Good afternoon, Chicago. ✶
And hello! I’m hopping back behind the wheel of Afternoon Edition after being off for a couple of weeks, but not before giving a shoutout to my colleague Ellery Jones for expertly steering this metaphorical delivery truck to bring you the news every weekday.
Just in case you’re missing her voice today, you can scroll below and find a hidden gem she suggests visiting, as part of our weekly “Sun-Times suggests” section.
Now on to the news you need to know this afternoon.
⏱️: A 7-minute read
— Matt Moore, newsletter reporter (@MattKenMoore)
TODAY’S TOP STORY
Illinois farmers discuss drought, deluge and dealing with climate change
Reporting by Zachary Nauth
Climate change and agriculture: Drought, dust storms, downpours and flooding — Illinois, the country’s No. 1 producer of soybeans and No. 2 producer of corn, has seen it all this year. The extreme weather has a big impact on the state’s agriculture, a $19 billion-a-year industry. And there’s growing recognition that agribusiness is likely contributing to the problems. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, agricultural production is responsible for about 10% of global warming, much of that attributable to livestock. In Illinois, farms take up roughly three-quarters of the state’s land mass.
The path ahead: Two phrases that are becoming known nationally — climate-smart and regenerative farming — haven’t caught on much in rural Illinois. But farming practices that help prevent erosion, runoff and carbon emissions have been practiced for years by early adopting corn and soybean farmers. Now, the practices are being discussed more widely, and not just by small organic farmers and true believers, but also among bigger growers.
One farmer’s story: On her family’s 1,100 acres in southern Macon and Shelby counties, Michelle Carr, 35, pulled off the “double-crop” trick of growing wheat over the winter and harvesting and selling it in the spring — before planting soybeans in the same field. The 106 acres of winter wheat also served as a cover crop, helping keep the soil from blowing or washing away in a bare field for six months. Cover crops are planted on less than 5% of farmed acreage in Illinois. Some farmers and agronomists think cover-cropping holds the most promise for preserving soil, enhancing it naturally with less fertilizer, and for trapping carbon that otherwise would be released to the atmosphere and contribute to climate change.
WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?
Pallbearers carry the casket of Emmett Till through a crowd gathered outside Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ on Sept. 6, 1955. A White House official said President Biden Tuesday will sign a proclamation to create a national monument to Till and his mother at the South Side church.
Sun-Times file
- President Biden to create Emmett Till national monument: Tuesday, on what would have been Till’s 82nd birthday, the president plans to sign a proclamation to establish the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument in Bronzeville at the church where Till’s mutilated body was displayed in his open casket.
- UPS strike could be just around the corner: Following a negotiation stalemate that started earlier this month, the Teamsters union — which represents more than half of the UPS workforce — and UPS say they will resume talks Tuesday, the Associated Press reports.
- 4th lawsuit filed in NU hazing scandal: Northwestern University’s hazing scandal widened today to include another lawsuit filed by a former football player who alleged a culture of hazing and sexual abuse. The lawsuit is the first to name the plaintiff.
- Influential Chicago architect dies at age 98: Richard M. Barancik was the last surviving member of “The Monuments Men,” a group that recovered millions of pieces of art that had been looted by the Nazis. He was also an architect who left his mark on Chicago’s skyline.
- Festival celebrates artists with disabilities: At the inaugural DisFest on Saturday at the Chicago Cultural Center, the event’s creator, Ladonna Freidheim, strove to showcase the work of artists whose disabilities manifest in different ways — not always visibly.
- Why it’s OK to be optimistic about the Bears: You can’t blame weary cynics for scoffing — the Bears chronically disappoint. But Bears beat reporter Mark Potash argues there’s reason for guarded optimism as the team enters training camp this week.
SUN-TIMES STAFF SUGGESTS 🎵
Shop at Performers Music
Located in the Fine Arts building on Michigan Avenue, Performers Music is one of the oldest sheet music stores in the city. | Ellery Jones/Sun-Times
Sun-Times audience engagement specialist Ellery Jones suggests stopping by Performers Music inside the Fine Arts Building for all of your sheet music needs.
Located on the ninth floor, it’s a great sheet music store with a fantastic selection, Ellery tells me.
“But the real draw is walking through the Fine Arts Building, one of my favorites in the city, listening to musicians practicing and admiring the classic architecture.”
📍 Performers Music, ninth floor of the Fine Arts building, 410 S. Michigan Ave.
BRIGHT ONE ✨
Bala Bling owner Sara Rojas shows off her tooth gems Saturday at her Pitchfork Music Festival booth at Union Park.
Owen Ziliak/Sun-Times
Vendors at Pitchfork sell records, tooth gems, food and more
Reporting by Ambar Colón
Last year, Taj Franklin and her husband Jamy Franklin drove past Union Park during Pitchfork Music Festival and had an idea for their Caribbean fusion restaurant, J. Spice.
“We’re gonna be there next year,” Taj recalls telling her husband. 2023 was going to be their “festival year” — and they’ve certainly made that happen by booking a different festival almost every weekend. At their first Pitchfork booth last weekend, they sold a few feature items, including fried lobster on a stick, jerk burgers and chicken tacos. But the best-selling item on their menu is vegan sliders.
Over at the CHIRP Radio Record Fair, where various vendors set up their own clothing, jewelry, body butter and handcrafted item pop-up shops, Shuga Records set up shop.
Owner Adam Rosen opened the business 23 years ago in Minneapolis before relocating to Chicago, where he now has two stores, one in Wicker Park, another in Logan Square.
Bala Bling owner Sara Rojas sold tooth gems and jewelry at her booth. Originally from Ecuador, Rojas has been making and selling artwork for the last 15 years. Rojas doesn’t live in Chicago full time — she returns to Ecuador when the weather here is bad.
“I’ve been doing jewelry since I was a teenager, so I really like trying out different aesthetics and material,” Rojas said, her grin showing off several tooth gems of her own.
YOUR DAILY QUESTION ☕️
What is the most Chicago way to cool off on a hot day?
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Editor: Satchel Price
Newsletter reporter: Matt Moore
Copy editor: Angie Myers
