Good morning, Chicago.
Since the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s death on Feb. 17 at age 84, leaders from across the globe have been giving thanks for Jackson’s contributions to society.
And the details of his final homegoing events today and tomorrow in Chicago were coordinated by Tarrah Cooper Wright, CEO of public relations and political consulting firm Rise Strategy Group, and Alexandra Sims-Jones, president and founder of APS & Associates.
“We will see the best of our country and our world,” Cooper Wright said. “People all want to celebrate the humanity, the humility and the moral compass the reverend had.”
She and Sims-Jones are two of the many Black women who say their professional trajectories have been deeply impacted by the civil rights leader and founder of the Rainbow PUSH social justice nonprofit.
Read the full story from the Tribune’s Darcel Rockett.
Here are the top stories you need to know to start your day, including: how a fresh approach to fostering youth in Illinois carries hope, the latest player to leave the Bears and a look at the oldest horse-racing venue in Illinois.
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‘Don’t let the door hit you on the way out’: Illinois officials cheer Kristi Noem’s ouster at Homeland Security
President Donald Trump says he’s replacing his embattled Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and will nominate in her place Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin.
Trump made the announcement on social media yesterday, two days after Noem faced a grilling on Capitol Hill from GOP members as well as Democrats.
Chicago appeals court vacates judge’s use-of-force injunction on immigration agents
A Chicago federal appeals court yesterday vacated a lower court’s injunction placing use-of-force restrictions on immigration agents during Operation Midway Blitz, calling it “constitutionally suspect” and questioning the manner in which the district judge dismissed the underlying suit.
Graduates of Illinois clean energy workforce program gain a vision — and skills for the future
Overlooking the shoreline of Lake Michigan and an aging coal plant, a packed conference room was filled with families, advocates and Illinois legislators celebrating the graduation of two dozen newly trained clean energy workers.
“It’s not lost to me today that we’re sitting on the fifth floor of the College of Lake County in the shadow of fossil fuel energy, talking about clean energy,” said Richard Ammon, the college’s executive director of workforce initiatives. “There’s a reason we’re here, and that’s because the state of Illinois is doing some great things to ensure that we have a clean future, and this program is part of that future.”
A fresh approach to fostering youth in Illinois carries hope
At a glance from the street, this Rockford home is nothing out of the ordinary. Sitting atop 5 acres, deer and wild turkeys frolic amid autumnal foliage on the property, giving the feel of a Norman Rockwell poster.
Welcome to Hope House, a model of fostering children and teens developed by the Chicago-based nonprofit One Hope United. The premise: A stable household with a built-in support team to help those in foster care thrive. The twist: It’s a new take on the adage “It takes a village.”
‘Who does that?’ Judge scolds city for interrupting deposition to strip Chicago officer of police powers
A visibly frustrated federal judge yesterday took the city to task over the Chicago Police Department’s move to pull a North Side police officer out of a deposition late last month in order to strip him of his police powers.
$100 million Touhy Avenue improvement project breaks ground in Des Plaines
A $100 million project to fully reconstruct Touhy Avenue between Elmhurst Road and Mount Prospect Road and expand access for travelers, including to the I-490 tollway, broke ground yesterday in Des Plaines.
Column: Questions about the WBC, the Chicago Bears’ trade of DJ Moore and other pressing issues
Paul Sullivan has questions to ponder while tossing out campaign flyers, cleaning out the garage and waiting for the madness of March to begin.
Chicago Bears set to release Tremaine Edmunds, freeing up more cap space — but making linebacker a need
Bears general manager Ryan Poles showed respect for Tremaine Edmunds by making the move now, before free agency opens Wednesday. Edmunds will be able to sign elsewhere once the transaction is official.
Vintage Chicago Tribune: History of Hawthorne Race Course, the oldest horse-racing venue in Illinois
Hawthorne Race Course, which bills itself as the oldest horse-racing venue in Illinois, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Feb. 27. Financial difficulties have plagued the track in west suburban Stickey, which has been the only facility of its kind in the Chicago area since Arlington International Racecourse closed in 2021.
Here’s a look back at Hawthorne’s more than 135 years of hosting the sport of kings.
‘The Bear’ series will end after Season 5
The FX show, led by Jeremy Allen White as a Chicago chef, first debuted on the streaming service Hulu in 2022 and has since collected a whole plateful of awards — and put Chicago Italian beef on the map.
