On the heels of its Australian import, the flat white, Starbucks rolled out a new Italian dessert-inspired beverage: the tiramisu latte.

The drink, which debuted Tuesday, is a combination of the coffee chain's tiramisu syrup, shots of espresso, steamed milk and whipped cream, topped off with a generous sprinkling of cocoa for $4.25 (for a tall). With its frothy, chocolate-powdered topping, it bears a well-crafted resemblance to the dessert's light, creamy mascarpone top layer.

But unlike the Italian classic, where the strong, bitter espresso-soaked ladyfingers underneath provide that perfect contrast to the airy, mousse-like mascarpone, the rest of the drink is pure tooth-aching sweetness. The addition of the tiramisu-flavored syrup makes the latte such a sugary concoction that it was difficult to tell that there was espresso in the beverage. Overall, a decent effort at a drinkable dessert by Starbucks, but not suited for those who appreciate the real deal (or want to prevent  cavities).

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Twitter @ewickwire

GLENDALE, Ariz. - Chicago White Sox left-hander Chris Sale is expected to miss three weeks of spring training with an avulsion fracture on the lateral side of his right foot, the team announced Saturday.

Sale suffered the injury in an accident at his home, according to the Sox, and arrived in camp with the foot injury Saturday morning.

He had X-rays at a Glendale hospital Saturday morning and will undergo more tests when the swelling in his foot subsides. His status as the Opening Day starter will be better determined at that point, according to the Sox.

Sale, who likened the injury's severity to that of a sprained ankle, said he doesn't foresee the problem trickling into the regular season, though he is unclear if it will affect his Opening Day status.

"This is a minor setback," Sale said. "I'm not losing any faith. I'm not going to get down on myself. I'm just rehabbing a foot. I'll be back before no time."

Sox general manager Rick Hahn said Sale was injured while unloading his truck, when he jumped off and landed awkwardly. Sale didn't provide more details, only joking that he did it while fighting off an intruder in his home.

"Initially I was a little worried, but after the X-rays and all that stuff, it worked out," Sale said. "The best case scenario would have been October 1 (of last year). But I guess it's as good as it can possibly be. It's early."

Hahn tried to look at the upside to the injury happening during just the second week of spring training. He said there is a possibility it will jeopardize Sale's status for Opening Day. But he also noted that because the Sox have an off day during the first week of the regular season, the team might not need to use its fifth starter until April 12, giving Sale an extra week for recovery.

"In my mind right now, the arrow is back pointing up, because I was dealing with some more troublesome scenarios a few hours ago before we had all the information," Hahn said. "It's definitely a step back in terms of the momentum we had building here, but we're back on track in terms of having a positive outlook and we'll adapt over the coming weeks."

Hahn said the Sox still need to discuss how to allocate Sale's spring training innings, mentioning Carlos Rodon, Brad Penny, Scott Carroll, Frank Montas and Chris Beck as possibilities to receive some of that work.

He said that Sale's injury will not affect how the Sox view Rodon, the No. 3 overall draft pick in last summer's draft. The Sox are trying to determine where Rodon should start the season - in the big league rotation or bullpen or at Triple-A Charlotte.

"With any guy, whether it's injury or underperformance from somebody else, we never want to go to a player before he is personally ready," Hahn said. "It doesn't change (Rodon's) readiness or timetable. That's going to be based upon what Carlos shows us."

Rodon said he wouldn't let the news affect how he approaches the spring.

"It doesn't change anything," Rodon said. "(I take) just the same path I've been on -- just take it day by day and work just as hard. Wherever I'm at, I want to work hard, whether it's Charlotte or it's Chicago, it's the same thing. It's no different mindset at all."

Sale finished third in American League Cy Young voting last year after going 12-4 with a 2.17 ERA and 208 strikeouts over 174 innings pitched. He is expected to head up an improved 2015 Sox rotation that also contains Jeff Samardzija, Jose Quintana and John Danks.

MLB Network just released its list of Top 100 Players Right Now, and Sale was ranked No. 5. First baseman Jose Abreu was ranked ninth.

Health has often been a concern surrounding Sale after he spent a stint on the disabled list last season with a flexor muscle strain in his left elbow and missed starts with injuries and fatigue in his previous two seasons.

Sale addressed the possibility of injuries last week when Sox pitchers and catchers reported.

"It has already come up, 'How are we going to get over that first bump in the road?'" Sale said. "But we'll act accordingly and figure it out along the way. I'll just try to work around it or work through it and go from there."

Mercury Theater Chicago announced Friday that neighbor and tenant Cullen's Bar & Grill (3741 N. Southport Ave.) is now closed.

According to a press release, the theater had arranged with the Lakeview pub and restaurant to extend its lease in exchange for payment of five months of rent that was past due. Cullen's apparently did not follow through with this obligation, and the agreement was broken.

This announcement comes amid a lengthy battle between the theater and the restaurant over the fate of the longtime Irish establishment. Chicago theater figure Michael Cullen, who owned Cullen's, originally also headed the Mercury Theater before it was bought by L. Walter Stearns and private investors in 2010 in the wake of financial and health difficulties for Cullen. Until today, he maintained a lease for the restaurant with the company.

The Mercury Theater, which is in the process of remodeling, reportedly hopes to put a restaurant "with a performance element," in the space, according to a previous interview with Stearns by Tribune theater critic Chris Jones.

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Twitter @ewickwire

A man surrendered to police after barricading himself inside a Lakeview neighborhood apartment Saturday morning for more than four hours. 

Chicago Police Department SWAT teams were called about 3:15 a.m. to the 1400 block of West Cornelia Avenue where the 28-year-old man had barricaded himself inside an apartment after a domestic argument, said Officer Ron Gaines, a police spokesman.

The man, who was possibly armed, was alone inside the apartment. Police had taped off a large perimeter between Southport and Greenview avenues and from Addison to Roscoe streets.

By 7:25 a.m., the man had peacefully surrendered to police and was taken into custody, police spokesman Jose Estrada said.

A neighbor, who declined to give her name, said Saturday afternoon that she and her husband woke up around 6:50 a.m. to the sound of police talking to the man over a loudspeaker, urging the man to pick up the phone and assuring him he wasn't in trouble.

"They kept repeating, '...we want to know you're okay,'" she said.

She said she didn't realize the man they were talking to was her neighbor until she heard the buzzer in the neighboring apartment sound as the man let police into the apartment building.

She said she listened at the door as police spoke to the man and said they spoke very calmly in the hallway.

"Police asked him where the gun was - that was the scariest part," she said. "He said it so calmly, 'The M4 is on the bed, it's loaded.'"

The neigbor said she did not hear any fighting before police arrived or anyone other than police and the neighbor and said she had rarely spoken to the man previously. She said he seemed "completely normal," they only talked in passing.

It's time to get back to work. Season 3 of "House of Cards" premieres Friday on Netflix, and trust us, you don't want to be caught unprepared.

If you're a newbie and are just now starting the show, we've got a few essential episodes from Season 1 and 2 that will have you throwing around Frank Underwood quips in no time. There's a few spoilers in this section, but we're gonna try to keep it at a minimum for you newbies.

If it's been a while since you watched Season 2 (understandable, since it hit the streaming service in February 2014), scroll down for a recap of where we left our most important players. Spoilers abound in this section-you've been warned.

ESSENTIAL EPISODES

SEASON 1

Episode 1

Naturally, you'll want to start with the premiere, which introduces House majority whip and Democratic congressman Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey); his environmental activist wife, Claire (Robin Wright); drug-using Pennsylvania congressman Peter Russo (Corey Stoll); and ambitious journalist Zoe Barnes (Kate Mara).

Episode 5

This episode is a big turning point for Zoe. After her relationship with Frank gets a little more personal, her professional goals become even loftier.

Episode 6

With Frank's help, Russo is the running for a new job of his own that puts him in cahoots with Claire.

Episode 11

The hits come fast and furious in the final four episodes of this season, but this one is especially important. You'll learn just how much Frank is willing to ruin someone else's life for his own gain.

Episode 13

Frank gets one step closer to his ultimate goal, while Claire is doing some side scheming of her own. Zoe and two other journalists are hot on the heels of a big story.

SEASON 2

Episode 1

On the verge of taking on his new role, Frank starts the season off with a bang-and one of the biggest WTF moments of the series so far. 

Episode 4

Claire kicks off her story arc for the rest of the season with a big lie that will come back to haunt her. 

Episode 7

Frank discovers that President Walker's (Michel Gill) biggest aly has turned against him, opening a huge door for Frank.

Episode 11

Frank and Claire engage in a steamy act that later becomes the subject of a lot of fan fiction.

Episode 13

All of Frank's political dreams are coming true-but we'll have to wait to see how he uses his newfound power.

WHERE WE LEFT THEM:

Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey)

His scheming has finally led him to the ultimate prize-presidency of the United States. His first act is to end the dispute with China that occupied most of Season 2. 

Claire Underwood (Robin Wright)

Shows small cracks in her icy veneer after Megan Hennessey (Libby Woodbridge), who also was assaulted by Dalton McGinnis (Peter Bradbury), attempts suicide and first lady Patricia Walker (Joanna Going) thanks Claire for her support-not knowing that Claire has helped end her husband's presidency. But now Claire's the first lady-how will she use her newfound power? 

Doug Stamper (Michael Kelly)

Hacker/FBI informant Gavin Orsay (Jimmi Simpson) informs him that he knows about Rachel Posner (Rachel Brosnahan), the woman at the center of Frank Underwood's plan that led to Peter Russo's (Corey Stoll) death in Season 1. While Stamper is trying to relocate Rachel to another hiding place, she smashes his head in with a brick and steals his car. He's most likely dead. 

Garrett Walker (Michel Gill)

Has resigned the presidency in the face of impeachment, none the wiser that Frank schemed his way from congressman to vice president in order to eventually overthrow Walker. 

Raymond Tusk (Gerald McRaney)

Testifies against President Walker in exchange for the promise of a pardon from Underwood if he's made president.

Jackie Sharp (Molly Parker)

Was instrumental in helping Frank gather the votes to ensure impeachment if Walker didn't resign. Time will tell if she'll also be able to get powerful lobbyist Remy Danton (Mahershala Ali) in Frank's pocket as well.

Dakota Johnson hosts "Saturday Night Live" this weekend, and for the seemingly high level of confidence the show has in her taking the reins, look to the "SNL" 40th anniversary special, in which, among a slew of stars introduced only by name, she was identified as "Dakota Johnson of 'Fifty Shades of Grey.'" Just in case people didn't know who she was at the time--or that she was included likely as a way of getting people ready to see her host the show a few weeks later.

I have no inside source on what I'm about to say. Maybe it's not accurate. But it's worth noting that "Fifty Shades of Grey" (which, for what it's worth, is already a huge hit despite being pretty bad) was released by Universal, and NBC is part of the same company as Universal. So there's obvious incentive to have Johnson host the show this weekend and keep people thinking about all the will-he-spank-her-or-won't-he heat of that lame movie, which is nowhere near as sexy or intelligent as "Focus"--a movie I hope people see instead this weekend. It's not as if she's an established star at this point; merely the actress who was willing to play that role.

Just a thought.

Watch Matt review the week's big new movies Fridays at 11:30 a.m. on NBC.

For more movies, click here.

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Saturday's below-zero temperatures at O'Hare International Airport trumped a record low of zero degrees set in 1884.

National Weather Service officials said Saturday morning the temperatures at O'Hare were at minus 10 degrees, and they stayed below zero until 8 a.m. By noon, the temperature at O'Hare had risen to 17 degrees.

Snow is expected to creep into the region Saturday evening, with a dusting up to an inch in northern Illinois and northwest Indiana. The snow will pick up again Sunday morning, when another dusting of up to 2 inches is expected north of Interstate 80, officials said.

February 2015 already is the third-snowiest February on record in Chicago, but it's unlikely that the dusting will help this month surpass the second-snowiest, February 1896, when 27.8 inches of snow fell.

Snow accumulation is expected to reach 2 to 5 inches in the southern portions of Ford and Iroquois counties, with the heaviest snowfall of 4 to 6 inches expected in Benton County, officials said.

A hazardous weather outlook has been issued for parts of central Illinois. Officials said up to 6 inches are expected in some areas near Jacksonville, Decatur, Danville and Paris.

Significant snowfall is expected in northwest Indiana, where an advisory is in effect from 7 p.m. Saturday to 7 p.m. Sunday, officials said. The snow may mix with rain Sunday in that area, making traveling conditions hazardous.

Saturday's local forecast said highs would be in the 20s with wind chills from 10 to 20 below zero. Saturday night there is a 40 percent chance of light snow for the Chicago area.

Anyone who knows me also knows that I have a huge sweet tooth. I always have. My friend and fellow graduate student Andrew is equally afflicted, and living in Hershey, Pennsylvania - the "Chocolate Capital of the World" - doesn't help either of us.

But Andrew is braver than I am. Last year, he gave up sweets for Lent. I can't say that I'm following in his footsteps this year, but if you are abstaining from sweets for Lent this year, here's what you can expect over the 40 days.

Sugar: natural reward, unnatural fix

In neuroscience, food is something we call a "natural reward." In order for us to survive as a species, things like eating, having sex and nurturing others must be pleasurable to the brain so that these behaviors are reinforced and repeated.

Evolution has resulted in the mesolimbic pathway, a brain system that deciphers these natural rewards for us. When we do something pleasurable, a bundle of neurons called the ventral tegmental area uses the neurotransmitter dopamine to signal to a part of the brain called the nucleus accumbens. The connection between the nucleus accumbens and our prefrontal cortex dictates our motor movement, such as deciding whether or not to taking another bite of that delicious chocolate cake. The prefrontal cortex also activates hormones that tell our body: "Hey, this cake is really good. And I'm going to remember that for the future."

Not all foods are equally rewarding, of course. Most of us prefer sweets over sour and bitter foods because, evolutionarily, our mesolimbic pathway reinforces that sweet things provide a healthy source of carbohydrates for our bodies. When our ancestors went scavenging for berries, for example, sour meant "not yet ripe," while bitter meant "alert - poison!"

Fruit is one thing, but modern diets have taken on a life of their own. A decade ago, it was estimated that the average American consumed 22 teaspoons of added sugar per day, amounting to an extra 350 calories; it may well have risen since then. A few months ago, one expert suggested that the average Briton consumes 238 teaspoons of sugar each week.

Today, with convenience more important than ever in our food selections, it's almost impossible to come across processed and prepared foods that don't have added sugars for flavour, preservation or both.

These added sugars are sneaky - and unbeknown to many of us, we've become hooked. In ways that drugs of abuse - such as nicotine, cocaine and heroin - hijack the brain's reward pathway and make users dependent, increasing neuro-chemical and behavioral evidence suggests that sugar is addictive in the same way, too.

Sugar addiction is real

"The first few days are a little rough," Andrew told me about his sugar-free adventure last year. "It almost feels like you're detoxing from drugs. I found myself eating a lot of carbs to compensate for the lack of sugar."

There are four major components of addiction: bingeing, withdrawal, craving and cross-sensitisation (the notion that one addictive substance predisposes someone to becoming addicted to another). All of these components have been observed in animal models of addiction - for sugar, as well as drugs of abuse.

A typical experiment goes like this: rats are deprived of food for 12 hours each day, then given 12 hours of access to a sugary solution and regular chow. After a month of following this daily pattern, rats display behaviours similar to those on drugs of abuse. They'll binge on the sugar solution in a short period of time, much more than their regular food. They also show signs of anxiety and depression during the food deprivation period. Many sugar-treated rats who are later exposed to drugs, such as cocaine and opiates, demonstrate dependent behaviours towards the drugs compared to rats who did not consume sugar beforehand.

Like drugs, sugar spikes dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens. Over the long term, regular sugar consumption actually changes the gene expression and availability of dopamine receptors in both the midbrain and frontal cortex. Specifically, sugar increases the concentration of a type of excitatory receptor called D1, but decreases another receptor type called D2, which is inhibitory. Regular sugar consumption also inhibits the action of the dopamine transporter, a protein which pumps dopamine out of the synapse and back into the neuron after firing.

In short, this means that repeated access to sugar over time leads to prolonged dopamine signaling, greater excitation of the brain's reward pathways and a need for even more sugar to activate all of the midbrain dopamine receptors like before. The brain becomes tolerant to sugar - and more is needed to attain the same "sugar high."

Sugar withdrawal is also real

Although these studies were conducted in rodents, it's not far-fetched to say that the same primitive processes are occurring in the human brain, too. "The cravings never stopped, [but that was] probably psychological," Andrew told me. "But it got easier after the first week or so."

---

In a 2002 study by Carlo Colantuoni and colleagues of Princeton University, rats who had undergone a typical sugar dependence protocol then underwent "sugar withdrawal." This was facilitated by either food deprivation or treatment with naloxone, a drug used for treating opiate addiction which binds to receptors in the brain's reward system. Both withdrawal methods led to physical problems, including teeth chattering, paw tremors and head shaking. Naloxone treatment also appeared to make the rats more anxious, as they spent less time on an elevated apparatus that lacked walls on either side.

Similar withdrawal experiments by others also report behavior similar to depression in tasks such as the forced swim test. Rats in sugar withdrawal are more likely to show passive behaviors (like floating) than active behaviors (like trying to escape) when placed in water, suggesting feelings of helplessness.

A new study published by Victor Mangabeira and colleagues in this month's Physiology & Behavior reports that sugar withdrawal is also linked to impulsive behavior. Initially, rats were trained to receive water by pushing a lever. After training, the animals returned to their home cages and had access to a sugar solution and water, or just water alone. After 30 days, when rats were again given the opportunity to press a lever for water, those who had become dependent on sugar pressed the lever significantly more times than control animals, suggesting impulsive behavior.

These are extreme experiments, of course. We humans aren't depriving ourselves of food for 12 hours and then allowing ourselves to binge on soda and doughnuts at the end of the day. But these rodent studies certainly give us insight into the neuro-chemical underpinnings of sugar dependence, withdrawal, and behavior.

Through decades of diet programs and best-selling books, we've toyed with the notion of "sugar addiction" for a long time. There are accounts of those in "sugar withdrawal" describing food cravings, which can trigger relapse and impulsive eating. There are also countless articles and books about the boundless energy and new-found happiness in those who have sworn off sugar for good. But despite the ubiquity of sugar in our diets, the notion of sugar addiction is still a rather taboo topic.

Are you still motivated to give up sugar for Lent? You might wonder how long it will take until you're free of cravings and side-effects, but there's no answer - everyone is different and no human studies have been done on this. But after 40 days, it's clear that Andrew had overcome the worst, likely even reversing some of his altered dopamine signaling. "I remember eating my first sweet and thinking it was too sweet," he said. "I had to rebuild my tolerance."

And as regulars of a local bakery in Hershey - I can assure you, readers, that he has done just that.

Washington Post

White Sox great Minnie Minoso died of a tear in his pulmonary artery caused by "chronic obstructive pulmonary disease," an autopsy found Sunday afternoon.

Minoso had gone out Saturday night for a friend's birthday party when he apparently fell ill and pulled over in the Lakeview neighborhood, according to police and family.

He was found unresponsive in the driver's seat of his car near a gas station in the 2800 block of North Ashland Avenue around 1 a.m. Sunday, according to police.  There were no signs of trauma and Minoso was pronounced dead at the scene at 1:09 a.m., police said.

Minoso's son said he had talked with his father Saturday and "he was in great spirits."

"He was an extraordinary person," Charlie Rice-Minoso said. "He made many contributions to baseball and to Chicago. He'll be missed most by his family and closest friends.

"He had so many amazing relationships with people," he added, choking up.  "It was just amazing to see that, even after so many years after he played, to see how he was respected.  We're just eternally grateful."

Minoso's age was listed as 90, but there was some question about whether he really was born in 1922 instead of 1925 as he insisted. When asked about his age, he once said, "Look what they say in Sox record book."

Rice-Minoso said the family is going with 90. "That's the number we have down in a Spanish documents.  That's the date," he said.

"It's kind of a running joke," Rice-Minoso said. "That was the one topic he didn't want to focus on, so of course that's what everyone wanted to know."

The family later released a statement saying it "appreciates the kind expressions of concern, sympathy and compassion from so many of our friends and fans of the White Sox during this most difficult time.

"Minnie lived a full life of joy and happiness, surrounded always by friends and family," it continued. "It is during moments like these that love matters most.  Minnie enjoyed nothing more than to be at the ballpark cheering on his White Sox.  For Minnie, every day was a reason to smile, and he would want us all to remember him that way, smiling at a ballgame.

"As he so often said, 'God bless you, my friends.'"

Minoso was a seven-time All-Star whose combination of speed and power led a White Sox revival in the 1950s.

In his later years, the colorful Minoso, much like Ernie Banks with the Cubs, served as one of the team's top goodwill ambassadors.  "I'm proud of everything," Minoso said of his career. "I'm proud to be a baseball player."

The White Sox issued a statement that began, "Mr. White Sox has died."

"Our organization and our city have suffered a heart-breaking loss today," Jerry Reinsdorf, chairman of the White Sox, said in the statement.  "We have lost our dear friend and a great man.  Many tears are falling.

"When you talk about the top players in the American League in the 1950s, you talk about Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle and Minnie Minoso," he added.

Chicago Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts issued a statement saying the team was "deeply saddened by the passing of Minnie Minoso. Having recently lost one of our all-time greats, Ernie Banks, we share the heartache with the White Sox organization and fans everywhere who were blessed to enjoy the talent, heart and passion of Mr. White Sox.

"He will be forever known as an electric offensive player and great ambassador for the game of baseball."

President Barack Obama noted that Minoso was the first black Major League baseball player in Chicago. "Minnie may have been passed over by the Baseball Hall of Fame during his lifetime, but for me and for generations of black and Latino young people, Minnie's quintessentially American story embodies far more than a plaque ever could," he said in a statement.

"He came up through the Negro Leagues, and didn't speak much English at first," the president added. "And as he helped to integrate baseball in the 1950s, he was a target of racial slurs from fans and opponents, sometimes forced to stay in different motels from his teammates.  But his speed, his power - and his resilient optimism - earned him multiple All-Star appearances and Gold Gloves in left field, and he became one of the most dominant and dynamic players of the 1950s."

Born in Cuba, Orestes "Minnie" Minoso came to the United States in 1945 and played three seasons for the New York Cubans in the Negro Leagues. Bill Veeck, then owner of the Cleveland Indians, purchased his contract in Sept. 1948. He made his Major League debut in 1949, playing nine late-season games for the Indians.

After spending 1950 in the minors, Minoso came to the Sox in an early-season trade in 1951. He became the Sox's and Chicago's first black player on May 1, 1951. Minoso wasted no time making his presence felt, getting two hits and two RBIs in an 8-3 loss to the Yankees. He quickly electrified Comiskey Park, hitting .326 to earn runner-up for Rookie of the Year honors.

It was just the start for Minoso. In 1954, he had his second-straight fourth-place finish in Most Valuable Player voting, hitting .320 with 19 homers, 18 triples, 19 stolen bases, and 119 runs scored.

"I felt Minnie was the one player in the American League who had that intangible quality of excitement that makes fans talk about him when they leave the park," said Frank Lane, the general manager whose brought Minoso to the White Sox.

The Sox eventually retired his No. 9. However, Minoso's appeal went beyond Chicago. He was regarded as the first Latin American superstar, inspiring young players from the region who dreamed of joining him in the big leagues.

"Orestes Minoso was the Jackie Robinson for all Latinos; the first star who opened doors for all Latin American players," said Puerto Rican native and future Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda. "He was everybody's hero. I wanted to be Minoso. (Roberto) Clemente wanted to be Minoso."

Minoso was dealt back to Cleveland after 1957, causing him to miss the Sox's pennant-winning season in 1959. However, Veeck, now the Sox owner, reacquired Minoso in 1960. They would be reunited again when Veeck owned the Sox in the late '70s. Now in his 50s, Minoso made late-season appearances for the Sox in 1976, managing a hit in eight at bats, and in 1980 (0 for 2).

Minoso received some criticism for participating in one Veeck's many publicity stunts as an owner. Some even felt there was a backlash from voters, hurting his chances to gain election to Baseball's Hall of Fame.

In 2014, the Sox were behind a campaign to get Minoso to Cooperstown through a Golden Era ballot. His supporters argued that he had the numbers with a .298 career batting average and a .389 on-base percentage; six times his OBP exceed .400 in a season. He also was a three-time Gold Glove winner as a left fielder.

Bill James, the noted baseball statistics analyst, rated Minoso the 10th best left fielder of all time in 2001. "Had he gotten the chance to play when he was 21 years old, I think he'd probably be rated among the top 30 players of all time," James wrote.

Minoso never did gain entry to the Hall during his lifetime. However, that never dimmed his outlook on life and baseball.

Minoso once summed up his passion for the game, saying: "When I die, I want to be playing baseball. Truly. They don't bury me without my uniform."

Minoso leaves behind his wife of 30 years, Sharon, two sons, Orestes Jr. and Charlie, and two daughters Marilyn and Cecilia.  Arrangements are pending.

Contributing:  Lizzie Johnson and Patrick M. O'Connell

Vince Vaughn plunged first and emerged, dripping with icy Lake Michigan water. But it was the sudden appearance of another star who turned heads and had spectators whispering "Is that really her?"

Indeed, there was Lady Gaga on North Avenue Beach with her fiance and "Chicago Fire" star Taylor Kinney waiting to take a dip in the frigid water.

"It was awesome," said a soaked but smiling Gaga, as a swarm of photographers documented the event.

Gaga, Vaughn, Chicago mayoral candidate Jesus "Chuy" Garcia and more than 4,500 other brave souls took the plunge into Lake Michigan on Sunday, raising $1.1 million for Special Olympics - the most in its history.

Joining the celebrities were residents from the city and suburbs, including River Grove Police Officer Joe Giovenco, 57.

"Who says it's cold?" shouted a bare-chested Giovenco who also showed off his bare legs in shorts. "It ain't cold."

Participants wore a range of costumes including superhero costumes, sports jerseys, bikinis, yoga pants and suits with top hats.

Stephanie Blood, 26, of Orland Park, wore a cardboard box around her waist, saying she was Princess Daisy from the video game MarioKart.

"It's a good time," said Blood, who was participating for the third time. "I wanted to do it to do a little something crazy."

Vaughn, a Lake Forest native and star of movies including "Wedding Crashers" and Old School," urged the crowd standing out in the cold to "go out there and have some fun."

"It's too late to turn back now," said Vaughn, a longtime Blackhawks fan, wearing a Jonathan Toews sweater. Later, the drenched star exclaimed "It's fantastic."

Gaga's appearance surprised organizers who didn't know she would be there until shortly before the plunge began.

"She's pure heart," said Casey Hogan, president of Special Olympics Chicago and its fundraising arm Special Children's Charities. "She came out for the cause - low-key, no press. It doesn't get any better than that."

In addition to Vaughn and Gaga, Hogan said it was great to see so many spectators from near and far supporting the cause.

Jared Pavan, 27, from Washington, said he knew Lake Michigan would be cold.

"I just didn't know it was going to be frozen," said Pavan, dressed in a red Power Rangers suit and dripping wet. "I feel great right now. It's for an amazing cause."

poconnell@tribpub.com

A spoof of a Toyota commercial on "Saturday Night Live" stirred some social media chatter for showing a father sending his daughter to join Islamic State, the militant group also known as ISIS.

The fake commercial, starring Saturday's "SNL" host Dakota Johnson ("Fifty Shades of Grey") and cast member Taran Killam, is a play on the end of Toyota's "My Bold Dad" commercial, in which a father appears to drop his daughter off to join the U.S. military. 

After a corny goodbye, Killam's character says, "You be careful OK." Johnson's character replies, "Dad it's just ISIS," and winks.

"Take care of her," a teary-eyed Killam says as a supposed Islamic State fighter nods and says, "Death to America." The spot ends with a female voiceover saying: "ISIS: We'll take it from here, Dad."

Last night, "SNL" was tweeted about 25,000 times, according to Nielsen data. Of these tweets, about 9,926 contained "reactions," or tweets with emotions, according to Canvs, a social TV platform created by the firm Mashwork.

The company uses relevant tweets, provided by Nielsen, to gauge what emotions people have about TV. The tweets are then broken down into reactions. 

An estimated 8.7% of those reaction tweets contained the topic ISIS, including 1.3% that contained the hashtag #ISIS. Some of the reaction tweets contained the hashtag #notfunny.

For more news on the entertainment industry, follow me @saba_h

Also: Like our Facebook page. 

On paper, Spencer Tweedy doesn't seem like an average 19-year-old.

After all, he's the son of Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy; spent his childhood at Lounge Ax, the historic former club co-owned by his mother, Sue Miller; co-founded The Blisters at age 7; and last year released "Sukierae," a loving and fun album he made with his father under the name Tweedy. He's also appeared on albums from American music legends, like Mavis Staples'"One True Vine" and most recently, Pops Staples' posthumous effort "Don't Lose This," which was released in early February. 

He's currently gearing up for Tweedy's 2015 tour, which kicks off March 6-7 at the Vic Theatre. Considering the project's hometown debut at Taste of Chicago 2014 was rained out and cancelled, the two-night stint will serve as Tweedy's big Chicago introduction, especially for fans who missed their intimate and semi-secret appearance at Lincoln Hall last July. 

While not many people his age are successful, touring musicians, Spencer (who lives on the Northwest side) comes off as a normal, down-to-earth teenager during our phone interview. He's also polite and thoughtful. In fact, in conversation he subtly took on some of his dad's mannerisms as he spoke warmly and candidly on his future, his love of pickles and why "dad rock" is a bad way to describe music. 

His college plans: 

"I'm going to get out of the city, but I'm intent on coming back as soon as possible. I'm a die-hard Chicagoan, and I think that every other city is stupid and I don't want to live anywhere else."

"I'll be attending a liberal arts school in Wisconsin. It's not too far from home, which was part of my choice for that because I want to be able to come home when I need to or if there's a show in Chicago I want to see. I'm leaning towards English right now but with liberal arts you never know."

On Tweedy's big hometown live debut at the Vic: 

"I'm extremely excited. That was such a bummer last summer when Taste of Chicago was cancelled. It's cool that now we get to do two nights and that all my friends are going to be there ... A funny thing is that the very first stage we played on together was the Vic. Before our first official show we played a rehearsal there, just so it wouldn't be the very first time we ever stepped foot on a stage."

What's changed since he started touring with Tweedy: 

"I definitely feel like I've grown more confident as a performing musician. I had to develop some sea legs in the beginning being the youngest in the band and looking up to all the other musicians. These are bigger shows than I've ever played before, and that's awesome, but it's also a little more demanding."

The most bizarre item on his rider: 

"Pickles. I wasn't the first to put it on there, but I'm a proud Jew and I love a good dill pickle."

What it's like to grow up with Wilco: 

"Growing up, I never really listened to Wilco while my Dad was home, just 'cause it feels really weird. But I listen to a lot of Wilco, and I love the band. It never got in the way of my appreciation for them, but sometimes I put on headphones instead of speakers if my Dad is around."

Why he hates the term "dad rock":

"I think it's dismissive and snarky. I try to have a good sense of humor about it. My Dad is graceful and diplomatic, and he refuses to be prickly in public about that term. I, on the other hand, am a little bit farther removed from it. I'm scrappy little dude and I don't have a problem saying it makes me upset sometimes. I don't like what it insinuates, and frankly, I think it's bull[bleep]."

His favorite Wilco record: 

"I don't know if I'm comfortable saying 'favorite,' but one that's really special to me is 'Summerteeth.' That album has a special place in my heart just because I was about four or five years-old when they were working on it. I have a lot of nice memories of listening to it with my mom and with my dad on the road."

Whether he's told his dad that any record of his "wasn't really my favorite": 

"We've never had that conversation. Sometimes my dad will tell me stories about being on the road and having a fan come up to him after a show and say, 'So Jeff, 'Wilco (The Album),' that really sucked, right?' But no, it's offensive; it's a piece of art that they made."

On the Blisters, which has been around for 12 years, a tenure longer than Wilco's current incarnation: 

"We've been around longer than the Beatles survived too. [jokingly] We're also better than the Beatles. [Laughs] I'm just kidding. The plan with the Blisters is that we just get together when everybody's home. We played a couple of shows this winter break, and those went well. The band is really special to me because we've been together so long and they're some of my best friends. I don't know, maybe we'll record again sometime but for right now, we'll just see what happens."

On the future of Tweedy: 

"I don't think it's going to be a one-off project. I don't know when we'll have the opportunity to put out another release. But with the insane luxury of having your own recording studio and having a studio engineer who's a best friend of ours, we can record whenever. We've also worked on a ton of stuff since 'Sukierae' came out. My feeling is that some of it will see the light of day, but some of it will see the vault. Right now, there are no plans for a release, but I think we're both intent on still doing stuff."

Tweedy, 8 p.m. March 6-7 at Vic Theatre. $45.

jterry@redeyechicago.com, @joshhterry

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In a major reversal, Chicago Public Schools on Monday said it will administer a controversial new standardized test to all 230,000 eligible students in the coming days.

The decision was made under pressure from state education officials who said millions of dollars of funding would be withheld if the district spurned a federal mandate to administer the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCCC) exams to all eligible students. The district in January said it would give the test in only about 10 percent of schools.

On Friday, state education officials told the district they were not backing down in demands the test be given to all eligible students. A district spokesman said the district window to begin testing opens March 9.

"There are huge, huge financial sanctions that have been very clearly delineated to us," CPS CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett told reporters Monday. "It would be irresponsible for me to even put us in that position of danger, of losing the funds, given our financial conditions now."

"I continue to personally and professionally believe that to administer PARCC this year is absolutely not in the best interests of our students," Byrd-Bennett said. "However, given the threat from (the Illinois State Board of Education), there is absolutely no choice that I can present to this board and to our community."

Statewide, almost 1.1 million students in third through eighth grades, as well as some high school students, are expected to take the exams, with about 75 percent taking computer-based tests. About 280,000 students are expected to take the paper-and-pencil test.

CPS drew national attention in January when it announced it would not give the assessment to most schools, which it said was necessary because of a lack of technology needed for the computer-driven exam.

Instead, the district began an effort to administer the test to just 66 of its more than 600 schools. All schools were still told to prepare for the test, while a district spokesman insisted through late last week that CPS was still pursuing the limited roll-out.

But at a sometimes heated hearing in Springfield last week, a CPS official said all but about two dozen schools have the technology to give the computer-based test.

Still, CPS accountability officer John Barker told lawmakers: "We feel like the implementation of PARCC for this year is going to be extremely problematic for our district and others across the state."

Parent groups and the Chicago Teachers Union have opposed the exam, amid broad debate over rigorous Common Core educational standards and so-called high-stakes testing.

"It's going to be a mess, no, it's going to be a disaster," Chicago Teachers Union Vice-President Jesse Sharkey predicted for the test's implementation.

The union is urging parents to have their children skip the exam.

"My advice to parents is, in your school, your teacher is being forced to work in a testing factory. But in your teacher's heart, that's not what they want to do You should do both your kid and your kid's teacher a favor and take them out of this dumb test," he said, encouraging parents to send principals a letter saying their students would sit out the exam.

Wendy Katten, director of the Raise Your Hand parent group that opposes the test, promised many parents would keep their students from taking the exam.

"We won't be bullied by state education agencies, or the Department of Education into forcing our kids to take a test that is not ready, has major technical glitches, and is two years above average reading level. No state has ever lost federal funding due to student opt-outs," Katten said.

"While we are not that surprised that CPS has caved to these threats, the timing is horrible, and CPS should be offering a refusal policy for students and parents," she said. "Either way, we'll be sharing test refusal information with parents all week."

Byrd-Bennett said it would soon issue testing guidelines to schools.

"We're going to encourage our students to participate," she said. "Without specific guidelines from ISBE on this issue, we put the burden of that (opt-out) decision on an 8-year-old, on a 10-year-old. And that's pretty unfair. So we are going to have to guide our parents and our students in the very best way that we can."

CPS' reversal came after an exchange of letters last week between the district and the Illinois State Board of Education, with CPS for the first time quantifying the heavy losses that could be incurred if the state penalized the district for not testing.

For example, CPS officials wrote that more than 1,500 teaching positions could be eliminated if the state wiped away some $300 million in Title 1 funding for schools with high poverty populations, and $100 million for special education programs.

Also at risk would be $1-billion in general state aid - the main state funding source for schools - which "would jeopardize our ability to fund thousands of teaching and instructional support positions as well as our ability to pay our pension obligations," according to the Feb. 24 letter written by Byrd-Bennett and Chicago Board of Education President David Vitale.

In the letter, CPS officials asked the state to "strongly consider" allowing the district to test only a 10 percent sample of schools rather than all students in 3rd through 8th grade and some in high school, as required by federal law.

CPS said its primary concern about administering the test was that the testing would essentially "measure our students' ability to navigate the PARCC software and not their content knowledge" of standards that children need to know.

That echoes the refrain from dozens of other districts that have switched to giving the test in paper and pencil.

In a strongly-worded response Feb. 27 from the state board of education, officials made clear that, "the board simply does not have authority to permit school districts to violate state and federal law."

If CPS fails to test students, it could not only lose Title 1 and special education funding, but could immediately be placed on probation - a step that could lead to yanking general state aid dollars, wrote State School Supt. Christopher Koch and state board chairman James Meeks.

"Please be clear that loss of these funds is entirely within the control of CPS," the letter stated. "If CPS administers the PARCC assessment, like every other district within the state, it will not be sanctioned in this way.

We know that the Chicago Board of Education will do the right thing for the students of the district and will administer the PARCC assessment."

With the main spring testing season just days away, hundreds of Illinois schools are eschewing the PARCC computer exams that include videos, drop-down menus, drag-and-drop exercises and other online functions, adding to the brewing controversy over state testing here and across the country.

In Illinois, about 1 in 4 students are expected to take paper-and-pencil exams beginning this week in some districts and March 9 in most others, according to the Illinois State Board of Education. A handful of year-round schools started their state exams last week.

The switch to paper and pencil will push up the statewide price tag for testing by about $2.4 million, officials estimated, because paper exams are more expensive than online tests.

The PARCC exams cover tougher Common Core standards that students have been preparing for over the past several years. But the computer-driven format of the tests can be unnerving for some children who aren't savvy online or may not have the same access to computers as their peers, educators say.

The sprawling Algonquin-based Community Unit School District 300 has a diverse student body, and officials are concerned about disparities in computer access and experience between well-off and low-income students, said spokesman Anthony McGinn. "We just felt like paper and pencil would be a better reflection of academic achievement."

Districts have long had the option to administer paper-and-pencil exams, and some decided early on to go that route.

Earlier this month, the Illinois State Board of Education gave districts another opportunity to switch from the computer exams, after hearing from school administrators wary about potential technology problems on test days.

Byrd-Bennett said state authorities had still been inflexible and unwilling to compromise.

"We've just put forth so many opportunities, alternatives, options, compromises," she said. We really thought we would end up at a place where there was a compromise in the best interests of the children. That did not occur."

jjperez@tribpub.com

drado@tribpub.com

Somewhere in my endless stacks of sports memorabilia, I have Minnie Minoso's autograph.

I'm a bit embarrassed to admit I don't know exactly where it is at this moment, though expect that to be remedied in the near future.

In a statement regarding the death of "Mr. White Sox," the team said it was joked that Minoso had signed enough autographs for every man, woman and child in Chicago at least once.

In a way that makes his signature all the more valuable. Not from an investor's standpoint, of course. Yet athletes who are so generous with their time occupy a special place in the hearts of fans because the connection is so much deeper. There's a good chance everyone who has attended a Sox home game in the past six-plus decades has a story about him, which in and of itself is remarkable.

That bears repeating: six-plus decades. From the time he first put on a Sox uniform in 1951 to the day he left this world, he was a fixture in Chicago.

Buying autographed swag on eBay or at an auction is nice, but it's no substitute for sharing a smile with a legend and thanking them for their contributions to the game. The fact that countless baseball fans can tell their friends, "Hey, we ran into Minnie Minoso at the ballpark!" speaks volumes.

When I met the "Cuban Comet" briefly-at an autograph session, naturally-at what was then called the new Comiskey Park, it struck me that although he was a quiet man, he was well-respected and beloved. Every conversation I have had with those who met him echoes that impression.

Part of the reason Minoso was so reserved likely can be attributed to his background; he was working in Cuba's sugar cane fields not terribly long before he came to the States to play baseball.

Imagine being not only the first black player in a predominantly white major-league clubhouse, but one who struggles with English. It must have been a titanic burden, one few of us could fathom. Nevertheless, Minoso thrived because he loved baseball.

"Baseball is my whole life," he once said. "Without it, I am nothing at all."

"My last dream is to be in Cooperstown-to be with those guys. I want to be there," he also said. "This is my life's dream."

Now comes the mental anguish part of this column. How does a player who hit .298 for his career, made seven All-Star appearances, won three Gold Gloves and passed the eye test among virtually all who saw him play not make the Hall of Fame? Questions such as these should keep those who make said decisions up at night.

It's but a tiny drop of disappointment in a sea full of wonderful memories, however. Even though Minoso competed for four major-league teams, he identified himself as a White Sox player first and foremost.

To Chicago fans, that is arguably his signature achievement.

Chris Sosa is RedEye's sports editor. @redeyesportschi

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Illinois Rep. Aaron Schock billed taxpayers at least three times for more than $14,000 in private air travel last fall, including for a trip to a Chicago Bears football game, The Associated Press has learned.

The newly revealed expenses encompass plane travel around Illinois and to Washington. They add to the list of more than a dozen flights worth $40,000 aboard planes owned by donors, which led to a formal ethics complaint.

Schock, a 33-year-old rising Republican star, has been under scrutiny for using congressional funds to redecorate his Capitol Hill office in the style of the TV show "Downton Abbey." Last week, his office said he made good on his promise of personally reimbursing those costs.

Congressional rules updated two years ago generally allow the use of private aircraft as long as trips are fairly compensated. But the latest revelations about Schock's travel expenses raise questions about why taxpayers would be billed for a trip to Chicago when he represents the Peoria and Springfield areas at least 150 miles away.

Newly released House records show $10,802 incurred last November for "commercial transportation" to Keith Siilats, a New York-based pilot. Siilats told the AP he flew the congressman between Washington and Peoria for a series of meetings, and attended the Bears game with Schock. That trip was first reported Sunday by the Chicago Sun-Times. It was not immediately clear how Schock paid for his game tickets.

The records also show Schock's office spent about $2,270 with Peoria-based Byerly Aviation, as well as $1,590 to Lobair LLC. Both were previously paid for Schock's travel on aircraft owned by his financial contributors, records show.

The Byerly expense aligns with a same-day journey on a plane owned by Springfield businessman Todd Green between Peoria and Quincy, Ill., on Dec. 12, 2014. Schock toured a local dam that he said needed repairs that same day in Quincy.

Byerly was previously paid $11,433 from Schock's office account for four days in November 2013. The AP found Green's plane traveled to and from Washington and Peoria during that same period - and hours before Schock posted a photo about his "Schocktoberfest" fundraising event in his district.

A Schock spokesman on Monday referred to the congressman's earlier statements that he takes compliance with funding rules seriously and has begun a review of his expenses. Schock previously told the AP he travels frequently throughout his district to stay connected with his constituents.

The AP last week detailed those travel expenses, including Schock's use of private planes and incurring of pricey entertainment charges. The review identified at least a dozen flights on donors' planes since mid-2011, tracking his reliance on the aircraft partly through pictures uploaded to his Instagram account.

During one period, Green's plane traveled to at least eight cities last October in the Midwest and East Coast - cities where Schock met with political candidates ahead of the midterm elections. Green runs car dealerships in Schock's district with his brother, Jeff, a pilot who Todd Green said is good friends with Schock.

Lobair was previously paid $6,000 for four trips on a plane owned by Michael Miller, another Peoria auto dealer, and by Vonachen Services Inc., a janitorial and service firm headed by Peoria businessman Matthew Vonachen. Vonachen donated at least $11,000 to Schock's political career, federal campaign records show.

Schock's other official expenses included concert tickets and mileage reimbursements, including a sold-out Katy Perry concert last June.

The House updated its ethics rules in January 2013. Earlier rules prohibited lawmakers from using office accounts to pay for flights on private aircraft, allowing payments only for federally licensed charter and commercial flights.

A liberal-leaning group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, had requested an investigation by the Office of Congressional Ethics, an outside panel that reviews ethics complaints against House members.

Schock recently brought on board a team of campaign finance lawyers and public relations experts to address the controversy about his expenses.

ESPN anchor Robert Flores may have gone out bounds when he took a shot at Nick Young's famous girlfriend, rapper Iggy Azalea, but the Los Angeles Lakers forward fired back at him in a series of tweets Monday afternoon.

During a segment called "What did we learn?" on Sunday, Flores riffed on a popular story about Young's encounter with a dolphin while on vacation. 

"What did we learn? We learned that according to the Lakers' Nick Young a dolphin recently tried to kill him. So, Nick, while dolphins are trying to kill you, your girlfriend is trying to kill hip-hop. Let's call it even, OK?

It seemed only a matter of time before Swaggy P aired out Flores for the slight, and sure enough Young responded in several tweets from @NickSwagyPYoung:

Maybe she'll have to stop watching "SportsCenter" now too.

Uber on Monday launched a new option for Chicago customers who want to ride in premium cars without paying the premium price.

UberSelect, which hails a BMW, Lexus or other high-end vehicle from its pool cars driven by regular drivers, costs double an UberX ride and slightly more than a regular taxi, according to Uber's calculations, but far less than the cost with UberBlack.

For example, Uber said, a ride from River North to the West Loop would cost $12.10 with UberSelect, compared with $6.40 with UberX and $11.39 for a taxi. UberBlack would cost $17.20 for the same distance.

The company has rolled out the service in several markets across the country over the past few months.

Jimmy Butler will miss an extended period of time of three to six weeks after Monday's MRI exam confirmed "a Grade 2/3 ulnar ligament sprain and small bone impaction injury to the left elbow," the Bulls said in a statement.

Butler suffered the injury during Sunday's loss to the Clippers when he ran into a DeAndre Jordan screen in the third quarter. He didn't return.

Butler won't need surgery, one source said. So his absence will be determined by how well the injury responds to treatment and rest.

Butler's injury comes on the heels of Derrick Rose's knee surgery, which will sideline him for four to six weeks. The banged-up Bulls also are without Taj Gibson, whose sprained left ankle is in a walking boot.

The Bulls have a roster spot available.

Butler, who earned his first All-Star appearance this season, leads the Bulls in scoring at 20.2 points per game. He's also the team's best defender and leads the NBA in minutes.

"It's not just his scoring," coach Tom Thibodeau said. "He's obviously grown every year. He's a primary scorer. He's a great two-way player, great defender. "

Tony Snell is expected to start in Butler's absence. Kirk Hinrich, who is returning from his own recent bout with an illness and is on a minutes limit, knows the road will be tough.

"It's a huge loss, but we've kind of been through this before," Hinrich said. "The news about Derrick, and then Taj going down with the ankle and Jimmy going down with the elbow, I guess when it rains, it pours. We can't sit around feeling sorry for ourselves. Nobody else is going to. We've got to find a way."

On the heels of your binging the third season of "House of Cards" on Netflix, the streaming service has announced "Orange Is the New Black" will begin its third season June 12.

The network on Monday also announced the June 5 premiere of "Sense8" from the Wachowski siblings, the Chicago-based creators of "The Matrix" movie franchise.

Other Netflix premiere dates:

Original stand-up comedy specials
"Chris D'Elia: Incorrigible" April 17
"Jen Kirkman: I'm Gonna Die Alone (And I Feel Fine)" May 22
"What Happened, Miss Simone" June 26

Original series
"Between" May 2015
"Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp" July 17

Email: cwwagner@redeyechicago.com | Twitter: @ShowPatrol

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Add one more item to the list of topics Mayor Emanuel and his formidable challenger Cook County Commissioner Jesus "Chuy" Garcia disagree on: Emanuel's proposed flyover at the Belmont stop in Lakeview.

Though they've spent lots of time shaking commuter hands at CTA stops, Emanuel and Garcia have been vague on what Chicago transit will look like over the next four years. Garcia hasn't detailed what specific transit projects he would push if he was elected while Emanuel has stuck to promoting plans already announced or in the works.

One Emanuel proposal Garcia is against is the proposed $320 million flyover, which Garcia criticized as "an unnecessary expenditure of taxpayer funds that will generate little return on investment" in an email via his spokeswoman.

Under Emanuel's direction, the CTA has proposed creating an elevated ramp that would allow Brown Line trains to bypass Red and Purple Line train traffic at the Belmont stop.

The move would reduce commute wait times at that station by a few minutes and is necessary to be able to handle future Red Line train capacity, CTA officials say. But some Lakeview residents have complained that the ramp would look like a rollercoaster in the middle of their neighborhood and more than a dozen buildings would be torn down to build the flyover.

There is no specific construction timeline for the proposed Belmont flyover, which is awaiting funding.

Emanuel has not recently laid out new plans for the CTA but has pushed proposals already in the works including the continuation of repair work to North Side Blue Line stations. If funding is found, the city also will likely move forward on a controversial proposal to create a $160 million express bus system along Ashland Avenue.

For his part, Garcia hasn't been specific about his Chicago transit plans. On his website chicagoforchuy.com, Garcia advocates for finding new ways to fund public transit, including private partnerships, but doesn't mention any specific projects he would pursue if he is elected mayor.

The mayor plays a large role in the future of the CTA because the mayor picks the CTA president and half the members of the CTA board. The CTA's list of projects is the mayor's list of projects. From the proposed Ashland Avenue express bus system to increasing CTA ridership, RedEye compares Emanuel's transit priorities to Garcia's priorities.

On his top transit priority: Emanuel's priority is to "continue rebuilding the Red Line- both the north branch and extending it past 95th," spokesman David Spielfogel said in an email. The CTA plans on holding community meetings this year about potentially extending the Red Line from 95th Street to 130th Street, a project that has been talked about for decades.

In an email through his spokeswoman, Garcia said his top transit priority "would be to provide sufficient and stable funding for transit in the region."

On how to increase CTA ridership: Though the CTA is still calculating ridership figures from December, it looks like the agency will see its second consecutive year of ridership decreases systemwide.

Emanuel spokesman Adam Collins said CTA ridership "remains strong" but saw a dip last year because of sub-zero temperatures.

Garcia said to increase ridership, ideally all transit lines, not just the Red and Blue lines, should operate round the clock. The cost of increasing that service is unknown. "No parts of Chicago or the metropolitan area should be isolated from public transit; twenty-four hour service should be available to all communities; and, the different systems (CTA, Metra, Pace) should be integrated to attract more riders," Garcia said in an email.

On the Ashland Avenue express bus system: Under Emanuel, the CTA has proposed building an express bus system, called bus rapid transit, along 16 miles of Ashland Avenue from Irving Park Road on the North Side to 95th Street on the South Side. The proposal would speed bus commutes on Ashland Avenue but some local residents and business owners have expressed concern over the elimination of car lanes and left-hand turns on the busy thoroughfare.

Garcia said he would support the Ashland proposal if there is a better compromise with residents and business associations. "There are a multitude of concerns that have been raised, including limited number of car lanes and left turns," Garcia said in an email.

On retaining Forrest Claypool as CTA president: Emanuel would retain Claypool as president because Claypool has consistently delivered projects on schedule and within budget and he's focused on improving the ridership experience, Spielfogel said.

Garcia, who has the backing of the CTA's largest union, said he would make this decision upon election. Claypool, a former Cook County commissioner, endorsed Garcia in his campaign for a seat on the Cook County Board more than five years ago.