Good morning, Chicago.
A sixth beluga whale saved from an embattled Canadian marine park earlier this summer has died — this time out in California — while Shedd Aquarium says it’s seeing signs of progress among remaining rescues here in Chicago.
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SeaWorld San Diego, in a statement to social media Sunday, said a 9-year-old male rescue in its care since late August “passed away unexpectedly.” The beluga, named Cyprus, stopped eating late last week and declined in the days that followed, the park said. He’d initially been doing well, the facility said, but “belugas can mask discomfort or underlying concerns that are not immediately visible.”
Cyprus marks the sixth Marineland death since late August, after four deaths at Shedd and one at Oceanogràfic València in Spain.
Read the full story from the Tribune’s Tess Kenny.
Here are the top stories you need to know to start your day, including the Chicago mayoral race kicks off with the traditional hauling of the signatures, what we learned from the Chicago Bears and Louisa Kung Liu Chu’s review of Italian Fiesta Pizzeria.
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Prison admissions for shoplifters rising in Cook County amid Burke policy change, ‘outdated’ state law
In Cook County, felony case filings and prison admissions for retail theft have risen sharply since 2024, according to data reviewed by the Tribune.
The spike corresponds with a change implemented by Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke, who upon taking office in December 2024, reversed a policy mandate from her predecessor, Kim Foxx, that ordered prosecutors to limit charging retail theft as a felony to instances where the stolen goods were alleged to be $1,000 or more, or if a defendant had 10 or more prior felony convictions, unless there were extenuating circumstances.
Chicago mayoral race kicks off with the traditional hauling of the signatures
Mayoral contenders began pouring into the Chicago Board of Elections Loop Super Site bright and early yesterday morning, hoping to become the next occupant of City Hall’s fifth floor with the help of their stacks of petition signatures, even taller campaign promises and a little bit of luck.
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Chicago schools watchdog said allegations against school board candidate could not be corroborated
The Chicago Public Schools watchdog did not substantiate misconduct allegations against a school board president candidate because they could not be corroborated and, even if proved true, did “not necessarily prove he acted for a sexual purpose,” according to a copy of the office’s report obtained by the Tribune.
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Judge rejects subpoena in sweeping immigration enforcement lawsuit — for now
A federal judge quashed a subpoena filed by the state Attorney General and city of Chicago in an ongoing lawsuit over the Trump administration’s immigration-enforcement tactics, saying it would be better to wait and see what’s left of the case after her upcoming ruling on a motion to dismiss.
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Mundelein police say 5 killed in apparent murder-suicide: ‘Such a shock’
Five people were found shot to death in Mundelein in what police yesterday called an apparent murder-suicide.
The bodies of three men and two women were discovered late Sunday night in a house on the 200 block of Wellington Avenue. Their identities hadn’t been released by authorities as of yesterday evening.
More than 1,000 birds reported killed or injured in building collisions in Chicago area over the weekend
Advocates and volunteers say over 1,000 birds were killed or injured after colliding with buildings in the Chicago area during fall migration this past weekend.
What we learned from the Chicago Bears, including whether Kyler Gordon will have an even bigger role this week
Cornerback Kyler Gordon made his long-awaited return in Sunday’s 31-23 win over the Atlanta Falcons, sacking quarterback Michael Penix Jr. three times and forcing two fumbles in his first game since January.
Chicago Bulls center Nic Claxton will miss at least the 1st 2 weeks of the season
The Bulls will begin the season short-handed as starting center Nic Claxton remains sidelined with a hamstring injury suffered in the preseason.
Review: ‘The Winter’s Tale’ begins a new experiment at Chicago Shakespeare
Director Edward Hall’s new Chicago Shakespeare Theater production of “The Winter’s Tale” looks like the beginning of an experiment: the establishment of a made-in-Chicago repertory company of performers ready and willing to work on more than one play at once, writes Chris Jones.
Review: Italian Fiesta Pizzeria, thin crust (with a secret menu jerk chicken pizza) in Chicago
Italian Fiesta Pizzeria, the legendary fourth-generation-owned South Side business, still makes a great Chicago-style thin cracker crust and their own fantastic fennel sausage, but a superb secret menu jerk chicken pizza has become a surprising star, writes Louisa Kung Liu Chu.
Keith Lee, the popular TikTok food critic, posted a video showing his tasting of an Italian Fiesta half jerk chicken and half sausage pizza on the last Sunday in August. He went to the Hyde Park location, perhaps best known for their former neighborhood regulars, Barack and Michelle Obama.