Business

Money

Retailer Express files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, announces store closures, possible sale

The retailer operates 24 stores in Illinois, according to its website, including a site at Water Tower Place and on State Street.

By Wyatte Grantham-Philips and Anne D’Innocenzio | AP

Money

Kroger, Albertsons — still hoping to merge — agree to sell more stores to satisfy regulators

The companies now plan to sell 579 Kroger and Albertsons stores in markets where they overlap to C&S Wholesale Grocers, a New Hampshire grocery supplier and operator.

By Dee-Ann Durbin | AP

City Hall

Mayor Brandon Johnson offers revised plan to borrow $1.25 billion for development, housing projects

A substitute ordinance brings more transparency to Johnson’s $1.25 billion housing and economic development plan — but also led to questions from City Council members about what should be subject to Council approval.

By Abby Miller

Pamela Davis, the family paws parent educator and senior/lead trainer at Urban Pooch, walks with Soba to help train Murphy (not pictured here) to be comfortable around other dogs and strangers at Urban Pooch’s training and fitness center in Lincoln Square, Thursday, April 11, 2024. Davis was teaching Murphy, who is owned by Rebekah Reynolds, an agility sports trainer at Urban Pooch, to be more comfortable around other dogs and strangers. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

Chicago

Dog trainers stress importance of 'recognizing yellow lights' to prevent aggressive behavior and dog bites

Last year, Illinois ranked eighth in the country in dog bite claims. Insurance companies paid more than $61.8 million for 837 dog-related injury claims, with an average payout of $73,797.

By Mohammad Samra

Environment

Chicago climate lawsuit against Big Oil moved to federal court — for now

BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Exxon Mobil and Shell argued city’s case belongs in U.S. District Court. A legal expert predicts it will move back to Cook County Circuit Court.

By Brett Chase

Work

United flight attendants rally outside O'Hare, demanding better pay

Union members picketed at 17 airports worldwide, including O’Hare, a week after the Chicago-based airline reported that executives received large pay hikes.

By Amy Yee

On a tree lined street, cars are parked in front of a brick building that has glass-block windows.

Money

Amazon owes Chicago-based tech company $525 million for patent infringement, jury rules

Kove, a West Loop technology company, alleged in a 2018 lawsuit that Amazon Web Services used its patented technology as a building block for its hugely profitable cloud services.

By Abby Miller

The Watchdogs

FDA panel reviewing Abbott heart device included 10 doctors with financial ties to the north suburban health giant

The FDA said nothing about the payments from the North Chicago company when the panel met to assess new technology, a “breakthrough device” for which the agency “may be willing to accept greater uncertainty” when considering risks and benefits.

By David Hilzenrath | KFF Health News and Holly Hacker | KFF Health News

Springfield

Pritzker pitches grants to open new stores in food deserts

The governor announced the second phase of the Illinois Grocery Initiative, which includes a round of grant funding for new grocers in food deserts.

By Mariah Rush

Austan Goolsbee (left), president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

Money

Chicago Fed president Austan Goolsbee on the economy, health of our financial system

How is the economy doing? And how does the U.S. financial system really work? Goolsbee answers those questions and more.

By Andrea Guthmann | WBEZ

WHIFF: Redeveloping the former site of U.S. Steel’s South Works. | Sun-Times files

Editorials

Is the former South Works site ready to take a quantum leap into computing?

The former U.S. Steel South Works site and the Lockport refinery could become home to quantum computing facilities under a plan proposed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office. Chicago certainly would benefit from something big finally happening at South Works, a massive parcel that sorely needs development.

By CST Editorial Board

Money

Walmart grocery shoppers' deadline nears to get in on $45 million class-action lawsuit settlement

If you bought meat, poultry, pork or seafood sold by weight or bagged citrus fruits at Walmart, you could be eligible to claim up to $500. Here’s what you need to know.

By Mike Snider and Sarah Al-Arshani | USA Today

Technology

Browsing in incognito mode doesn't protect you as much as you might think

Nearly every major web browser has a private mode. Here’s a look at what they do and don’t do for surfers.

By Associated Press

Work

Janitors in SEIU Local 1 approve new three-year contract

The deal includes a 15% wage increase and improved health care and retirement benefits, the union said. It was ratified a day before the current contract expires.

By Kade Heather

Technology

Use these tips to photograph the eclipse and avoid damaging your phone or camera

Most phone cameras automatically adjust exposure, making eclipse photography difficult with only 4 minutes. Taking more test shots in the days before the eclipse will save time.

By Vanessa Lopez

Food and Restaurants

Green City Market opens 25th season earlier than ever, bringing thousands to Lincoln Park

The opening day for the market featured double the number of early season vendors, many of whom sold out in the market’s first few hours as crowds flocked to purchase farm fresh produce.

By Violet Miller

Money

Fast-tracking Chicago's housing, commercial development

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s “Cut the Tape” report takes aim at bureaucracy that bogs down building in the city.

By Abby Miller

Work

Union wave is picking up at Chicago, suburban libraries, cultural institutions

The Chicago Public Library and other systems have long had unions, but now the organizing is happening against a backdrop of unprecedented pressure on workers.

By Amy Yee

Immigration

Arab American community in Chicago says data from new racial category could help address disparities

The federal change to how Arab Americans will be identified in future census surveys comes after Illinois passed a law that added Middle Eastern or North African as a distinct racial category.

By Elvia Malagón

A medical scan of Lisa Schmidt, who has been treated for TMJ disorders for decades, shows how both of her jaw joints were replaced with artificial implants. Additional implants near her chin were part of her overall treatment.

TMJ horrors include chronic pain, metal jaws, futile treatments

By Brett Kelman | KFF Health News and Anna Werner | CBS News

Nation/World

From Krispy Kreme to SunChips, more and more companies roll out total solar eclipse promotions

The doughnut maker will partner with Oreo on an eclipse-themed product. Delta and Southwest airlines are offering flights in the path of totality, and a special MoonPie will be on shelves.

By Associated Press

Former Heartland Alliance employee Olivia Moorer holds up a tote bag from Heartland at her home in Lincoln Park.

Chicago History

Heartbreak? Historic Heartland Alliance to spin off its divisions into separate entities

A spokesman for the nonprofit says the move to break up the organization was necessary to protect the “long-term viability” of the services provided by the organization founded by Jane Addams in 1888.

By Emmanuel Camarillo

Architecture and Design

City panel recommends landmark status for century-old Hyde Park church

A landmark designation for the Hyde Park Union Church, designed by architect James Gamble Rogers, would protect exterior and interior elements from future demolition.

By Abby Miller

Work

Another Starbucks in Chicago wins union vote, becoming the 23rd location in Illinois to unionize

Twelve employees at the coffee shop on 58th Street and Western Avenue voted unanimously to join Starbucks Workers United, which represents about 10,000 Starbucks employees nationwide.

By Amy Yee

LaQuana Johnson wears pink protective gloves as she applies hair relaxer on a client who sits in front of a mirror at Elite Hair Therapy in Chicago.

Inside the court fight over the safety of hair relaxers and Black hair care

By Andy Grimm and Natalie Y. Moore

Work

Janitors union rallies in Loop for better pay as contract deadline looms

Hundreds of janitors who keep the city’s office buildings clean held a rally ahead of a possible strike vote on Saturday.

By Amy Yee

Members of The Salvation Army Chicago give a homeless man supplies like blankets and hand warmers as all stand clad in coats and hats on Lower Wacker Drive.

City Hall

Johnson's failed Bring Chicago Home referendum gets boost from unlikely source

At a news conference announcing subsidies to adapt downtown office buildings for residential and commercial use, developer Quintin Primo III touted creation of a fund to reduce homelessness, which was rejected by voters in March.

By Fran Spielman

News

Chicago Public Media announces 14 layoffs, end of Vocalo radio broadcast

The move to terminate nearly 15% of the 62 unionized content creators at Chicago’s National Public Radio affiliate, along with four members of the business staff at the Sun-Times, comes amid a worsening financial situation for the news organization.

By Dave McKinney | WBEZ

Housing & development

Mayor Johnson seeks more than $150M in TIF assistance for La Salle Street revamp

The four projects named by Johnson’s office stand to create more than 1,000 new apartments with at least 319 projected to have affordable rents through tax increment financing assistance.

By Fran Spielman, Abby Miller, and 1 more

Consumer Affairs

What's a good egg? Learn what free range, cage free really mean on labels

Understanding the different labels on egg cartons can be confusing with some descriptions even misleading, according to experts.

By Aidan Sadovi | For the Sun-Times

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Columnists

'Straight-up collusion' drives O'Hare cost overruns, small contractor says

Owner of fiber-optics company says the Chicago Department of Aviation is freezing out small contractors.

By Neil Steinberg

Mayor Brandon Johnson shakes hands with Soo Kim, chairman of the board of directors at Bally’s Corporation, during a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday at Bally’s Casino Chicago at Medinah Temple in River North.

Casinos and Gambling

Bally's takeover bid 'jeopardizes' Chicago casino project, investors argue

As Bally’s chairman Soo Kim tries to take the company private, a pair of influential investors say his bid should be rejected — and that a more experienced company should be brought in to build the city’s long-sought casino.

By Mitchell Armentrout