Good afternoon, Chicago. ✶
It’s safe to say that Chicago has no shortage of fascinating and unique things to discover. It could be anything from a striking mural to a giant snapping turtle or a so-called magic fountain — no matter how long you’ve lived here, the city can always surprise you.
Once in 2020, I was on a run near Oakwood Beach when I saw this hunk of stone by the water. I stopped and couldn’t believe I was looking at a mermaid, reclining with her tail curved and face fixed on the lake. Turns out, she dates back to 1986, when artists Roman Villarreal, Jose Moreno, Edfu Kingigna and Fred Arroyo discreetly carved her over two weeks from limestone along the lakefront in Burnham Park. Legend has it, the mermaid’s origins were largely unknown until a Sun-Times story from 2000 uncovered the mystery.
No matter the scale, I hope your week is filled with some discovery.
But before you get to exploring, here’s the news you need to know this afternoon.
⏱️: A 7-minute read
— Matt Moore, newsletter reporter (@MattKenMoore)
TODAY’S TOP STORY
Bill could spring more Cook County properties from tax sale maze
Addressing blight, vacant lots: A bill passed by the Illinois General Assembly in May would let public agencies take action on vacant homes before they get lost in Cook County’s tax sale process.
The process: Currently, agencies like the Cook County Land Bank Authority have to wait until properties have years’ worth of back taxes and wind up in what’s called the scavenger sale, held every two years. Homes typically sit vacant for up to 10 years before an agency can get control, according to Cook County Commissioner Bridget Gainer, who chairs the land bank. She hopes the legislation, if it becomes law, can cut that time in half.
Key quote: “The longer they sit there in the system, the worse their condition,” said homebuilder and contractor DaJuan Robinson, who is on a quest to buy abandoned homes, mostly on the South Side and south suburbs, and rehab and sell them. He partners with the land bank.
WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?
- Johnson addresses Chicago police grads: Presiding over his first police graduation ceremony, Mayor Brandon Johnson thanked the new officers for answering the call to serve in what he called “some of the most difficult political times our city has ever experienced.”
- Gambling devices at the center of latest corruption trial: Known as sweepstakes machines, they look like slot machines — but are unregulated and untaxed thanks to loopholes in Illinois gaming laws.
- Air quality alerts issued: Hazy conditions are expected to remain in the Chicago area into Tuesday, as wildfires continue to burn in Quebec and high ozone levels remain, officials said. The state is warning that air quality could be unhealthy for sensitive groups.
- Former high-ranking Cook County official faces charges: Patrick Hanlon “willfully failed” to file federal income tax returns for three years before he worked for the county’s court clerk, the office of the U.S. attorney in Chicago alleges.
- Liam Hendriks earns first win post-cancer: “It’s been an emotional week,” the White Sox pitcher said Sunday, which also happened to be National Cancer Survivors Day.
- Four stars for ‘West Side Story’ revival: The propulsive staging of the masterpiece at the Lyric Opera of Chicago pays careful attention to shaping the characters, Kyle MacMillan writes in his review of the production, now running through June 25.
BRIGHT ONE ✨
Huge ‘river monster’ dinosaur unveiled at Field Museum
Its arrival had been a closely guarded secret for months.
Then finally, on Friday, the Field Museum prepared to unveil the largest predatory dinosaur ever discovered — when one of its 2-foot-long tail bones snapped.
Panic? No, the team that built the Spinosaurus cast on a 3D printer in Italy, grabbed some powdered glue and mixed it with the only liquid on hand: Italian espresso.
“It was quite funny to see a team of Italians use Italian coffee to put together a skeleton,” said Matteo Fabbri, himself a native Italian and a Field scientist who helped dig up the specimen’s original fossils in the Sahara Desert.
The espresso delivery “was our condition to start work at 4 a.m,” Fabbri said.
About six hours later, the repaired 46-foot-long Spinosaurus specimen was hoisted 12 feet into the air without a hitch in the museum’s Stanley Field Hall.
More on the Field’s new addition from our Stefano Esposito.
SUN-TIMES STAFF SUGGESTS 🥐
Eat at La Pâtisserie P
I talked with Sun-Times photographer Pat Nabong, who recommends stopping by one of her favorite bakeries in the city — La Pâtisserie P in Uptown’s Asia on Argyle. It sells pastries ranging from cannoli to Japanese cheesecakes.
“Although it’s not a Filipino bakery, it’s a big hit among Filipino titas (aunts), or at least in my circle,” Pat told me. “Their sesame balls, which have origins in China and are popular in the Philippines, are made of fried sticky rice, sesame seeds and red bean paste. It sells out so quickly.
“Other pastries that frequently lure me back are their Japanese cheesecakes, eclairs and three for $10 bread special.”
📍 La Pâtisserie P, 1050-52 W. Argyle St.
YOUR DAILY QUESTION ☕️
It’s graduation season! What advice do you have for the class of 2023? 🎓
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