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

Bears

He's No. 1: Caleb Williams era to get started right away

The Bears tried an ill-fated apprenticeship plan with Mitch Trubisky in 2017 (behind Mike Glennon) and Justin Fields in 2021 (behind Andy Dalton). But the 2024 Bears are set up for Williams as the Week 1 starter.

By Mark Potash

Bears

Bears draft Washington WR Rome Odunze at No. 9 to pair with QB Caleb Williams

They’ll go into Williams’ rookie season with DJ Moore, Keenan Allen and Odunze at wide receiver.

By Jason Lieser

Education

Facing budget criticism, CPS officials say changes are 'milestone' to be celebrated

Northwestern students set up a protest camp on Deering Meadow on Thursday morning.

Israel-Hamas War

Northwestern students set up pro-Palestinian encampment, joining protesters nationwide

Renderings of the proposed new Bears stadium

City Hall

Bears President Kevin Warren: 'I'm not going to think negatively' about stadium obstacles

Chicago

Piping plover Imani returns to Montrose Beach

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.

CST Editorial Board

In blocking April Perry from U.S. attorney post, J.D. Vance shows he’s pro-Trump, pro-crime

Politics

Gov. J.B. Pritzker speaks during a news conference at state of Illinois’ offices in the West Loop last week.

Housing & development

Pritzker announces new action plan to combat homelessness and address racial disparity

The plan includes a $50 million increase to funding in next fiscal year’s proposed budget for Home Illinois, a program created by Pritzker’s administration in 2022 to prevent and end homelessness.

By Mohammad Samra

Environment

ComEd unveils 2 more EV charging stations in Bronzeville as part of 2-year pilot project

Bears

Bears eye taxpayers for stadium-related infrastructure costs. The bill? $325 million to start, $1.5 billion overall

Israel-Hamas War

Hamas releases video of Hersh Goldberg-Polin — hostage with Chicago roots

Other Views

Hate crimes keep increasing. Here's what Chicago is doing about it.

Sports

Bears

Caleb Williams: Right guy, right place, right time

The Bears have been here before in their search for a quarterback — Jay Cutler, Mitch Trubisky, Justin Fields — and have found only disappointment. But Williams not only is a cut above as a prospect, the Bears are set up for him to succeed where others failed.

By Mark Potash

Bears

Bears GM Ryan Poles corrects errors, fixes WR room with Rome Odunze pick at No. 9

2024 NFL Draft live results and updates for Round 1 on Thursday

Bears

It's Caleb: Bears make No. 1 pick official

Bears

Bears draft Washington WR Rome Odunze at No. 9 to pair with QB Caleb Williams

Entertainment and Culture

Butterfly sculptures unveiled outside Peggy Notebaert Museum before spreading wings to other parts of city

The sculptures, each designed by local artists, made their debut Thursday.

By Mitch Dudek

Taste

Cava restaurant opens in Wicker Park on Friday, announces future suburban location

Music

Nicki Minaj conquers the United Center in long-awaited return to Chicago

NASCAR In Chicago

Top house music artists to perform during NASCAR Chicago Street Race Weekend

Things To Do

Things to Do in Chicago April 25-May 1: The Mix

All latest stories

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 results for top 32 selections

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

By Sun-Times staff

33rd Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony - Arrivals

Music

Mike Pinder, Moody Blues co-founder and keyboardist, dies months after bandmate Denny Laine

Pinder, the last original member of the band, sang and played keyboards, as well as organ, piano and harpsichord. He founded the British band in 1964 with Laine, Ray Thomas, Clint Warwick and Graeme Edge.

By USA Today Network

NFL

J.J. McCarthy, former Nazareth QB, selected by Vikings in 1st round of 2024 NFL Draft

McCarthy, who went to Nazareth Academy in La Grange Park before starring at Michigan, will now play for the Bears’ rivals in Minnesota.

By Patrick Finley

Immigration

15 migrant couples to exchange wedding vows at Near North church

A big ceremony will be held Friday evening at Community Park Near North Church for 15 migrant couples. They pooled together money to help pay for the celebration, which will be witnessed by about 200 family and friends of the couples.

By Emmanuel Camarillo

Travis Scott performs in December in Miami.

Music

Travis Scott, Playboi Carti and Chief Keef to headline 2024 Summer Smash

The hip-hop music festival will return to Bridgeview’s SeatGeek Stadium in June.

By Vanessa Lopez

Cubs

Cubs sweep Astros at Wrigley Field while battling injury bug

Manager Craig Counsell and pitching coach Tommy Hottovy provided injury updates for Seiya Suzuki, Justin Steele and Kyle Hendricks this week.

By Maddie Lee

Crime

Boston man who fatally stabbed Chicago-area Marine gets 17 to 20 years in prison

Alvaro Larrama, a bouncer at a bar, chased and stabbed Daniel Martinez to death in 2022. Martinez, a former Marine sergeant, grew up in Gage Park.

By Violet Miller

Obituaries

Scott Craig, documentary producer who chronicled Chicago, Midwest and beyond, dies at 89

“In some ways, he helped pave the way for the rising tide of documentary production that we see today,” said colleague Thea Flaum.

By Mitch Dudek

Cubs

Cubs top prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong hits go-ahead home run vs. Astros for first major-league hit

Crow-Armstrong was recalled this week when center fielder Cody Bellinger landed on the IL.

By Maddie Lee

White Sox

White Sox’ Pedro Grifol knows the manager's seat is a hot one

Grifol’s Sox are reeling after their latest loss, as a winless road trip drops the team to 3-22.

By Daryl Van Schouwen

White Sox

White Sox complete 0-7 road trip with loss to Twins, fall to 3-22

The Twins hit five solo home runs to complete the four-game sweep.

By Daryl Van Schouwen

Crime

Three years for man who helped set CTA van on fire during 2020 riots

Prosecutors say Darion Lindsey helped put “scores of people at risk” as George Floyd protests gave way to violence.

By Jon Seidel

Jay Baruchel (from left), Emily Hampshire and Alanna Bale play siblings forced to decide which family member will be euthanized in "Humane."

Movies and TV

Which sibling will die? It's up to them in clever psychological thriller 'Humane'

In a future when the government pushes human sacrifice, family members face a cruel but captivating dilemma.

By Richard Roeper

Letters to the Editor

Lawmakers, pass legislation to save Illinois wetlands, waterways

A 2023 Supreme Court decision rolled back the federal Clean Water Act and overturned decades of protection for wetlands. New legislation would protect Illinois wetlands for the benefit of wildlife and communities that depend on them.

By Letters to the Editor

Work

New federal rule would bar 'noncompete' agreements for most employees

According to the Federal Trade Commission, 30 million people — roughly one in five workers — are subject to noncompetes, which bar workers from jumping to or starting competing companies.

By Christopher Rugaber | AP

Harvey Weinstein arrives at a Manhattan courthouse for jury deliberations in his rape trial, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020, in New York. New York's highest court has overturned Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction and ordered a new trial.

Crime

Harvey Weinstein's New York rape conviction is overturned. Here's why and what happens next.

The decision by New York’s highest court to overturn the rape conviction of movie mogul Harvey Weinstein has reopened a painful chapter in America’s reckoning with sexual misconduct by powerful figures — an era that began in 2017 and helped launch the #MeToo movement.

By Associated Press

Chicago police officers surround Dexter Reed's SUV.

Dexter Reed Shooting

Dexter Reed was shot 13 times in deadly gunfight with Chicago police, autopsy shows

The oversight agency investigating the shooting has reported that four officers fired nearly 100 rounds at Reed after he shot another officer in the wrist March 21 in the 3800 block of West Ferdinand Street.

By Tom Schuba

La Voz Chicago

2024 Miche Festival Lineup announced: Kali Uchis, Junior H, Los Ángeles Azules, Santa Fe Klan among the bill

The sixth annual Michelada Festival returns to Chicago’s South Side on July 13 and 14, with Oakwood Beach as its designated new venue.

By Andrea Flores

Blackhawks

Blackhawks sign Alex Vlasic to six-year contract, locking in defensive cornerstone

Vlasic, the Wilmette kid, will get to stay in Chicago long-term. His $4.6 million salary-cap hit could end up being a steal for the Hawks.

By Ben Pope

Messages left on a wall in Tel Aviv showing the portraits of Israeli hostages held by Palestinian Hamas gunmen. Israel and Hamas agreed Wednesday to a four-day cease-fire.

Israel-Hamas War

US, 17 other countries call on Hamas to release hostages

The joint statement is the latest attempt at public pressure to advance negotiations over a potential cease-fire with Israel.

By Associated Press

Vera Drew, "The People's Joker" director, wears clown makeup and a comic book-like costume as she stars in the movie.

Movies and TV

Why so serious? 'The People's Joker' warps Batman tropes into wildly inventive punk parody

Like no superhero movie before it, the subversive coming-of-age story reinvents the villain’s origins with a mélange of visual styles and a barrage of gags.

By Richard Roeper

Crime

Four armed robberies in downtown Chicago in 30 minutes

A 66-year-old woman was dragged into the street in the 600 block of North Fairbanks Avenue by two armed robbers who fired shots, police said.

By Sun-Times Wire

Dear Abby

Dear Abby: Daughters dislike that I get alimony from their father

They have abandoned their mom and say relationship won’t resume until she stops ‘taking the money’ from her alcoholic ex.

By Abigail Van Buren

Columnists

Columbine could have been a turning point in tackling America's gun violence. It wasn't.

Twenty-five years later, the gun industry’s greed and elected leaders’ cowardice continue to prevail, the head of the National Urban League writes.

By Marc H. Morial

Jared Verse had nine sacks each of the last two seasons to complete his climb from FCS red-shirt to possible top-10 pick.

Bears

The day-of mock draft: Our picks for the Bears at No. 9

The Sun-Times’ experts pick whom they think the team will take with the No. 9 pick in Thursday night’s draft.

By Patrick Finley, Mark Potash, and 1 more

Outdoors

Go & Show: RFC's swap meet and NADCA's decoy & sporting collectibles show

Riverside Fishing Club’s Fishing Tackle & Outdoors Swap Meet on Saturday and the continuing North American Vintage Decoy & Sporting Collectibles Show are Go & Show this week.

By Dale Bowman

Horoscopes

Horoscope for Thursday, April 25, 2024

By Georgia Nicols

Cubs

Cubs' Kyle Hendricks is approaching IL stint with mind to turn around his season

“I need to get back to being myself,” the starting pitcher told the Sun-Times, “using my full arsenal and mixing it in and out.”

By Maddie Lee

Cubs

Cubs’ Cody Bellinger to IL with fractured ribs; Pete Crow-Armstrong recalled

Bellinger left Tuesday’s game early after crashing into the outfield wall at Wrigley Field.

By Maddie Lee