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

Crime

Arrest warrant issued for Aurora man charged with killing Chicago Police Officer Luis Huesca

Xavier L. Tate Jr., 22, is charged with first-degree murder in the early Sunday slaying of Huesca in the 3100 block of West 56th St., court records show.

By Tom Schuba

Bears Stadium

Bears stadium costs? Add another $1.2 billion

The Bears put the figure at $4.7 billion. But a state official says the tally to taxpayers goes even higher when you include the cost of refinancing existing debt.

By Fran Spielman and Mitchell Armentrout

Housing & development

How Realtors deal will affect homebuying

Mayor Rahm Emanuel | Sun-Times file photo

Politics

Ex-National Enquirer boss testifies that he buried story about alleged affair by Rahm Emanuel

Environment

Whoops! Rare crane rescued in Wilmette, returned to Wisconsin

Food and Restaurants

Plymouth Restaurant, rooftop bar closing after 20 years downtown; rooftop to reopen as Mexican cantina

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

Michael Sneed

Columnist

Why did Harry Caray always say ‘Holy Cow?’ It could be linked to a 1930s flying bovine. No bull!

Politics

Bears Stadium

Bears stadium costs? Add another $1.2 billion

The Bears put the figure at $4.7 billion. But a state official says the tally to taxpayers goes even higher when you include the cost of refinancing existing debt.

By Fran Spielman and Mitchell Armentrout

Close-up of someone's hands typing on a laptop.

Consumer Affairs

Federal broadband program helping more than 300,000 Cook County residents set to expire

Israel-Hamas War

Hundreds join pro-Palestinian protests at Chicago universities; Northwestern encampment continues for 2nd night

Politics

Cook County Democratic leaders pick Monica Gordon to run for county clerk: 'I have some big shoes to fill'

Democracy Solutions Project

Illinois Republicans grapple with mail voting amid mixed signals from Trump — 'We have to adapt'

Sports

Yale offensive lineman Kiran Amegadjie speaks during a press conference at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, March 2, 2024.

Bears

Bears draft local product Yale OT Kiran Amegadjie with 'starter potential' in 3rd round

Amegadjie played for Hinsdale Central High School before heading to Yale.

By Jason Lieser

Bears

Bears fans embrace rare feeling of euphoria as Caleb Williams arrives

White Sox

Morale? Not a problem, White Sox GM Chris Getz says as worst season ever continues

Bears

'Why duck?' New Bears QB Caleb Williams elevates expectations rather than tempering them

Bears

Ryan Poles on Bears' QB history: 'Those days are over'

Entertainment and Culture

Heading to C2E2 this weekend? Have a game plan ready to navigate its vast offerings

The massive pop culture convention runs through Sunday at McCormick Place.

By Stefano Esposito

Art

Chryssa exhibit a vivid reminder of all-but-forgotten Greek artist and her impact on 20th century American art

Dance

A dance party at heart, Joffrey Ballet's 'Midsummer Night's Dream' is a joyous celebration

Murals and Mosaics

In Blue Island, Chris Campagna's murals aim to soften hard edges, tie together neighborhoods

Theater

There's plenty to like in magician Ondřej Pšenička's '52 Lovers'

All latest stories

Chicago Fire

While Fire honor past, their present needs work

Before their game Saturday night at Soldier Field against Atlanta United, the Fire will induct former goalkeeper Zach Thornton into the Ring of Fire, and then try to recover from a 4-0 loss to Real Salt Lake.

By Brian Sandalow

Sports Saturday

Bet on it: Handicapper John Murges isn’t letting Parkinson’s keep him down

The Chicago native and veteran sports bettor supplies selections to members of his handicapping service. At some point in 2022, Murges lost his sense of smell. Afternoon fatigue became commonplace.

By Rob Miech

High School Sports

Lane senior pitcher Amaan Khan among few prep players invited to MLB draft league this summer

“It’s a huge steppingstone to get seen this early in front of the MLB scouts,” Khan said. “That would be a great opportunity to showcase my skills at that level against some of the best competition.”

By Mike Clark

Blackhawks

Blackhawks' players now understand how rebuilds work, but they're growing impatient

Seth Jones, Nick Foligno and the Hawks’ other veterans are eager — perhaps overly so — for the team to take a massive step forward next season. Realistically, even as general manager Kyle Davidson begins the building-up stage, that probably won’t happen.

By Ben Pope

Outdoors

Chicago outdoors: Pileated woodpeckers to eastern milksnakes

Photos of pileated woodpeckers in the Palos area and an eastern milksnake found at Lemont Quarries are among the notes from around Chicago outdoors and beyond.

By Dale Bowman

Dear Abby

Dear Abby: My wife's going to regret becoming a cop

Spouse expects she’ll be bad at the job and miss out on family time.

By Abigail Van Buren

Columnists

How old are you in cicada years?

The appearance of the 17-year cicadas this year will mark the fourth emergence of the red-eyed, orange-veined creatures in my lifetime — thus, my fourth cicada birthday, Scott Fornek, an editor at the Sun-Times, writes.

By Scott Fornek

Horoscopes

Horoscope for Saturday, April 27, 2024

By Georgia Nicols

Israel-Hamas War

Columbia protesters say they're at an impasse with administrators, will continue anti-war camp

As the death toll mounts in the war in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis worsens, protesters at universities all over the U.S. are demanding that schools cut financial ties to Israel and divest from companies they say are enabling the conflict.

By Associated Press

White Sox

Chris Flexen deals as White Sox snap seven-game losing streak

White Sox starter Chris Flexen delivered the best start of his season, throwing five scoreless innings, three walks and two strikeouts in Friday’s 9-4 win over the Rays.

By Kyle Williams

Cubs visit Fenway Park for the first time since 2017: 'Awesome, historic'

Notes: Lefty Justin Steele threw in an extended spring training game Friday.

By Maddie Lee

Cubs

How Cubs' Shota Imanaga helped steady a rotation tested by injuries

Imanaga held the Red Sox to one run through 6 1/3 innings in the Cubs’ 7-1 win Friday.

By Maddie Lee

White Sox

Player development falls at the feet of White Sox manager Pedro Grifol

When asked how he felt the players were developing, Chris Getz said, “I look forward to seeing better performances from our players.”

By Kyle Williams

News

First bison babies of year born at Fermilab: ‘Calving season is the most rewarding time of the year’

Two bison were born Friday at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia. The facility’s 30-acre pasture has long been home to the grazing mammals.

By Kade Heather

Editorials

With Bears stadium plans, Springfield should just slam on the brakes

With all the important priorities the state has to tackle, why should Springfield rush to help the billionaire McCaskey family build a football stadium? The answer: They shouldn’t. The arguments so far don’t convince us this project would truly benefit the public.

By CST Editorial Board

Columnists

More stadium drama is on the horizon

If these plans for new stadiums from the Bears, White Sox and Red Stars are going to have even a remote chance of passage, teams will have to drastically scale back their state asks and show some tangible benefits for state taxpayers.

By Rich Miller

Bears

Once grounded, Bears WR Rome Odunze ready to soar with Caleb Williams

Months before Rome Odunze ever shared an airplane ride with new Bears teammate Caleb Williams, he was forced into a two-day road trip.

By Patrick Finley

Bears

Bears QB Caleb Williams arrives at Halas Hall embracing enormous expectations

“What’s there to duck?” he responded when asked about the pressure he’ll be under in Chicago.

By Jason Lieser

Letters to the Editor

Don't give away taxpayer money for a new Bears stadium

Not a dollar of taxpayer money went to the renovation of Wrigley Field and its current reinvigorated neighborhood, one reader points out.

By Letters to the Editor

From left, Pilipili and Lomelok, large lion cubs, lounge side by side on the highest rock of their outdoor enclosure at Lincoln Park Zoo.

Picture Chicago: 12 can't miss photos from Sun-Times photographers

By Sun-Times staff

La Voz Chicago

15 parejas de migrantes venezolanos contraerán matrimonio en iglesia de Chicago

Todas las parejas son miembros de la Iglesia Cristiana La Vid, 4750 N. Sheridan Road, en Uptown, que brinda servicios a los recién llegados.

By Emmanuel Camarillo

Work

Former Foxtrot workers rally, demand back pay after grocer's sudden closure

The former employees contacted workers rights organization Arise Chicago and filed charges with the Illinois Department of Labor, according to the organization.

By Abby Miller

La Voz Chicago

Se declara culpable agente de seguridad de Boston que apuñaló fatalmente a Marine de Gage Park

Álvaro Larrama fue sentenciado a entre 17 y 20 años en una prisión estatal después de perseguir y apuñalar a Daniel Martínez, un ex sargento de la Marina.

By Violet Miller

Education

Arlington Heights school nurse placed on leave amid probe into possible medicine swap

One student has suffered health problems after blood tests showed signs of excessive aspirin intake and fentanyl, lawyers for the child’s family say.

By Daily Herald

Cristina Nichole Iglesias, who received gender affirming surgery in March 2023 while she was serving her prison sentence, sits among the flowers at the Garfield Park Conservatory in Garfield Park, Friday, April 5, 2024. Iglesias said that going through gender dysphoria was “traumatic” and “torture.” The surgery was made possible by a settlement she reached with the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

LGBTQIA+

After fighting to have gender-affirming care, a former prisoner adjusts to life in Chicago as a woman

Cristina Nichole Iglesias sued the federal Bureau of Prisons for the right to have the surgery and get the agency to pay for it and won.

By Stefano Esposito

Small Business

Call & Response Books opening new store in Hyde Park

Owner Courtney Bledsoe said the store will focus on stocking books by authors of color and celebrating the stories they tell.

By Isabel Funk

White Sox

White Sox selecting contract of Tommy Pham

Veteran outfielder will join White Sox for game against the Rays Friday night

By Daryl Van Schouwen

Rioters loyal to President Donald Trump rally at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021.

Crime

A list of every known Illinois resident charged in the U.S. Capitol breach

More than 1,300 people have been arrested in connection with the breach in almost all 50 states. That includes Illinois, where at least 49 known residents have faced federal charges for their role.

By Jon Seidel

Bears

Bears get all A's for Caleb Williams-Rome Odunze draft

It remains to be seen if Williams and Odunze will be as good as advertised, but draft analysts were virtually unanimous about the Bears’ draft: They took advantage of a tremendous opportunity. “There was only one rational path for the Beasr to take, and they took it,”

By Mark Potash