard Hail Mary TD to Richard Rodgers.

Rodgers, though, doesn’t have much success against the Dan Campbell-era Lions. In 2022, the Lions swept the Packers, including a season-ending victory at Lambeau Field that knocked Green Bay out of the playoffs.

“I was there when their run started going in 2022,” Rodgers said this week. “We could have buried them, and they beat us and finished the season hot. The next year, they were in the NFC championship game.”

Rodgers hasn’t played the Lions at Ford Field since it became one of the loudest stadiums in the NFL.

“Back in the day, when we played there, it wasn’t a big factor,” he said. “Dan has obviously created a good culture there, and the fans are believing and showing up early and really loud. It’s a really good atmosphere to play in.”

The Lions were one game short of the Super Bowl in 2023 and wasted a 15-2 regular season in 2024 by crumbling in the playoffs. Now, they are at risk of missing the postseason altogether. They trail the Packers and San Francisco 49ers (10-4) for the final NFC wild cards.

“You would much rather have the division locked up and be looking forward to other things,” Lions quarterback Jared Goff said. “But this gives us an opportunity to find out who we are and what kind of character we have. That’s what is going to show through in moments of adversity like this one.”

A showdown of two-headed backfield monsters

Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0) rushes for a touchdown against the Cowboys during the second half Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, in Detroit. (Paul Sancya/AP)

The Lions’ Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery have been the NFL’s best running back tandem for several years.

The Steelers have formed a notable one-two punch of their own in Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell.

They have combined for 1,760 yards from scrimmage and 13 touchdowns this season, sometimes trading off who is featured during a given week without signs of egos getting in the way.

On Monday night against the Miami Dolphins, Gainwell carried the bulk of the load while Warren battled the flu, finishing with 126 total yards.

A streak without a streak

The Lions have played 59 straight games without dropping two in a row, the NFL’s longest streak since the 49ers played 60 consecutive games without back-to-back losses in the regular season from late in the 1995 season to early in the 1999 season.

The Lions haven’t had a losing streak since they lost five straight games in 2022. That dropped them to 1-6 before they beat Rodgers and the Packers 15-9. They finished the season with eight wins in 10 games, including a 20-16 victory at Lambeau Field to eliminate the Packers.

Of course, the Lions haven’t won two in a row since a four-game winning streak got them to 4-1 in October. In their last 10 games, they have gone 5-5 with alternating wins and losses.

“Right now, we have to win one to be able to win two,” said Campbell, whose Lions lost to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. “All we can focus on is winning Sunday. You have to win the first one to start a streak.”

Cook’s corner

Left tackle has been a problematic spot for the Steelers, who lost starter Broderick Jones to injured reserve with a neck injury last month. Veteran Andrus Peat filled in and promptly went into the concussion protocol in a victory over the Ravens.

Enter Dylan Cook, who bounced between the practice squad and the active roster with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and then Steelers for most of the last four years. He held his own during his first career start against the Dolphins.

Cook may start again in Detroit, where he could have to tangle with Lions star edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson, whom Rodgers called a “game-wrecker.”

Looking for defensive backs

Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers jogs off the field after a win against the Dolphins on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (Justin Berl/AP)

Rodgers is coming off a pristine, two-touchdown performance against the Dolphins. If the Lions are going to stop him, they will need help from a motley crew of defensive backs. Two of their starters — safety Brian Branch (Achilles) and cornerback Terrion Arnold (cornerback) — are on injured reserve, and safety Kerby Joseph (knee) is still working his way back. One of their top reserves, cornerback Amik Robertson, is dealing with a hand injury.

“There are some schematic things we will do a bit differently that we think will help,” Campbell said. “It isn’t going to be easy, but it should help significantly.”

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/19/detroit-lions-pittsburgh-steelers-playoff-race/ 

The Chicago Bears don’t have a position coach who conveys more with fewer words than Jim Dray, something rookie Colston Loveland learned quickly.

They were in the tight ends meeting room reviewing the preseason finale at Kansas City, and Dray got to a play on the second series of the game. Loveland was called for false start on a second-and-14 — the kind of mistake veterans were making as well, even into the regular season as it took time to master some of the nuances of what coach Ben Johnson wants done presnap.

It happens, right?

5 things to watch in Saturday night’s Chicago Bears-Green Bay Packers game — plus our Week 16 predictions

“He was just like, ‘Chatter upstairs is that it’s time to stop being a rookie,’” Loveland said. “That was that. They’ve always pushed me to get ahead of the curve. I respect that. I want that because there is always more to do.”

For a player the team has said has “uncommon” or “rare” intangibles since he was drafted with the No. 10 pick in April, Loveland has been pushing himself the entire way, even through an offseason in which he couldn’t do anything on the field as he recovered from January surgery to repair an AC joint injury in his right shoulder.

In order to know what he was doing when he got on the field in training camp — and produce in game action without allowing mistakes like the false start against the Chiefs to bog him or the offense down — Loveland had to be on top of his game daily.

A lot of coaches will tell you that after quarterback, it’s the most difficult position for rookies to learn. Complete tight ends play a role in every phase on offense — route running, pass blocking and run blocking.

“Typically, rookies are wide-eyed and kind of nervous, just kind of trying to get through the day,” said Dray, who was a tight end for eight seasons in the league. “Colston was always concerned with what he knew, what he didn’t know and what he needed to learn. There was just a rare urgency to get it down. I haven’t met somebody who gets angry because they haven’t heard something yet the first time.”

Passing game coordinator Press Taylor said a lot of times coaches can discern just how much a player is picking up in the meeting room as they can on the field when they’re learning an offense for the first time. With Loveland, there wasn’t any learning happening on the grass as he rehabilitated.

“A lot of times that’s how you kind of get a sense for much a guy is retaining and how much he’s picking up in the meeting room,” Taylor said. “The questions he asked were well beyond 101. We’d put in a play, his follow-up question would be something where we’d say, ‘Hey, we’ll get there. Give us time to develop to that.’

“He wanted it all right away, which is great to see because he wasn’t on the field and he wasn’t accountable for the information the day it’s installed because he’s wasn’t practicing. But you were able to see the retention and the level of engagement.”

Bears coach Ben Johnson greets tight end Colston Loveland before the game against the Browns on Dec. 14, 2025, at Soldier Field. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)

Loveland was nonchalant when asked about his aptitude for learning the nuances of a complicated position, saying his high school offense and defense in Gooding, Idaho, were relatively sophisticated for the prep level. Of course, playing in a pro-style system at Michigan was a benefit.

Then, there was growing up on a farm. It wasn’t a good idea to head out to perform a task he was given without knowing exactly what needed to be done.

“You know how that goes,” he said with a wry smile. “Each step in life I just keep learning. I never want to be unsure of what I am doing. I’d rather overcommunicate than mess something up and waste everyone’s time.”

Entering Saturday’s game against the Green Bay Packers, Loveland needs one reception to break a tie with Greg Olsen for the second-most by a rookie tight end in franchise history.

Rank, player (year), receptions, yards, average, TDs

1. Mike Ditka (1961): 56, 1,076, 19.2, 12
2. Colston Loveland (2025): 39, 498, 12.8, 4
3. Greg Olsen (2007): 39, 391, 10.0, 2
4. Cole Kmet (2020): 28, 243, 8.7, 2

Loveland’s breakout game in the passing offense came in the 47-42 road win against the Cincinnati Bengals on Nov. 2, when he won the game with a 58-yard touchdown reception with 17 seconds remaining, his second score of the game. His body control to make the catch and then speed to run away from the secondary was impressive. Maybe more indicative of how he can be a true red-zone threat is how he scored on skinny posts against the Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Loveland showed the ability to weave defenders — Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt and Steelers safety Kyle Dugger — get them to expand and then open an inside path. From there, Loveland showed the foot quickness at the top of the break to create separation, and at 6-foot-6 and 241 pounds and with a 79-inch wingspan, he doesn’t need a ton. That’s showing the ability to be a wide receiver, which he might need to be in this game with Rome Odunze (foot) and Luther Burden III (ankle) out.

Bears tight end Colston Loveland celebrates a 31-28 win over the Steelers on Nov. 23, 2025, at Soldier Field. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)

Loveland, who is only 21, has caught 15 of 17 targets on third down-plays, converting 10 first downs. The Bears are 2-for-2 on fourth down throwing to him. But talk to teammates and coaches and what they really rave about is the work he has done blocking for the league’s second-ranked running game.

“Even from the first couple weeks he was here, there was just a maturity of how he went about everything,” said tight end Durham Smythe, an eight-year veteran who played at Notre Dame, a school that produces more players at the position than just about any other. “I remember thinking that he was so much more mentally advanced than I was when I got to the league and I thought that was one of my strengths. He comes in and it was like he’s a five-year vet.

“Obviously we knew he had the talent to make plays in the passing game. You’re the 10th overall pick, you’re going to be able to make plays. The development he’s had since he’s come here in the run game, really what he has done on the edge all year in the run game, has been really impressive. That usually takes time.”

The Bears have to feel that Loveland, who helped clear a path for D’Andre Swift’s 17-yard touchdown run last week against the Cleveland Browns, will be even better next season. He’ll actually be able to lift weighs this offseason, something he couldn’t touch much while tackling the rehab. It’s something he’s looking forward to, and his face beams when he talks about his part in the ground attack.

“Guys that I have come across that are really good in the pass game but have the ability to block will a lot of times complain about it,” Smythe said. “Before I knew Colston, that’s something I came to expect. He’s never complained once about being involved in the run or setting the edge. He likes it. That’s something that is new to me.”

Johnson gave props to Dray for the work he has done advancing Loveland’s game. It’s no surprise the Bears are getting so much — in all phases — from the position group because Johnson used to coach tight ends and has very specific ideas of how he wants those players deployed.

Passing-game statistics are a very public part of his game in terms of attention, and the Bears are pleased with the numbers while knowing there’s room for a lot more. But it’s just one part of their evaluation.

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“He’s going to continue to learn and grow,” Johnson said. “He plays with really good pad level for a guy that’s not a prototypical ‘Y’ tight end, that has a little bit more size to him. He still finds a way to play with low pad level and come off the ball and strike, which I really appreciate.

“That’s hard to find for a rookie tight end, much less a guy that’s been kind of tabbed a route runner throughout his college career. I view him as a complete player at this point, and he takes a lot of pride in all facets of what he’s being asked to do. Because of that, there’s really a ton we put on his plate.”

That was the plan from the outset when Dray leveled with Loveland.

“He was told before Week 1 that his rookie season was over, ‘We don’t have time to wait,’” Dray said. “He’s certainly getting better every week. He’s nowhere near where he could be. But he’s doing quite well.”

So, what’s the ceiling for a guy who couldn’t get on the field in the offseason and was limited in the weight room?

“Hard to say,” Dray said. “Pretty much as far as he wants to go.”

Scouting report

Packers cornerback Keisean Nixon intercepts a pass intended for Bears tight end Cole Kmet on fourth-and-1 in the fourth quarter Dec. 7, 2025, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)

Keisean Nixon, Packers cornerback

Information for this report was obtained from NFL scouts.

Nixon, 5-10, 200 pounds, is in his seventh season in the NFL and fourth in Green Bay, originally adding him in 2022 as a returner and reserve defensive back. He moved into a starting role this season after the departure of Jaire Alexander, and playing cornerback just became more difficult with edge rusher Micah Parsons lost for the season.

Nixon ended the first meeting with the Bears by intercepting Caleb Williams’ underthrown pass for Cole Kmet in the end zone. Nixon has the awareness to drop his man — DJ Moore — and race toward Kmet, a heads-up play. His play has been up and down for the season as a whole.

“Excellent returner, fearless, outstanding ball-carrier vision and toughness,” the scout said. “You see some of that through his game. He’s a very strong tackler. He’s urgent when he has to support the run and he’s physical in coverage, sometimes grabby. He struggles when he has to open and run and match vertically downfield. At times, he allows too much separation at the break point, and that’s problematic.

“But he’s created a ton of on the ball production this season. He’s got 16 pass breakups, second-most in the entire league. The issue with that is he’s got only one pick — the one at the end of the Chicago game. What’s that tell you? This guy is being targeted a lot. People are going after him. He is responding at times but he’s more of a ball disruptor than a playmaker. I would think the Packers will look to upgrade at this position and it’s tougher for defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley now. He’s been zone heavy, and that fits Nixon’s game better. Here’s a question: Can the Packers remain zone heavy without Parsons if the pass rush isn’t getting home?”

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/19/chicago-bears-colston-loveland-fast-track/ 

Why Should Americans Die For European Tyranny?

Tyler Durden
Fri, 12/19/2025 – 06:30

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/why-should-americans-die-european-tyranny 

La Grange Classic Cinema transformed its premises into Bedford Falls earlier this month when it screened “It’s A Wonderful Life” for about 120 socially conscious La Grange-area residents.

The occasion was a benefit to help people experiencing homelessness organized by BEDS Plus, the La Grange-based nonprofit that’s been tackling the issue in the western suburbs since 1988.

The story of George Bailey, a man at the end of his rope who gets a glimpse of what his community would have been like if he’d never been born, is among the most iconic Christmas movies.

Doug Porter, fundraising chair for BEDS Plus, discussed the example of the movie’s main character after the screening.

“Now George was a very selfless individual,”  Porter told the audience. “He saved his brother — he put his brother first. He saved people from being poisoned. He saved his father’s business and gave up the travel he always dreamed of.

“I’d just like to pivot to another selfless organization in our backyard, in our community, and that’s BEDS Plus. Like George, we’ve faced our tough moments and continue to face them today.”

Porter said the need for resources to address homelessness is increasing, especially in Cook County, where the homeless population increased by 12.5% last year.

“When we went out in January 2025 and did our census, there were 7,400 homeless people, and we all know that’s undercounted greatly,” he said. “But we don’t despair. We work harder and harder.”

Some of that work involves fundraising events, such as the “It’s a Wonderful Life” screening as well as the BEDS Plus annual Soup & Bread benefit planned for Feb. 1 at the Countryside Banquet and Conference Center, 6200 Joliet Rd.

Erin Molek, BEDS Plus development manager, said the proceeds from those events directly impact people experiencing homelessness.

Erin Molek, of BEDS Plus, discusses the nonprofit’s ongoing work to help people experiencing homelessness during a fundraiser for BEDS Plus earlier in December at La Grange Classic Cinema. (Hank Beckman/Pioneer Press)

“We assisted, in shelter and other programs, exactly 5,581 people last year,” she said.

She thanked donors and event sponsors, including the La Grange Park Antique Mall, Compassion United Methodist Church, Hop District Community Brewing, Wooden Paddle Restaurant and Whistle Pig Rye Whiskey.

The efforts of volunteers have been crucial as well.

One volunteer, Mike McNamara got involved with the organization five years ago when Molek asked for his help in fundraising. McNamara, whose sister’s experience in an abusive relationship motivated him to become involved, was only too happy to aid the effort.

“This is a reminder that we’re really blessed,” he said. “We have these first world problems, but if you look around there’s people who have real problems. We’re really lucky and it’s a good idea to turn around and help the person behind you.”

During the screening of “It’s a Wonderful Life,” audience members were encouraged to recite lines along with their favorite characters. And they could get up any time during the movie to grab refreshments served in the back of the theater.

Actors roamed around the theater greeting guests dressed as various characters from the movie.

George and Mary Bailey, AKA Tim Gannon and Laura Leonardo Ownby greet people on hand to view “It’s a Wonderful Life” during a fundraiser for BEDS Plus earlier in December at La Grange Classic Cinema. (Hank Beckman/Pioneer Press)

“I just love it, I love all the company, I love everybody here, and it’s for a great cause,” said Laura Leonardo Ownby, who was dressed as Mary Bailey.

Leonardo Ownby is a member of Buffalo Theater Ensemble in Glen Ellyn, and has had roles in the nearby Theatre Company of Western Springs.

Another Western Springs Theatre Company member, Tim Gannon, brought George Bailey to life at the event.

“Uncle Billy’s in charge of everything,” Gannon said, staying in character. “So as long as he’s in charge I know we’re in good shape.”

Stephanie Posey, retiring La Grange Business Association president, was on hand to support the cause.

“This truly is one of the most supportive business communities,” she said. “This is my favorite movie and I always say that La Grange is like living in a Norman Rockwell painting, especially at Christmas time.”

Village President Mark Kuchler attended with his wife Deann.

“I think it’s a great event,” he said of the movie night. “BEDS Plus is always such a great organization and it’s wonderful the community gets together and supports it this way.”

Hank Beckman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press. 

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/19/its-a-wonderful-life-fundraiser-lagrange/ 

Like any Baby Boomer, I grew up in front of the television, but by the end of summer 2015, I stopped watching the tube as nothing caught my eye, captured my imagination or made me think. And there was no sense of transcendence, the feeling of being lifted above the violence and chaos of the world. Instead, all I saw on television was more violence and chaos.

While I’d rather read books and newspapers, or listen to the radio, I’m not adverse to viewing a classic film or documentary on DVD. At the beginning of December, I obtained from my local library a 2014 documentary appropriately titled, “The Sixties: The Decade that Changed the World.”

Produced by CNN (and distributed by PBS Video), each episode was well-written and produced, and the archival footage, including the assassinations of John and Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr., the police riots at the 1968 Chicago Democratic Convention, the race to the moon and, of course, the Vietnam War, brought back television memories from my grammar school years when I would often watch the news with my father.

As I watched each episode (sometimes more than once), I began to feel uneasy. Political assassinations, social unrest, U.S. military involvement overseas, violent confrontations with police and mistrust in U.S. leadership and the government in general would make one would think I’m talking about today, not the 1960s. But we lack something they experienced, specifically in 1968 and ’69: transcendent events.

I’m thinking of two and they both occurred during our race to the moon, in competition with the Soviet Union.

The first occurred on Christmas Eve, 1968, when Apollo 8 circled the moon, the first time that had been accomplished. As a camera on board captured the image of a blue Earth rising above the gray lunar landscape, one of the three astronauts, Frank Borman, read from the book of Genesis. My father and I watched that event in awed silence, the lights in the house dimmed but for those on our Christmas tree.

My father had swapped that day at the mill, Republic Steel, with a co-worker from another shift so he could be home for the event. While there were presents under the tree, the most precious gift was shared between us in that quiet house and among the millions of others around the world who watched the Earth rise in silent admiration. I remember that night each Christmas Eve.

The following summer, on July 20, Apollo 11 landed on the moon, another first. The next day, astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first human to set foot on the lunar surface. I, my father, America and the world once more watched in wonder. Man walked on the moon and the world stopped. Another transcendent moment for humanity.

After returning the documentary, I asked myself two questions.

Are things as bad now as in, say, 1968? Many will disagree with me, but I’ll say no, they aren’t yet. But we might be standing on the edge of an historical cliff.

This Dec. 24, 1968, file photo made available by NASA shows the Earth behind the surface of the moon during the Apollo 8 mission. (William Anders/NASA via AP, File)

The war between Russia and Ukraine is ongoing and I fear Vladimir Putin, whose political legacy will be determined by its outcome, will not settle for peace. Gaza is in ruins. People there are homeless and hungry. Here in America, the costs of food, housing and health care put those commodities just beyond the reach for many.

There are armed federal agents on city streets, and there’s the “almost war” seemingly brewing up between the U.S. and Venezuela.

Most importantly, where is our transcendent moment? Amid the violence and chaos, the fear and uncertainty, the anger and mistrust, we need an event (or a person) to lift us up. Sadly, I don’t have one for you. If I did, I would gladly share it with you, but I’m afraid that for now there will be no such precious gift under the Christmas tree.

Before you call me a pessimist, consider this: transcendent events are powerful, but rare, as are the people who perform them. Though rare, they do occur. They emerge when things are dark, if not dire. Our time will come. The right people will step forward, perform their role in history and, as a result, our humanity will be reaffirmed.

And we’ll undoubtedly see it on television.

John Vukmirovich is a resident of Lemont.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/19/guest-column-world-events-echo-1968-but-where-is-our-transcendent-moment/ 

After making this the the most fraught Halloween we can remember in Chicago, Border Patrol Cmdr. Greg Bovino evidently has decided to try to render the 2025 Christmas season one to remember for all the wrong reasons, too.

Bovino and dozens of his Border Patrol officers returned to the area in recent days and resumed their practice from earlier months of snatching at least one tamale vendor off the street and patrolling Home Depot parking lots, where migrants look for daily work.

In Forest Park, Bovino was heard to say, “We love Chica-ho-ho-ho,” as drivers honked their horns in anger. “Merry Christmas, if I don’t see you again,” Bovino called out to another unhappy crowd.

The return of Operation Midway Blitz, which apparently won’t run nearly as long as the weekslong effort in the fall that badly disrupted peace of mind and ordinary commerce in Chicago, appears to be a performative reminder to Latino communities throughout the area that federal immigration authorities will be returning again and again.

Bovino’s macho posturing also is clearly a form of psychological warfare. There is little local authorities can do to stop the Border Patrol from coming and going, and Bovino seems to be enjoying reminding Democratic officeholders in Illinois of precisely that fact.

We’ve written before that immigration enforcement is the responsibility of the feds. They can choose to exercise that authority in a responsible, professional manner. Or they can choose to make a spectacle of themselves. So far, the Trump administration has chosen the latter course, and it’s a disservice to our region that’s unpopular to boot.

Don’t believe us? Well, maybe then consider the words of Susie Wiles, President Donald Trump’s White House chief of staff.

In a bombshell interview recently published by Vanity Fair, Wiles had this to say about the administration’s deportation efforts. “I will concede that we’ve got to look harder at our process for deportation,” she said. Criminals absolutely should be deported, she said, “but if there is a question, I think our process has to lean toward a double-check.” She criticized the case of two mothers who were arrested and deported along with their children as they arrived for a voluntary meeting with immigration authorities.

It’s clear now that Wiles regrets being as candid as she was with Vanity Fair, but at least as it pertains to the administration’s heavy-handed deportation tactics, she spoke for the vast majority of Americans.

Public polling has made clear for months that most Americans want the administration’s focus on those in the country illegally who are committing crimes, not those who are here without permission and simply seeking opportunity for themselves and their families.

Indeed, in Chicago in recent weeks we’ve seen some horrendous crimes allegedly committed by migrants. The most alarming of them was the unprovoked stabbing death of a 49-year-old homeless man in the Loop in the early morning hours of Nov. 23. Charged as an adult with murder was 16-year-old Venezuelan Wuinayker Rodriguez-Vasquez. He had no prior record in Illinois, but had been the subject of a 2023 case in Texas pertaining to his admissibility to the U.S., according to the Cook County state’s attorney’s office. Two other Venezuelan migrants, both 14, were charged in the crime as well; their identities haven’t been released because they are juveniles.

Migrants like Rodriguez-Vasquez are the sorts of people on whom most Americans would like Bovino and company to focus. But that level of targeted work obviously is more labor-intensive — and less triggering of ordinary Chicagoans — than staking out Home Depot parking lots.

Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/19/editorial-greg-bovino-susie-wiles-donald-trump-immigration-home-depot-deportations/ 

On Tuesday, a group of evangelical Christian leaders gathered at New Life Church in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood to pray and discern how Chicagoland churches could show and share the love of Jesus with vulnerable immigrant neighbors — particularly those facing family separation amid arrests during the Department of Homeland Security’s Operation Midway Blitz. 

Before we got far into our meeting, phones began to buzz with notifications: Border Patrol agents had just made an arrest south of our meeting place and were now two blocks away. Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino returned to Chicago, unannounced. 

Whistles blew in the streets, warning community members of approaching federal immigration agents’ vehicles. We bolted outside as SUVs passed the church. 

New Life Church sits at West 27th Street and South Lawndale Avenue. Across the street is New Life Centers, a decades-old Christian community development organization that had 800 grocery bags ready for distribution that morning. Nearby is Little Village Academy, an elementary school full of students — many from New Life families. 

At West 27th and Ridgeway Avenue, in full view of the school, church and center, we watched agents arrest a Latino father who witnesses said was eating tamales in his car when agents approached him. Amid the kerfuffle, one agent accused the young man of throwing a rock at a Border Patrol vehicle.

As the young man was handcuffed, I, Paco, gathered his home address and next-of-kin details. What happened next felt staged, like reality TV with Little Village residents as unwilling actors in a grim holiday spectacle.  

Bovino walked toward the crowd where we gathered, rifle in hand, flanked by agents filming the scene with production-grade cameras. We pleaded for the man’s release. I, Paco, told him how this harmed my church — but that Jesus loved him anyway. Smirking, rifle in hand, Bovino replied: “Jesus loves you.” 

Just the day before, on Monday, Bovino posted a video on X quoting Isaiah 6:8 — “Here am I, send me” — over dramatic footage of armed Border Patrol agents in tactical gear driving to operations, overlaid with messages portraying their enforcement as a divine warrior’s calling from God with no excuses, trusting God to equip them for the fight. Yet in Little Village, that self-proclaimed mission appeared devoid of the mercy, humility and love central to the Gospel. 

To be clear, we do not oppose the Department of Homeland Security’s stated goal of targeting the “worst of the worst” violent offenders. Noncitizens convicted of serious crimes in accordance with the due process owed each of us should face justice and deportation. But data compiled from the first half of Operation Midway Blitz shows most of the detained do not fit that profile. Tribune reporting indicates two-thirds had no criminal charges; only 1.5% had violent felony or sex crime convictions. Nationally, just 5% of detained immigrants have violent convictions; 73% have no conviction at all. 

As evangelicals, we believe God created the family. Our faith in Jesus drives our service to “the least of these” — the strangers among us — because as Matthew 25 says, welcoming them welcomes him. That vocation brought us to Chicagoland: Paco to Moody Bible Institute and Daniel to Wheaton College’s Billy Graham Center and eventually World Relief, the humanitarian arm of the National Association of Evangelicals.  

We align with 90% of evangelicals — per recent polling from Lifeway Research — who believe federal policy toward immigrants in the U.S. without legal permission should respect immediate family unity. Even 88% of Donald Trump-voting evangelicals agree, and while most say deporting violent offenders should be an enforcement priority, fewer than one-fifth say the same about those with U.S. citizen children or those willing to pay fines, echoing evangelical-backed reform proposals since the Bush era. 

That’s why our churches mobilize biblical hospitality for immigrant families. We serve the God who, at Christmas, became flesh, entered our neighborhoods and experienced migration — fleeing tyranny as a child. 

Is this image on the curb of 27th and Ridgeway — a man with an American flag patch, rifle in hand, detaining a father while saying, “Jesus loves you” — a true reflection of American Christianity? 

We don’t believe so. Instead, it evoked for us the centurion at the cross where Jesus was crucified or the Philippian jailer — minus compassion, repentance or transformation. 

This father seemed to be another random detention, arrested not to curb violent crime but instead to terrorize ordinary people going about daily life, many of whom “look” foreign-born. 

True American Christianity is — we hope — a picture of God become flesh, embodied action demonstrating love toward the neighbor. Once the agents left, the New Life pastors headed to the man’s home, coordinating with Ald. Michael Rodriguez to break the news to his wife and young children — one in class across the street.  

We spoke to Bovino and his officers because we care for them too. We pleaded with agents to consider not only the impacts on Little Village, but also their own families, souls and consciences. Made in God’s image, they face judgment. Psalm 50 says: “Can a wicked ruler be your ally; one who wreaks havoc by means of the law?” God warns repayment — but through Jesus, offers forgiveness to all, even officers whose actions suggest seared consciences. As fellow sinners saved by grace, we humbly urge agents acting outside of the reasonable enforcement of the law to repent — including Bovino. 

For now, it feels like Bovino is stealing Christmas from many Chicagoland immigrants, indifferent to their fear and suffering. Even so, it’s not too late for him to encounter the true Jesus, receive forgiveness and join God’s kingdom welcoming every tribe, tongue and nation.  

We grieve with the detained gentleman’s wife, whom the New Life pastors later consoled; for his school-age children; for a community used in a charade shrouded in biblical invocations that did not look like the Jesus we know. All at Christmas. 

Paco Amador is the pastor of New Life Little Village. Daniel Yang is senior director of Global Mission and Church Mobilization at World Relief. 

Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/19/opinion-gregory-bovino-christmas-immigration-raids/ 

Evan Dolan’s aunt was over-the-moon excited.

And who could blame Michele Corrado. The Arlington Heights woman had just watched her sister’s youngest of six children on stage at the Paramount Theatre, singing and dancing his way through Irving Berlin’s iconic “White Christmas,” which is being staged at the theater through Jan. 11.

Corrado has certainly seen her nephew in plenty of other productions on stage at what she describes as “this gorgeous theater” in downtown Aurora. And no wonder – this is Evan Dolan’s ninth Broadway Series show, starting with “Sweeney Todd” in 2017, followed by “Newsies,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Cinderella,” “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “The Full Monty,” “Frozen” and “Cats.”

But this “White Christmas” performance was special. It is her nephew’s first time in a principal role and Corrado could not have been more proud as she watched him shine as the charming and carefree Phil Davis.

“He was unbelievable,” she gushed. “To learn all those lines … all that singing, dancing and lifting … all those body gestures.”

While Corrado could be accused of at least a little bias, she’s not exaggerating the performance of 31-year-old Dolan, who is well aware of just how big of a career milestone it is when you get to be front and center in such a spectacular and iconic production.

Dolan is understandably pumped.

“It is a long time coming,” he said, noting this role is “the culmination of everything I have to offer.”

It’s that talent which makes him “a true actor/singer/dancer” and “a star” in every sense of the word, said Jim Corti, who as the Paramount’s artistic director gives total control over casting to the show’s director and casting director, in this case, Stephen Schelhardt and Trent Stork.

“And we never precast a show,” Corti added, noting that all the artists enter the process “on a level playing field.”

Still, getting this role could be considered destiny for Dolan. Back in college “when we were assigned actors most like us,” he told me, “I got Danny Kaye.”

Evan Dolan relaxes following a recent matinee of “White Christmas” at the Paramount Theatre, where he takes on the rigorous role of Phil Davis, his first lead after being in eight Broadway Series ensembles at the downtown Aurora theater. (Denise Crosby/The Beacon-News)

Born and raised in Dubuque, Iowa, Dolan, who admits that, as a kid, “I could not hold a conversation without singing,” began performing in theater in fourth grade and never stopped. Classically trained, he was doing summer theater in upstate New York when he realized “I can do this for a living.”

And it was opening night for his last show in college at Illinois Wesleyan University that he skipped classes earlier in the day to make it to auditions for the Paramount’s “Sweeney Todd.”

After finishing this ensemble debut, Dolan graduated and worked around the country – even moving to New York for a few years before realizing that, although he loved the Big Apple, “I did not have a sense of home” there.

Now a resident of Chicago, Dolan certainly has found a second home at the Paramount, especially after it became apparent this classical baritone was also born to dance.

“He showed up for ‘Newsies,”’ noted Corti, “with a technical dance proficiency that had him holding his own with guys from dance companies.”

As an understudy Dolan also picked up valuable experience when he got the call – including as Crutchie Morris in “Newsies,” as LeFou in “Beauty and the Beast” and more critically, as Willie Wonka in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”

What “could have been awful,” he said of that last-minute request to cover the lead in a performance of the Paramount’s 2023 holiday production, turned out to be an empowering experience that made him realize “I could do anything.”

It’s a must-have confidence that has only grown, especially after getting call-backs for both male leads in “White Christmas.”

“Phil just feels easy for me,” Dolan said of that original Danny Kaye movie role, noting the element of “clown in this character” that puts so much humor into the classic holiday story.

Plus, “White Christmas” is “such a good fit because part of my soul should have lived in the 1950s,” he told me. “I grew up listening to Bobby Darin, Vic Damone and Frank Sinatra. When I heard those guys I hear myself.

“That’s another special part about this role.”

As is the athleticism this performance demands.

Dolan describes the part as “very hard,” especially when acting is required immediately after a four-minute dance number involving lifts, turns, precision footwork and sustained movement. Playing Phil Davis, he said, has definitely made him physically stronger. But it has also fortified the resume of this rising actor, who now realizes the lead comes with more responsibility because “how you are in rehearsal can change the entire energy of the room.”

Dolan admits his heart is still tied to those in the ensemble, whom he considers equally important to the success of the production.

“There is no hierarchy,” he added, which is why “I love the big barn scene” at the end of the show. “I get to be with my friends.”

Knowing his aunt and other family and friends have been in the audience, he added, has made the experience even more memorable. Still, as much as he’s enjoying the attention, Dolan is not sitting on his laurels and continues to take classes “all the time to get better in everything.”

That work ethic does not surprise those who have been watching this performer for a long time.

“He doesn’t know it but to see Evan rise to the comic/romantic lead, a singing and dancing powerhouse, is personally a most gratifying aspect of presiding over the development of artists here at the Paramount,” said Corti.

“He just keeps getting better at every audition … I couldn’t be more proud or happier for him.”

dcrosby@tribpub.com

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/19/column-after-eight-shows-in-the-ensemble-white-christmas-star-at-paramount-in-aurora-knows-how-to-shine/ 

A few weeks ago I wrote about the lasting influence of my mom making space and time for things she loved when I was a kid — a bit of modeling I’m so grateful for now, as I take stock of the relationships and pursuits that mean the most to me in midlife.

I also asked readers for stories of the people who shaped them. So many poured in that I ran out of room in that first column. Today I’m sharing a few more.

As I read them and repeat them here, I’m reminded of a couple things. First, if you get a chance over the next few weeks to ask someone in your life to talk about a person who shaped them, I hope you take it. This has been such a beautiful glimpse into the human experience in all of its layers and sorrows and joys.

Second, nothing in the world matters as much as giving someone your time and your kindness and your unwavering belief that they’re worthy of both.

“I’m grateful for my ninth-grade English teacher, Mr. Farber,” Michelle Icard wrote. “I went into high school really unsure of who I was. Our first assignment was to write a short story about our childhood. The paper came back with so many red marks I didn’t even want to look at it. But on the top he had also written, ‘A–. You are a writer.’ It felt so good to have someone tell me what I was instead of always worrying about what I wasn’t.”

It’s worth noting that Icard went on to become a highly successful author.

“My husband Tom had an incurable autoimmune disease, systemic scleroderma,” Sandra Steinbrecher wrote. “As the disease progressed, and especially in the last year, each time he was hospitalized, it seemed like I had to fight for everything. It was rough.”

Their younger son, Otto, was in high school at the time, which left Steinbrecher struggling with, in addition to everything else, the need to be in two places at once.

“One night I was leaving the hospital to get home, with my usual sense of heavy heartedness at leaving Tom and anxiousness about getting back to Otto,” she wrote. “I was heading out the door, and a hospital staff person was coming in to tidy up and empty the garbage. As I looked up, she said, ‘How are you doing?’ Like she meant it. I was not prepared for someone to be thoughtful or kind or ask how I was doing. And it was the person who had the least social or professional status. Her kindness and humanity cut through and I burst into tears.”

Brian Hamilton was a shy and reclusive kid, preferring to spend summers inside reading while other kids played outside.

“My parents were not the encouraging type and they were quite happy having a son whose nose was always in a book,” Hamilton wrote. “Then one day, my paternal grandmother, Iva Pearl Hamilton, challenged me to come out of my shell. ‘I want you to become a public speaker,’ she said.”

He was horrified at the thought. But every Sunday afternoon they practiced a seven-minute speech called “The Twentieth Century Belongs to Canada” for two hours. Eventually, his grandmother, herself a frequent public speaker, entered Hamilton into a speaking contest sponsored by the Canadian Legion. He placed first.

“I often think of my grandmother even though she left us many years ago,” Hamilton wrote. “She saw something in me that I could not see in myself.”

Lori Beth credits her Evanston Township High School combined studies teacher, the late Dean Hanebuth, for her a love of reading.

“In the 1970s he saw something in me where most other teachers just dismissed this long-haired, quiet, unsmiling 14-year-old,” she wrote. “He engaged my interest in Shakespeare, so for my homework, I wrote an entire play in the style of Shakespeare. While I was barely passing my other classes, I was an A+ student in CS and fell in love with literature and poetry. I entered college as an English major and learned to think critically and to express myself in writing. I had the chance to email him about 10 years ago to let him know that he reset the trajectory of my life from academic failure to a passion for reading.”

When she was 10, Linda Mayes visited her grandparents in Pittsburgh by herself for a few weeks in the summer.

“I went to work with my grandpa, who bought, sold and delivered used house trailers,” Mayes wrote. “In other periods of his life he was a manager of a Kroger store, a butcher, a taxi driver. I think he ran a mini-golf course, and who knows what else.”

Into his 80s, Mayes wrote, he was an avid food pantry volunteer and the first to lend a helping hand.

Anyway, that 10-year-old summer: One day Mayes and her grandpa stopped for lunch at a diner, and Mayes heard some course language she wasn’t accustomed to.

“When I asked him about it, he said, ‘Some people just aren’t smart enough to use nice words,’” Mayes wrote. “It makes me sad that so often these days I am tempted to throw F-bombs, because that’s what seems normal now. But I know Grandpa Pete wouldn’t like it, so I (usually) don’t.”

Meredith Lindgren met her husband, Bruce, when they were both engineering students at Purdue University. They married during their senior year.

“I often felt invisible,” Lindgren wrote, “but Bruce always saw me.”

After they raised three children together, Bruce was diagnosed with ALS. Lindgren spent 5½ years taking care of him as the disease ravaged his body. He died seven years ago.

“His mantra when he was diagnosed was that he could make each day his worst day or his best day, and he chose to make each day his best,” she wrote. “I find strength in remembering his strength.”

And here I am out of room again. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories, which are now pages in my eternally updating guidebook for life.

Join the Heidi Stevens Balancing Act Facebook group, where she continues the conversation around her columns and hosts occasional live chats.

Twitter @heidistevens13

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/19/heidi-stevens-people-who-shaped-us/