Happy Fourth of July weekend, Chicago.
This year the United States marks its 250th anniversary — or semiquincentennial — of existence.
In recognition, we’ve taken a look back into our archives at what the Chicago area and the state of Illinois have uniquely contributed to the nation — and the world — from scientific inventions and pioneering businesses to food, culture, sports and transportation modernizations.
For a lighter read, dive into the debate over what makes the best hot dog. Or if it’s too hot to fire up the grill, here is our guide for where to grab a bite or a drink this weekend. And if you’re still planning where to see a fireworks show, here is a look at the best displays around the Chicago area.
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Larry Snelling’s retirement means Chicago police superintendent search begins again
With the announcement of Chicago police Superintendent Larry Snelling’s retirement later this month, the search for the next head of the Chicago Police Department will soon begin in earnest.
The selection of CPD’s leader is always a high-profile affair — the superintendent is the most public-facing city employee aside from the mayor — but the focus may be even sharper now, with the city’s next mayoral election only eight months away.
Gov. JB Pritzker says he’s preparing for Supreme Court fight over assault weapons ban
Gov. JB Pritzker said he’s working to ensure Illinois has help from top experts to defend its assault weapons ban, after the U.S. Supreme Court indicated this week it would hear arguments over similar bans in Cook County and in Connecticut.
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Top FBI agent in Chicago leaving post after being pushed to retire, sources say
The head of the FBI’s Chicago field office is abruptly leaving his position, according to a resignation message he sent to colleagues and multiple people familiar with the situation who said he was told to retire.
Aurora-area Democrats pick teacher, union leader Jared Ploger for state Senate seat ballot spot
A panel of four Democratic Party suburban county chairs selected Jared Ploger, a longtime teacher, union leader and former school board member, to replace Aurora-area state Sen. Linda Holmes on the November ballot, according to the members of the selection panel.
Judge detains men accused of attacking CBS news crew: ‘You are not the victim here’
Three men accused of attacking a CBS news crew near Chicago’s Adler Planetarium earlier this week were ordered detained during a hearing yesterday after prosecutors alleged they targeted the journalists in broad daylight and caused more than $100,000 in damage to equipment.
How ‘Country Roads’ became the soundtrack of the US team’s World Cup run
It’s become one of the enduring scenes of the U.S. team during this World Cup: jubilant U.S. players joining tens of thousands of fans in singing John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” at the end of their matches.
4 things we heard from the Chicago Blackhawks GM, including catching Coles and Connor Bedard’s potential wings
NHL free agency began Wednesday, and what followed was the usual — a flurry of signings across the league. The Chicago Blackhawks acquired two players shortly after the clock turned 11 a.m.
Madison Square Garden is abuzz with eager Swifties ahead of Swift-Kelce wedding
Amanda Powell flew a thousand miles from Little Rock, Arkansas, to the heart of New York City for just one reason: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding. She and two friends came “just to celebrate Taylor’s wedding and congratulate her on her big day,” she said.
Powell was one of scores of Taylor Swift fans and inquisitive passersby who braved the New York City heat yesterday to satiate their curiosity about what many are calling the wedding of the century and the American equivalent of royal nuptials.
The couple are “literally the king and queen of America,” said Kristen Donohue, who stopped by the area surrounding Madison Square Garden with a fellow Swiftie co-worker on their lunch break.
What’s the perfect American hot dog? Depends where you grew up.
Few foods feel more American than the hot dog, a mainstay at ballparks, street carts and Fourth of July barbecues.
But to simply call hot dogs “American” is to miss a whole lot of nuance, and potentially offend local connoisseurs across the country. How to prepare and eat a hot dog is a matter of regional pride.
Which is the best? The answer is probably the one you grew up with.
Column: What I learned visiting a Freedom Truck, a mobile museum made for America’s 250th birthday
Though six Freedom Trucks have fanned out nationwide, and a truck visited Rockford back in May, there are no plans for a Freedom Truck to stop within an hour of Chicago. The closest will be Holland, Michigan, in September, and the only Illinois visit to come is in tiny Altamont in August, about four hours southeast.
