Good morning, Chicago.
The doctor will never forget the horror he witnessed during the 2022 Highland Park Independence Day parade mass shooting.
As gunshots rained down and throngs of terrified parade-goers ran in all directions, Dr. David Baum rushed to render aid. A couple were lying in a pool of blood. Family members frantically scooped up critically injured loved ones, carrying them away. The back of one man’s head was blown off; his son was by his side, screaming into the crowd “help him” over and over again, recalled Baum, who was attending the parade.
The Highland Park obstetrician doesn’t know if there can be any justice after such a heinous act, which left seven dead, four dozen injured and an entire community terrorized and upended.
But Baum said he still longs to see the shooter held accountable by the law and locked up for life.
“For those people who died and their families…they need it far more than me,” he added.
More than two years after that horrific holiday, the suspect’s trial is scheduled to begin with jury selection Monday at the Lake County Courthouse. Alleged gunman Robert Crimo III faces more than 100 charges, including 21 counts of first-degree murder — three for each person who lost their life while attending the parade. If convicted of first-degree murder, he could be sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Read the full story from the Tribune’s Angie Leventis Lourgos.
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The hidden world of Chicago ICE arrests
Immigration agents swept the Chicago area on Jan. 26 and their presence quickly rippled across the city and suburbs, lighting up phone screens with frenzied reports of sightings.
U.S. Immigration and Customs and Enforcement publicized more than 950 arrests nationwide that day, and Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling said at least 100 people were arrested in Chicago and the surrounding area. A month later, though, precise information about who was swept up and why remains elusive, as federal officials have declined to release detailed information about raids in Chicago.
Is the May 7 deadline for Real ID actually real this time?
Earlier this month, Austin Spa, a state Capitol security guard, felt pressured to get a Real ID card that he thought he would need to board a September flight. After almost two decades of extensions, it seemed a hard deadline was finally approaching and that after May 7, anyone without a passport would need a Real ID to board a plane.
But even with that deadline, it’s not clear he had to move so quickly.
Gov. JB Pritzker turned heads by comparing Trump administration to Nazi Germany. But will voters be moved?
For just over a half hour Wednesday, Gov. JB Pritzker’s combined budget and State of the State address followed an expected course, detailing spending and initiatives for a new budget year while warning of the economic uncertainty ahead for the state and its residents under President Donald Trump and his “haphazard ‘ready, fire, aim’ tactics toward everyday Americans.”
But then, the Democratic governor abruptly shifted course.
Chicago Catholics pray for Pope Francis as he remains in critical condition
Chicago-area Catholics gathered at Holy Name Cathedral on Sunday to pray for the health of Pope Francis, who remained in critical condition with double pneumonia.
“I’m praying that he pulls through,” said Rose Williams, who attended morning Mass. “He deserves that opportunity to continue to lead us, and so we just hope he’ll pull through and be able to lead us through these trying times.”
What happens to the leadership of the Catholic Church when a pope becomes sick or incapacitated?
While the Vatican has detailed laws and rituals to ensure the transfer of power when a pope dies or resigns, they do not apply if he is sick or even unconscious. And there are no specific norms outlining what happens to the leadership of the Catholic Church if a pope becomes totally incapacitated.
On third anniversary, Ukrainians in northwest Indiana concerned with path forward in Russia-Ukraine war
Olena Ber woke up at 6 a.m. June 2 to a message from her brother’s commanding officer that made her stomach drop.
“Give me a call as soon as possible,” the message read.
“I knew something happened,” said Ber, who grew up in Kiev, Ukraine, and now lives in St. John.
Egg prices soar as Southland bakeries prepare for paczki craze
With Fat Thursday and Fat Tuesday just around the corner, bakeries across the Chicago area are gearing up for the annual rush of paczki orders, but many are facing challenges due to soaring egg prices.
Cactus League report: White Sox prospect Colson Montgomery displays his ‘A’ swing, and the Cubs are rolling
The Chicago Cubs are rolling. Sure, Cactus League performance isn’t a harbinger of regular-season success, but the Cubs are off to a 4-0 start this spring following a 6-5 victory Sunday against the Texas Rangers at Sloan Park.
Davis Martin will be among the White Sox pitchers making their first starts of the spring this week. The right-hander is scheduled for Tuesday against the Colorado Rockies at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, Ariz.
- Chicago Cubs prospect Cade Horton is back on mound, and Colin Rea is bringing versatility to the pitching staff
- Takeaways from Chicago White Sox camp, including prospect Grant Taylor reaching 101.2 mph in Sunday’s game
Column: John Schriffen, the embroiled TV voice of the Chicago White Sox, vows to have a ‘different tone’ in 2025
It’s hard to say who took more heat on the South Side last year. Was it Chicago White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, the owner who had to listen to “Sell the team” chants while sitting in his suite? Or was it Pedro Grifol, the manager who couldn’t buy a win or keep his job? Perhaps it was the players? The answer is none of the above.
While they all took some grief from Sox fans and the media, it was John Schriffen — the broadcaster whose first year as the team’s TV voice was filled with several self-inflicted wounds — who absorbed the most shots, writes Paul Sullivan.
‘Conclave’ triumphs at SAG Awards and Timothée Chalamet wins best actor, upending Oscar predictions
The papal thriller “Conclave” won best ensemble and Timothée Chalamet took best actor at the 31st Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday, a pair of twists that added a few final wrinkles to an unusually unpredictable awards season.
Restaurant news: Mexican taqueria Carnitas Uruapan opens Little Village flagship after 50 years in Chicago
A Mexican restaurant founded 50 years ago specializing in “little meats” finally has a big new flagship.
