Chicago History

“Russian War Prisoner” by Egon Schiele is a watercolor painting with shades of green, blue and red on a pencil drawing.

Art

Art Institute argues it legally owns watercolor: 'No evidence' it was 'ever physically seized or looted by Nazis’

The Chicago museum, responding to a motion filed by New York prosecutors, says claims that Egon Schiele’s ‘Russian War Prisoner’ was looted by Nazis from the original owner’s heirs is ‘factually unsupported and wrong.’

By Emmanuel Camarillo

Black and picture of a soldier standing in front of a jeep.

Nation/World

Remains of Illinois soldier who died in Japanese prisoner-of-war camp during WWII identified

Harry Jerele, 26, of Berkeley, died of pneumonia at a prison camp in the Philippines in 1942. Military scientists used DNA analysis and historical records to officially identify his remains in December. His remains will be interred in Elwood in October.

By Jessica Ma

Chicago Daily News front page April 21, 1924

Chicago History

Chicago Daily News 100 years ago: County building scene of slaying

Father of Checker Taxi murder victim takes vengeance after delay in trial

By Sun-Times staff

A voter feeds her ballot into a voting machine on Election Day at Isabelle C. O’Keeffe School in Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood, April 4.

Elections

Ballot bypass? Illinois sees lowest presidential primary voter turnout in decades

The statewide voter turnout of 19.07% is the lowest for a presidential primary election since at least 1960, according to Illinois State Board of Elections figures.

By Sun-Times staff

Columnists

Chicago was once the heart of country music

The WLS National Barn Dance, which predated the Opry by two years, was first broadcast 100 years ago Friday, on April 19, 1924.

By Neil Steinberg

Walter "Slim" Coleman (center) speaks at a rally in the Loop called to protest an immigration raid in Little Village in 2007.

Obituaries

Walter 'Slim' Coleman, 'supreme organizer' who helped elect Mayor Harold Washington, dies at 80

Mr. Coleman led countless demonstrations in his six decades as an activist. “Slim believed the real power was in organization, putting people in the streets and packing people into government meetings,” said friend Michael Klonsky.

By Mitch Dudek

Starved Rock State Park’s southern entrance.

Politics

New name for Starved Rock State Park? State officials 'willing to open discussions'

Leaders at the Illinois Department of Natural Resources said this week there are “no immediate plans” to rebrand Starved Rock State Park in La Salle County, but officials are open to discussing a potential name change if Native American groups push for it.

By Mitchell Armentrout

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

Michael Bowman, a Baltimore-based artist who traveled to Chicago to kick off the Cicada Parade-a project, unveils a plaster cicada from its mold.

Avondale's Insect Asylum celebrates historic cicada season with public art project: 'For us, it's spiritual'

By Mary Norkol

Dobra Bielinski, who has run Delightful Pastries on the far Northwest Side for nearly 25 years, holding a sampling of apple slices, once a popular dessert dish in Chicago.

Food and Restaurants

Apple slices are a nearly forgotten piece of Chicago pastry history

The dessert was popular in the 1950s and 1960s and supposedly a favorite of Mayor Richard J. Daley. Today, though, only a few Chicago bakeries sell it.

By Esther Yoon-Ji Kang

Historic murals at Palmer Park on the South Side.

Native Americans, settlers, colonial figures are focus of historic South Side fieldhouse murals

By Sun-Times staff

‘Blues Brothers’: Five things you didn’t know about the movie’s Chicago shoot

By Daniel de Visé

Obituaries

Daley family mourns passing of eldest member, Patricia Daley Martino — who stressed 'faith, family and fun'

The daughter of one mayor and sister to another, Mrs. Martino “had extraordinary experiences,” Monsignor Kenneth Velo said. “And yet ... she was ordinary. She was down to earth.”

By David Struett

Obituaries

Thomas 'TNT' Todd, trailblazing attorney, civil rights activist and co-founder of Operation PUSH, dies at 85

Mr. Todd’s focus on promoting civil rights ran throughout his groundbreaking law career. ‘I don’t care what technology you use, what app you have. You still can’t download freedom.’

By Mitch Dudek

Patricia Daley Martino and Peter Martino

Obituaries

Patricia Daley Martino, oldest member of Chicago's storied Daley family, dies at 86

The oldest child of the late Mayor Richard J. Daley and sister of former Mayor Richard M. Daley, Mrs. Martino, 86, died Saturday, according to a death notice.

By Emmanuel Camarillo

‘Oppenheimer,’ nukes and secrets: Take a walking tour of Chicago’s atomic history

By Robert Loerzel

The Consumers Building, 220 S. State St., (left), and the Century Building (right), 202 S. State St.

Architecture and Design

Century-old State Street skyscrapers hit top ranking on list of most endangered Chicago buildings

Preservation Chicago’s annual list starts with two early 20th century towers on State Street, holdovers from prior lists, and includes neighborhood sites with architectural or historic interest.

By David Roeder

Bears

Gene Schroeder, oldest living Bear, says team needs new stadium, is 'only going to get better'

Schroeder, who played for the Bears from 1951-1957, just turned 95. He played under Pro Football Hall-of-Famer and Bears legend George Halas. “He was like a father to me.”

By Mohammad Samra

Weather

February makes Chicago history as warmest on record

The average temperature last month was 39.5 degrees, topping the previous record of 39 degrees set in 1882.

By Kade Heather