Chicago Sun-Times: Chicago news, sports, politics, entertainment

Bet on it: Handicapper John Murges isn’t letting Parkinson’s keep him down

The Chicago native and veteran sports bettor supplies selections to members of his handicapping service. At some point in 2022, Murges lost his sense of smell. Afternoon fatigue became commonplace.

By Rob Miech

Chicago Fire

While Fire honor past, their present needs work

Before their game Saturday night at Soldier Field against Atlanta United, the Fire will induct former goalkeeper Zach Thornton into the Ring of Fire, and then try to recover from a 4-0 loss to Real Salt Lake.

By Brian Sandalow

Diamond DeShields, Lexie Brown and Azurá Stevens dance after a parade and as they head to a rally at Pritzker Pavilion to celebrate the Chicago Sky’s WNBA Championship title.

Chicago Sky and WNBA

Diamond DeShields' homecoming with the Sky comes with a sweet sense of 'relief'

High School Sports

Lane senior pitcher Amaan Khan among few prep players invited to MLB draft league this summer

Blackhawks

Blackhawks' players now understand how rebuilds work, but they're growing impatient

Outdoors

Chicago outdoors: Pileated woodpeckers to eastern milksnakes

Commentary

The opinions in and around Chicago that inform, analyze, hold power accountable and entertain.

Lee Bey

Architecture Critic and member of the Editorial Board

Bears have designs on the lakefront, as Mayor Johnson plays the wrong position of cheerleader-in-chief

David Roeder

Business reporter

Bears, White Sox want stadium deals, so how about a cut of the action?

Mary Mitchell

Columnist

Scam calls asking for money are serious business; authorities believe one was tied to an Ohio death

Michael Sneed

Columnist

Why did Harry Caray always say ‘Holy Cow?’ It could be linked to a 1930s flying bovine. No bull!

Politics

Bears Stadium

Bears stadium costs? Add another $1.2 billion

The Bears put the figure at $4.7 billion. But a state official says the tally to taxpayers goes even higher when you include the cost of refinancing existing debt.

By Fran Spielman and Mitchell Armentrout

Close-up of someone's hands typing on a laptop.

Consumer Affairs

Federal broadband program helping more than 300,000 Cook County residents set to expire

Israel-Hamas War

Hundreds join pro-Palestinian protests at Chicago universities; Northwestern encampment continues for 2nd night

Politics

Cook County Democratic leaders pick Monica Gordon to run for county clerk: 'I have some big shoes to fill'

Democracy Solutions Project

Illinois Republicans grapple with mail voting amid mixed signals from Trump — 'We have to adapt'

Sports

Chicago Sky and WNBA

Diamond DeShields' homecoming with the Sky comes with a sweet sense of 'relief'

After spending two seasons outside of Chicago, DeShields is back on a one-year deal with the franchise that drafted her third overall in 2018.

By Annie Costabile

Bears

Bears fans embrace rare feeling of euphoria as Caleb Williams arrives

Bears

Bears offense has rare potential — the star of the show

Sports Saturday

Could Bulls guard Zach LaVine's return hamper progress of Coby White?

Crime

Arrest warrant issued for Aurora man charged with killing Chicago Police Officer Luis Huesca

Entertainment and Culture

Heading to C2E2 this weekend? Have a game plan ready to navigate its vast offerings

The massive pop culture convention runs through Sunday at McCormick Place.

By Stefano Esposito

Art

Chryssa exhibit a vivid reminder of all-but-forgotten Greek artist and her impact on 20th century American art

Dance

A dance party at heart, Joffrey Ballet's 'Midsummer Night's Dream' is a joyous celebration

Murals and Mosaics

In Blue Island, Chris Campagna's murals aim to soften hard edges, tie together neighborhoods

Theater

There's plenty to like in magician Ondřej Pšenička's '52 Lovers'

All latest stories

Letters to the Editor

Don't give away taxpayer money for a new Bears stadium

Not a dollar of taxpayer money went to the renovation of Wrigley Field and its current reinvigorated neighborhood, one reader points out.

By Letters to the Editor

From left, Pilipili and Lomelok, large lion cubs, lounge side by side on the highest rock of their outdoor enclosure at Lincoln Park Zoo.

Picture Chicago: 12 can't miss photos from Sun-Times photographers

By Sun-Times staff

La Voz Chicago

15 parejas de migrantes venezolanos contraerán matrimonio en iglesia de Chicago

Todas las parejas son miembros de la Iglesia Cristiana La Vid, 4750 N. Sheridan Road, en Uptown, que brinda servicios a los recién llegados.

By Emmanuel Camarillo

How Realtors deal will affect homebuying

By Abby Miller

Work

Former Foxtrot workers rally, demand back pay after grocer's sudden closure

The former employees contacted workers rights organization Arise Chicago and filed charges with the Illinois Department of Labor, according to the organization.

By Abby Miller

La Voz Chicago

Se declara culpable agente de seguridad de Boston que apuñaló fatalmente a Marine de Gage Park

Álvaro Larrama fue sentenciado a entre 17 y 20 años en una prisión estatal después de perseguir y apuñalar a Daniel Martínez, un ex sargento de la Marina.

By Violet Miller

Education

Arlington Heights school nurse placed on leave amid probe into possible medicine swap

One student has suffered health problems after blood tests showed signs of excessive aspirin intake and fentanyl, lawyers for the child’s family say.

By Daily Herald

Cristina Nichole Iglesias, who received gender affirming surgery in March 2023 while she was serving her prison sentence, sits among the flowers at the Garfield Park Conservatory in Garfield Park, Friday, April 5, 2024. Iglesias said that going through gender dysphoria was “traumatic” and “torture.” The surgery was made possible by a settlement she reached with the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

LGBTQIA+

After fighting to have gender-affirming care, a former prisoner adjusts to life in Chicago as a woman

Cristina Nichole Iglesias sued the federal Bureau of Prisons for the right to have the surgery and get the agency to pay for it and won.

By Stefano Esposito

Small Business

Call & Response Books opening new store in Hyde Park

Owner Courtney Bledsoe said the store will focus on stocking books by authors of color and celebrating the stories they tell.

By Isabel Funk

White Sox

White Sox selecting contract of Tommy Pham

Veteran outfielder will join White Sox for game against the Rays Friday night

By Daryl Van Schouwen

Mayor Rahm Emanuel | Sun-Times file photo

Politics

Ex-National Enquirer boss testifies that he buried story about alleged affair by Rahm Emanuel

David Pecker said under oath that he paid $20,000 for the story and then suppressed it, as he did for other celebrities managed by Emanuel’s brother, Hollywood super-agent Ari Emanuel, Politico reported.

By Sun-Times staff

Rioters loyal to President Donald Trump rally at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021.

Crime

A list of every known Illinois resident charged in the U.S. Capitol breach

More than 1,300 people have been arrested in connection with the breach in almost all 50 states. That includes Illinois, where at least 49 known residents have faced federal charges for their role.

By Jon Seidel

Bears

Bears get all A's for Caleb Williams-Rome Odunze draft

It remains to be seen if Williams and Odunze will be as good as advertised, but draft analysts were virtually unanimous about the Bears’ draft: They took advantage of a tremendous opportunity. “There was only one rational path for the Bears to take, and they took it,”

By Mark Potash

La Voz Chicago

Artistas para el Festival de Micheladas 2024: Junior H, Los Ángeles Azules, Luis R. Conriquez entre la lista

El sexto Festival anual de Michelada regresa al sur de Chicago los días 13 y 14 de julio, con Oakwood Beach como su nueva sede designada.

By Andrea Flores

R. Kelly

R. Kelly's Chicago conviction upheld by appeals court

The former R&B star is being held in a medium-security prison in North Carolina, records show. He is not due to be released until December 2045.

By Jon Seidel

Bears

New Bears QB Caleb Williams sets draft night sales record for Fanatics

Caleb Williams is No.1 in more ways than, well, one.

By Patrick Finley

Crime

2 teens critically wounded in South Shore shooting

Two people entered an apartment and began shooting, police said.

By Sun-Times Wire

Nambi E. Kelley (from left), TayLar, Dexter Zollicoffer and A.C. Smith star in the Goodman Theatre's production of August Wilson's "Joe Turner's Come and Gone." Liz Lauren Photo

Theater

Timeless ‘Joe Turner’s Come and Gone’ richly acted by Goodman Theatre's all-Chicago cast

The ensemble storyline captures not just a time and place, but a core theme playwright August Wilson continued to express throughout his Century Cycle.

By Steven Oxman | For the Sun-Times

Mason (John Travolta) wants out of the robbery racket after an attempted car theft goes awry.

Movies and TV

Routine heist movie 'Cash Out' relies on Travolta's sturdy star power

At 70, the screen stalwart charms as reformed thief with a goofball brother and an inscrutable ex.

By Richard Roeper

Bronzeville

Woman dies in Bronzeville fire

The cause of the fire was apparently accidental, police said.

By Sun-Times Wire

Crime

Man dies after being shot 20 times in South Shore

The man was found by police in the 200 block of West 72nd Street around 2:30 a.m.

By Sun-Times Wire

Outdoors

Reaching into the art of Matt Mullady's outdoors experiences

Matt Mullady is known as a Kankakee River expert and former guide, but he has a very important artistic side, too.

By Dale Bowman

US-CONGRESS-POLITICS-UKRAINE-ISRAEL-TAIWAN

Columnists

Americans yearn for bipartisan cooperation

When push comes to shove, what the vast majority really want is something like what happened in Congress last week — bipartisan cooperation and a functioning government.

By Gene Lyons

Dear Abby

Dear Abby: Boyfriend’s living with other woman — in my apartment

Reader still hopes to make the relationship work as she watches her man fall for someone else under her own roof.

By Abigail Van Buren

Other Views

Climate change demands global solutions, not local lawsuits

Chicago’s climate lawsuit won’t curb greenhouse gas emissions or curb the effects of climate change. Innovation and smart public policies are what is needed.

By Mark Denzler and Phil Goldberg

A grey wind turbine with three blades stands against a hazy blue sky, near the Testa Produce facility in Chicago.

The Watchdogs

Will climate change suck the air out of Illinois' wind power industry?

Wind and solar are supposed to replace coal plants that are closing, but that didn’t happen in 2023. Another fossil fuel, natural gas, filled the void.

By Brett Chase and Dan Gearino | Inside Climate News

Bears

After drafting Caleb Williams, GM 'done talking about' Bears' spotty QB history

Hours after Williams said he asked the Bears for reasons why the team had a well-worn history of quarterback struggles, GM Ryan Poles said that “we’ve got to stop going back all the time.”

By Patrick Finley

Horoscopes

Horoscope for Friday, April 26, 2024

By Georgia Nicols

Crime

2 shot, wounded near United Center on Near West Side

The men, 18 and 20, were in the 1800 block of West Monroe Street about 9:20 p.m. when two people got out of a light-colored sedan and fired shots. They were hospitalized in fair condition.

By Sun-Times Wire

Top draft prospects stand on stage during the first round of the NFL football draft.

NFL

2024 NFL Draft first-round results: Full list of top 32 selections

Here’s where all the year’s top rookies are heading for the upcoming NFL season.

By Sun-Times staff

Cubs

How Cubs' Shota Imanaga helped steady a rotation tested by injuries

Imanaga held the Red Sox to one run through 6 1/3 innings in the Cubs’ 7-1 win Friday.

By Maddie Lee

Yale offensive lineman Kiran Amegadjie speaks during a press conference at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, March 2, 2024.

Bears

Bears draft local product Yale OT Kiran Amegadjie with 'starter potential' in 3rd round

Amegadjie played for Hinsdale Central High School before heading to Yale.

By Jason Lieser

Environment

Whoops! Rare crane rescued in Wilmette, returned to Wisconsin

The crane was captured and relocated by the International Crane Foundation and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

By Kade Heather and Mary Norkol

Bears

'Why duck?' New Bears QB Caleb Williams elevates expectations rather than tempering them

In every possible way, Williams feels like a breath of fresh air for a franchise that desperately needed it. This is a different type of quarterback and a compelling personality.

By Jason Lieser

Bears

Ryan Poles on Bears' QB history: 'Those days are over'

Even Caleb Williams was asking Poles why the Bears have had such a hard time developing a quality quarterback. But the Bears’ GM has responded by not only getting Williams, but a solid supporting cast that should put him in a position to succeed.

By Mark Potash

Food and Restaurants

Plymouth Restaurant, rooftop bar closing after 20 years downtown; rooftop to reopen as Mexican cantina

The owner hopes the rebrand will appeal to more customers after the spot suffered losses in recent years. The restaurant downstairs, for now, will be used for private events and catering.

By Jessica Ma

White Sox

Player development falls at the feet of White Sox manager Pedro Grifol

When asked how he felt the players were developing, Chris Getz said, “I look forward to seeing better performances from our players.”

By Kyle Williams

White Sox

Morale? Not a problem, White Sox GM Chris Getz says as worst season ever continues

So the Sox have that going for them, which is, you know, something.

By Steve Greenberg

News

First bison babies of year born at Fermilab: ‘Calving season is the most rewarding time of the year’

Two bison were born Friday at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia. The facility’s 30-acre pasture has long been home to the grazing mammals.

By Kade Heather

Editorials

With Bears stadium plans, Springfield should just slam on the brakes

With all the important priorities the state has to tackle, why should Springfield rush to help the billionaire McCaskey family build a football stadium? The answer: They shouldn’t. The arguments so far don’t convince us this project would truly benefit the public.

By CST Editorial Board