WHY AL CAPONE WAS SENT TO ALCATRAZ

Last night I was watching a great TV series called Making of the Mob Chicago. The show answered a question I have always had. Why did Al Capone get shipped to the extreme maximum security on the Rock when he was just sentenced as a tax evader?

In the show, they explain that the president had alotted a ton of money for the prison's construction and used Alfonse to promote the project. Al Capone was the most famous gangster of all time and he definitely raised the profile of Alcatraz.

August 11, 1934

A group of federal prisoners classified as "most dangerous" arrives at Alcatraz Island, a 22-acre rocky outcrop situated 1.5 miles offshore in San Francisco Bay. The convicts–the first civilian prisoners to be housed in the new high-security penitentiary–joined a few dozen military prisoners left over from the island’s days as a U.S. military prison.

Alcatraz was an uninhabited seabird haven when it was explored by Spanish Lieutenant Juan Manuel de Ayala in 1775. He named it Isla de los Alcatraces, or “Island of the Pelicans.” Fortified by the Spanish, Alcatraz was sold to the United States in 1849. In 1854, it had the distinction of housing the first lighthouse on the coast of California. Read More

AL CAPONE GOES TO PRISON FOR TAX EVASION OCT 17 1931

On this day in 1931, gangster Al Capone is sentenced to 11 years in prison for tax evasion and fined $80,000, signaling the downfall of one of the most notorious criminals of the 1920s and 1930s.

Alphonse Gabriel Capone was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1899 to Italian immigrants. He was expelled from school at 14, joined a gang and earned his nickname “Scarface” after being sliced across the cheek during a fight. By 1920, Capone had moved to Chicago, where he was soon helping to run crime boss Johnny Torrio’s illegal enterprises.

Torrio's enterprises included alcohol-smuggling, gambling, and prostitution. Torrio retired in 1925 after an attempt on his life and Capone, known for his cunning and brutality, was put in charge of the organization.

Capone and Torrio

Prohibition, which outlawed the brewing and distribution of alcohol and lasted from 1920 to 1933, proved extremely lucrative for bootleggers and gangsters like Capone, who raked in millions from his underworld activities.

Capone was at the top of the F.B.I.’s “Most Wanted” list by 1930, but he avoided long stints in jail until 1931 by bribing city officials, intimidating witnesses and maintaining various hideouts.

He became Chicago’s crime kingpin by wiping out his competitors through a series of gangland battles and slayings, including the infamous St. Valentine’s Day Massacre in 1929 when Capone’s men gunned down seven rivals. This event helped raise Capone’s notoriety to a national level.

federal agent Eliot Ness

Among Capone’s enemies was federal agent Eliot Ness, who led a team of officers known as “The Untouchables” because they couldn’t be corrupted. Ness and his men routinely broke up Capone’s bootlegging businesses, but it was tax-evasion charges that finally stuck and landed Capone in prison in 1931.

Capone began serving his time at the U.S. Penitentiary in Atlanta, but amid accusations that he was manipulating the system and receiving cushy treatment, he was transferred to the maximum-security lockup at Alcatraz Island, in California’s San Francisco Bay.

Palm Bay Miami

He got out early in 1939 for good behavior, after spending his final year in prison in a hospital, suffering from syphilis.

 Capone in Miami

Plagued by health problems for the rest of his life, Capone died in 1947 at age 48 at his home in Palm Island, Florida.

Al Capone's headquarters of operation was in Cicero, and the folklore is that he was a driving force in getting Route 66 developed as a paved highway so he could distribute illegal alcohol as part of his business activities. The gravesite is located at Mount Carmel Cemetery in Hillside, which is located 15 minutes northwest of Berwyn. Read More on Capone

CHICAGO THE MUSICAL OCT 16-21 FISHER THEATER

CHICAGO

OCTOBER 16-21

Tuesday - Saturday at 8:00pm

Sunday Evening at 7:30pm

Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:00pm

TICKETS/SEATING CHART

There’s never been a better time to experience CHICAGO, Broadway’s razzle-dazzle smash. This triumphant hit musical is the recipient of six Tony Awards®, two Olivier Awards, a Grammy®, thousands of standing ovations and now the #1 longest-running American Musical in Broadway history

CHICAGO has everything that makes Broadway great: a universal tale of fame, fortune and all that jazz; one show-stopping song after another; and the most astonishing dancing you've ever seen. It’s no surprise that CHICAGO has wowed audiences from Mexico City to Moscow, from Sao Paulo to South Africa. And now it’s coming to your town!

Whether you're looking for your first Broadway musical, whether you've seen the Academy Award®-winning film and want to experience the show live on stage or whether you've seen it before and want to recapture the magic, CHICAGO always delivers!

CHICAGO MUSIC SENSATION CHARLIE KORMAN'S NEW RELEASE AND SINGLE!

Charlie Korman is one of the new wave in young Hollywood's music industry, a passionate, inspired and talented young musician, who relates deeply to what he writes, sings and whats he puts down on paper.

Charlie, inspired by such artists like Bruno Mars, Frank Sinatra and Johnny Cash, with a mix of John Mayer and Shawn Mendes is ready to take the music world by storm. Charlie, about to release his first single, OPTIONS, is a dedication song to his realization that he wasn’t treated well in a relationship, who he was giving everything too, but the word “options” is just a word.

Its more of a meaning that he won’t waste his time and/or energy in the wrong relationship, as well as being taken for granted. The song reflects how he was feeling during those moments and the best way to express was to write “Options.”

Working with a grammy-nominated producer Kosign from Da Intenz who has worked with talents like, Justin Bieber, Nicki Minaj, Boyz II Men and many others, OPTIONS is set to cause some steam.

Hailing from Chicago, Illinois, Charlie (was a child star) has lived all over the country and has experienced as much of life as he can in his young age, but is so excited to keep learning. A college student at High Pointe University. You can always catch him with a note book around campus.

He is always writing down his creative at all times. Charlie has always stated he has been singing since the second he learned how to walk. Charlie was aware of his singing ability from the start, but at a very young age, he never capitalized on it, which was out of fear. Charlie didn’t have the confidence in himself to purse music, until one of his closest friends heard him singing and motived him to do something about his voice, he did.

Charlie would love to inspire others to understand that we all are human beings who go through breakups, heartaches, depression, happiness, growing, etc. Charlie’s music comes from everything he has dealt with throughout his young life. He has never written anything that is a lie and/or untrue. He hops to continue being the raw, real and honest with his fans and his music.

Hardly Understood

He wants to help those who have gone through things and that life is nothing but a mystery, but can be so powerful and make the best out of every situation. Charlie records a feeling, not a type of music, which exudes his passion that he is feeling and the lyrics.

Besides working on his craft, he loves be around the ones he loves, works out, travels when he can and the most important is trying to live a great life where he makes others happy as well as himself. He has a huge passion for animals and whenever he is faced with the opportunity to help or fund an animal welfare, organization he jumps at the opportunity. He recently went to Africa and supported the elephant walk in Kenya.

THIS FALL: ART ON THE MART DIGITAL ART INSTALLATION GOES LIVE IN CHICAGO

SMITHSONIAN

When Chicago’s Merchandise Mart opened in 1930, commanding two-and-a-half city blocks in the city’s downtown Loop, it was the world’s largest building.

That title stood for more than ten years, until the art deco building was usurped by the Pentagon outside Washington, D.C., in 1943. Now, the historic space is poised to take on a new “world’s-largest” mantle—this time for its art. A new initiative will turn its limestone exterior in the world’s largest digital art display, reports Jay Koziarz for Curbed Chicago.

Called ‘Art on theMart,’ the permanent large-scale lighting installation will be a digital canvas spanning across nearly 3 acres of its river-facing façade. The project was announced Sunday by Chicago Mayor Mayor Rahm Emanuel, the city’s department of cultural affairs and special events, and property owner Vornado Realty Trust, who will fund the large-scale installation.

The San Francisco-based Obscura Digital, which has created temporary video projects on the façades of the Guggenheim Museum, Sydney Opera House and the Vatican, will lead the project, in partnership with local architecture firm Valerio Dewalt Train Associates, Koziarz reports. READ MORE

AMAZING WIZARD OF OZ COLLECTOR WALTER KRUEGER!

Walter Krueger

Watching Dorothy Gale skip down the yellow brick road to the Emerald City was a magical moment in most people's childhood.

But for one man, that moment was the start of an obsession - which has now led to him having one of the world's biggest collections of Wizard Of Oz memorabilia.

Walter Krueger, 28, from near Chicago, Il., became so enchanted with the adventures of Dorothy and her friends that he spent the past two decades filling his house with Oz characters, clothes and artwork - which he says are now worth more than half a million dollars.Read more:

The Wizard of Oz is a notable classic movie filled with loveable and memorable characters. The popularity of the movie, which first debuted in 1939, continues to reach generation after generation.

Because of the success of the first movie, there have been many renditions for each generation to fall in love with. You may be one of the many individuals who own a copy of the movie which could be a good starting ground if the love of the movie leads you to desire a collection of Wizard of Oz memorabilia. Here are some tips to get you started on your Wizard of Oz collectibles.

'When I was younger I was bullied horribly at school for being gay and when I was 16 my mother passed away.

'Oz became a refuge, it was something to cling on to - I can’t imagine going through that without it.'



He said: 'My Oz collection is everywhere, you walk in through my front door and there’s artwork on the walls, it greets you as you walk in. And an Oz room as any collector would know is a room that just has amassed anything of the same theme - I have two of those in my house.

'There are costumes and dolls and toys and everything you can imagine.'

HAVE MERCY! THE JOHN STAMOS ART SHOW

A group art show celebrating the magic of John Stamos.

Riot Fest is proud to announce HAVE MERCY! The John Stamos Art Show. The walls will be covered with paintings, drawings and sketches in tribute to one of our favorite humans: The stunning, inspiring and legendary actor/musician John Phillip Stamos. It promises to be the greatest art event ever in the history of the world!

We are putting a call out to the Riot Fest community to tap into the inspiration that Mr. Stamos has shared with all of us, and to channel it onto the canvas. The result of which will be, by all accounts, the largest collection of John Stamos-inspired artwork under one roof.

We here at Riot Fest have been paying tribute to Mr. Stamos since our 2013 festival, where we proudly commissioned and displayed a life-size bust of the man using nothing but butter and love and more butter.  Read this article

While many of you got to know the actor John Stamos in the late-1900s as Blackie Parrish on General Hospital or were moved by his star-making turn as Uncle Jesse Katsopolis on Full House, many have just recently discovered his talents through roles on E.R. and Scream Queens.

The musician John Stamos has been a drummer since the age of four and has rocked out in several bands, including Blackie & The Riff Raff, The Beach Boys, and the Riot Fest booking department’s perpetual white whale, Jesse &The Rippers.

The Opening Night Gala will be at Cobra Lounge on July 14th and the show will run until July 16th.

There will be a second showing of the John Stamos art at this year’s Riot Fest & Carnival from September 15th-17th. The artwork will be auctioned or sold with all proceeds benefiting the charity of John Stamos’ choice.

A panel of celebrity judges will be evaluating the art and awarding prizes for the best John Stamos art. Our esteemed celebrity judges will include our friends Danette Chavez and Gwen Ihnat from The A.V. Club, Nihilist Arby’s, Riot Fest Twitter, Anna Cerniglia from Johalla Projects, and a very special surprise guest...

The Grand Prize First Place Best In Show winner will receive two (2) VIP passes to Riot Fest and the DVD box set of Full House. The second place winner will receive two (2) GA tickets to Riot Fest. Third place will receive one (1) GA ticket to Riot Fest.

Artwork submissions are open to anyone. Artwork will be accepted through July 7th, 2017. For more information, please see below or visit www.riotfest.org/johnstamos

CALL FOR ARTISTS:

- Deadline for Art Delivery - July 7th, 2017.
- Art can be mailed to Riot Fest, 1658 N. Milwaukee Ave #125, Chicago, IL 60647
- Only art submissions 11”x14” and smaller will be accepted
- All packages must be less than 50lbs and less than 20”x20”
- Art must be delivered framed and/or ready to hang.
- All pieces must be labeled with name, title of artwork, media, email address, phone number and an estimated price.
- Artwork will NOT be returned. All pieces will be sold at auction, with 100% of the proceeds benefitting the charity of John Stamos’ choice.

VELMA KELLY AND CHICAGO AT THE WHITING IN FLINT!

A true New York City institution, CHICAGO has everything that makes Broadway great: a universal tale of fame, fortune and all that jazz; one show-stopping-song after another; and the most astonishing dancing you've ever seen.

No wonder CHICAGO has been honored with 6 Tony Awards®, 2 Olivier Awards®, a Grammy® and thousands of standing ovations.

It's also no surprise that CHICAGO has wowed audiences all around the world, from Mexico City to Moscow, from Sao Paulo to South Africa.

Whether you're looking for your first Broadway musical, whether you've seen the Academy Award®-winning film and want to experience the show live on stage or whether you've seen it before and want to recapture the magic, CHICAGO always delivers.

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