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What appears to be an orderly day in City Council Chambers was anything but. Momentous outburst and some heated speech spiced the days proceedings. Two main issues were if Chicago is to remain a sanctuary city and should hearings regarding police ethics and abuse cases be open or closed. WOW! The day had fireworks!
Chetanaé Ellison giving an impassioned speech about remaining a sanctuary city. Seated before her is retired CPD officer J.D. Anderson.
It was indeed a boisterous session with heartfelt and at times roughly expressed perspectives, but as each would want their chance to be heard, the reminder is that, that right need be extended to contrary positions. Messy at times for sure.
As Winston Churchill was found to say,”No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried ..”
Pitt Artist Pens and fountain pen w/DeAtramentis Document Brown ink on Hannem?hle sketchbook.
Backhoes, bulldozers, cranes, & earth movers hauling mud and muck from the bowels of North Pond and reshaping the banks. The initial trauma of uprooting shrubs waterlogged trees dead stumps is giving way to a clear design as banks are cleared and the pond enlarged.
Had a nice chat with the owner of the company doing the heavy work. Hoping to get within the work barrier to nab some close ups of the equipment.
Fountain pen and Pitt Artist Pens on a Rhodia Dot Grid notebook.
I’ve returned to court, principally to cover an ongoing case about a gang that has been pulling off armed robberies and carjackings in my neighborhood. One suspect is in custody with the possibility more may be indicted.
I’m also just randomly going in to get the pulse of what’s doing in Chicagoland with corruption cases et. al.
My friend Stuart, hand to head upper left, is a DA who also is a solid painter and teaches drawing and painting, never even got up to argue his case as it was 
Because of Covid, defendants are given the option to appear in court, or via Zoom sessions, which many are choosing to and hence I had to go to a “Zoom Room” to watch closed circuit proceedings with everyone logged in. You can see my sketch of the computer, my scattered markers, and my reflection on the screen. It was a great work station as I had the room to myself, but it was also hectic as people often turned their cameras off until the judge called on them. So I had very little time to sketch participants. The judge’s screen was on full time and I got the two sketches of her, masked and unmasked, with her fabulous mane of hair.
Fountain pen and Pitt Artist Pens on a Rhodia Dot Grid notebook.
Stopped into the corporate coffee station at North & Wells wherein pitched battles of chess are in heated swing and sway. The observant among you will notice the gent on the right is playing with the black chess pieces but appears to also be holding a black pawn as if he captured one of his own. The reason being the games were very rapid and would quickly conclude then these two combatants would switch pieces. So as I sketched they were alternating who opened. Anyway, their intense postures didn’t vary much throughout their set.
Fountain pen and Pitt & Artist Pens on a Stillman & Birn sketchbook.