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

Former mayoral candidate Paul Vallas urges leniency for Ed Burke, ‘whom I always felt met my standards for ethics’

Four letters written by Vallas and others in Burke’s case became public Tuesday at the urging of the Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Public Media. Burke is set to be sentenced June 24 following his conviction for racketeering, bribery and attempted extortion.

By Jon Seidel

Pinned on a blue police form is a button picturing and honoring Chicago Police Officer Luis Huesca.

Crime

Gun of slain Chicago Police Officer Luis Huesca found at Far South Side home of suspect's relative

Caschaus Tate, 20, stopped investigators at the door of a home in Morgan Park, then went out the back and tossed a gun into the yard, police said.

By Rosemary Sobol and Matthew Hendrickson

Students at DePaul University erected tents Tuesday, joining campus protests across the country expressing support for people in Gaza.

Israel-Hamas War

DePaul students pitch tents on campus, join pro-Palestinian protests

Money

Chicago Tribune and seven other newspapers sue Microsoft and OpenAI

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (left) in November; Gov. J.B. Pritzker (right) last week.

Politics

Taking the fight South? Pritzker's nonprofit spends $500K in Florida — battling DeSantis and GOP over abortion rights

A dosage of Wegovy, a drug used for weight loss, on March 1, 2024, in Front Royal, Va. Illinois state employees will get expanded access to the high-priced weight-loss drugs, but that could cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.

Politics

Weight-loss drug coverage for Illinois state workers could cost hundreds of millions of dollars

Commentary

The opinions in and around Chicago that inform, analyze, hold power accountable and entertain.

CST Editorial Board

City Council members, be honest when talking about migrants

Rick Telander

Sports columnist

Northwestern protests, encampments bring back dizzying memories

Beria Hampton

A community land trust would help my Far South Side neighborhood flourish again

Neil Steinberg

Columnist

Movie on Dante’s life, journey leads to look at hellish real-world events

Politics

Taking the fight South? Pritzker's nonprofit spends $500K in Florida — battling DeSantis and GOP over abortion rights

Florida is the fourth ballot initiative that Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s nonprofit Think Big America is supporting this year. Pritzker’s group is also supporting efforts in Nevada, Arizona and Montana.

By Tina Sfondeles

Iza Redlinski holds a bouquet of garlic mustard, an invasive plant she picked out of Red Gate Woods in the Cook County Forest Preserves on April 25, 2024.

Suburban Chicago

Cook County Forest Preserves is launching a $10 million makeover of Palos Preserves

Columnists

Coal ash pollution cleanup will boost Waukegan, other Great Lakes communities

Movies and TV

'The Daily Show' coming to Chicago for Democratic convention

Transportation

CTA, Metra and Pace could be merged into one transit agency under bill proposed in Springfield

Sports

Angel Reese wears a sparkly black hooded evening gown, and Kamilla Cardoso is clad in a bright red pantsuit, as each stands with WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert and holds a Chicago Sky jersey in this composite image.

Chicago Sky and WNBA

Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese are finding routine in Chicago

Less than a month ago, both rookies were competing in the NCAA Tournament. Cardoso’s run extended all the way to a title. The immediate turnaround to the draft and now training camp is a unique experience in the women’s game.

By Annie Costabile

Blackhawks

Blackhawks' Connor Bedard named finalist for Calder Trophy

Bears

1st-and-10: Shane Waldron, your table is ready

College Sports

Bears help Pac-12 go out with a bang in NFL Draft

White Sox

White Sox sign first baseman Jared Walsh to minor league deal

Entertainment and Culture

MAMMA-MIA-2.jpeg. Christine Sherrill (Donna Sheridan), and the Company of MAMMA MIA! 25th Anniversary Tour
Photo by Joan Marcus

Theater

Christine Sherrill celebrating 25th anniversary tour of 'Mamma Mia!' in a familiar role

The show stars the veteran Chicago actress in a role she’s performed more than 2,000 times, in a musical built around the music of ABBA.

By Stefano Esposito

Theater

Larissa FastHorse satirizes well-meaning theater artists with 'The Thanksgiving Play' at Steppenwolf

Movies and TV

After exciting premiere, Hulu thriller 'The Veil' bogs down over six episodes

Movies and TV

John Mulaney returns to St. Ignatius for playful, sometimes poignant David Letterman chat

Horoscopes

Horoscope for Tuesday, April 30, 2024

All latest stories

MLB

Astros will send slumping first baseman José Abreu to spring training facility

Abreu, in the second season of a $58.5 million, three-year contract, is hitting .099 with just one extra-base hit and three RBIs. In 77 plate appearances across 22 games this season, Abreu has just seven hits.

By Associated Press

La Voz Chicago

Buscan al hombre que presuntamente siguió a una niña de 10 años al baño del Museo de Ciencia e Industria

La policía ha difundido una descripción detallada del sospechoso tras el incidente ocurrido el jueves.

By Sun-Times Wire

Cast members of the TV show "The Office" stand, some with their arms crossed, while others sit.

Letters to the Editor

Groups urge state legislators to pass worker freedom of speech law

Even in worker-friendly Illinois, employers have tremendous power and can discipline employees for declining to participate in non-work-related meetings that discuss politics or religion.

By Letters to the Editor

Rachel White (left) and Rachelle Frosch, horticulturalists at the Morton Arboretum cover a crab apple tree with tulle.

Environment

How to protect your trees as historic cicada emergence begins

Experts at the Morton Arboretum says it’s important to protect any trees planted in the past two or three years with fine mesh netting.

By Mary Norkol

This photo provided by the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum shows a document signed by President Lincoln in April 1861 ordering the blockade of southern United States ports after the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter started the Civil War.

Springfield

Pritzkers donate Lincoln's Civil War order to blockade Southern ports to state museum

The fateful 163-year-old document had been in an anonymous private collection until its purchase at auction by Gov. J.B. Pritzker and first lady M.K. Pritzker, who donated it to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.

By Mitchell Armentrout

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

La Voz Chicago

Programa federal de banda ancha que ayuda residentes del Condado de Cook está a punto de terminar

El Programa de Conectividad Asequible ofrecía $30 al mes a los hogares que cumplían los requisitos necesarios para pagar su factura de Internet de banda ancha, pero con el fin del programa, algunos proveedores de servicios ofrecen sus propias opciones.

By Amy Yee

Marijuana

US drug control agency will move to reclassify marijuana in a historic shift, AP sources say

The DEA’s proposal would recognize the medical uses of cannabis. However, it would not legalize marijuana outright for recreational use.

By Associated Press

Outdoors

Chicago fishing: Spring signs abound, perch closure and Wisconsin opener

Leading this sprawling raw-file Midwest Fishing Report are spring signs on Lake Michigan and inland waters plus the perch closure beginning May 1 on Illinois’ Lake Michigan waters and Wisconsin’s general inland opener coming Saturday.

By Dale Bowman

Transportation

US to require automatic emergency braking on new vehicles in 5 years and set performance standards

The regulation is designed to prevent many rear-end and pedestrian collisions and reduce the roughly 40,000 traffic deaths per year.

By Tom Krisher | AP

Crime

Man found fatally shot in Chatham apartment building

The victim, found early Tuesday morning, hasn’t been identified.

By Sun-Times Wire

Editorials

CTA, Metra and Pace could ride together under separate plans to improve transit governance

Two new proposals seek to bring the change that’s needed. We believe they are both worthy of consideration.

By CST Editorial Board

Letters to the Editor

Black youth in foster care deserve hair care plans to build self-worth, cultural identity

Many of these youth face challenges related to their hair care needs not being adequately met, which can impact their sense of self-worth and cultural belonging.

By Letters to the Editor

Dear Abby

Dear Abby: Husband seldom says ‘I’m sorry’ or ‘Thank you’

College professor seems incapable of showing common courtesy to his wife.

By Abigail Van Buren

Recipes

Menu planner: Smoky chipotle pot roast is both tasty and tender

Thinking ahead to your next few meals? Here are some main dishes and sides to try.

By Andrews McMeel Syndication

TOTW05-01-24Tony 24.5 lb Gobbler 042024RS.jpeg

Outdoors

'Nothing like the spring woods!' in turkey hunting

Tony Farinella Jr. had a good morning opening day of Illinois’ second season for spring turkey in Jo Daviess County.

By Dale Bowman

City Hall

Johnson to relaunch guaranteed basic income program to use up federal COVID-19 funds

The city has until the end of the year to allocate hundreds of millions of federal dollars or risk losing them.

By Mariah Woelfel | WBEZ and Tessa Weinberg | WBEZ

White Sox

White Sox' mental performance coach helps players find balance, strive for consistency

Cristian Guzman, who has worked for the Mets and the Mariners, meets players “where they are at for what they need.”

By Daryl Van Schouwen

White Sox

Twins' eighth straight win halts White Sox' streak at 3

Garrett Crochet, who retired last 11 Twins he faced, pulled after five innings.

By Daryl Van Schouwen

Cubs

Cubs' Jameson Taillon matches Mets' Luis Severino in fierce pitching battle: 'I love pitching in New York'

The Cubs scratched out a 3-1 victory, thanks to Christopher Morel’s two-run home run in the ninth inning.

By Maddie Lee

Crime

Man killed in Belmont Cragin shooting

A man, 32, was near the sidewalk in the 5600 block of West Diversey Avenue just before 6 p.m. when someone approached him and shot him with a handgun, police said. He was taken to Illinois Masonic Hospital where he later died.

By Sun-Times Wire

University of Chicago student protesters rally on the Main Quad of campus where a pro-Palestine encampment was set up on Monday.

Israel-Hamas War

University of Chicago students set up pro-Palestinian encampment on campus as protests spread

Hundreds of University of Chicago students set up an encampment in the Main Quadrangle on Monday, joining groups on over 100 university campuses nationwide in support of Palestinians.

By Jessica Ma and Isabel Funk

Crime

16-year-old boy among 3 wounded in Humboldt Park shooting

They were standing near the sidewalk when someone opened fire around 1 p.m. Monday in the 1200 block of North Keeler Avenue, Chicago police said.

By Cindy Hernandez

Stacy Davis Gates, vice president of the Chicago Teachers Union, speaks during a June 2020 rally in Federal Plaza.

Education

CTU, CPS negotiations open with optimism

The teachers union was happy to see “more people in the first session ... with direct understanding and clarity about how school works,” CTU President Stacy Davis Gates said.

By Nader Issa

Cubs

Cubs provide promising injury updates on Kyle Hendricks, Justin Steele and Seiya Suzuki

The team has been snakebitten by injuries early this season.

By Maddie Lee

Bulls

Bulls' changes continue with team moving on from Chip Schaefer

Schaefer made his name as the Bulls’ trainer during their dynasty years. But with executive vice president Arturas Karnisovas looking for changes, the Bulls parted ways with him Monday.

By Joe Cowley

Crime

Slain Officer Huesca celebrated for his courage and character: 'Luis, your nickname should be Lionheart’

Family, friends and fellow law enforcement officers filled St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel for the funeral. “This day is for Officer Luis Huesca,” said Police Supt. Larry Snelling. “This is his day, nothing else.”

By Sophie Sherry

Candace Parker and Angel Reese shown in game action.

Chicago Sky and WNBA

Angel Reese on Candace Parker’s influence: 'I always will love her'

The retiring Parker’s legendary career started at Naperville Central, and she continued to influence others through her 16-season tenure in the WNBA.

By Sun-Times staff

Billie Eilish acknowledges the cheers during her Grant Park performance at Lollapalooza 2023.

Music

Billie Eilish tour comes to United Center in November

Pop star’s worldwide ‘Hit Me Hard and Soft’ tour kicks off Sept. 29 in Quebec City.

By Associated Press

Crime

Man fatally shot outside Logan Square Walgreens

The man, 28, was found with multiple gunshot wounds around 3:15 a.m. Sunday in a parking lot of the Walgreens, 2001 N. Milwaukee Ave., officials said.

By Sun-Times Wire