Ariel Cheung

✍🏻 “Elvia … loves … the Bears.” Got it!

Alec Baldwin really branching out lately.

Excellent point!!

Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott later said at a news conference that the proposal would include a practice facility. When asked if the practice facility would eliminate the need for Halas Hall, the Bears headquarters and practice facilities in Lake Forest, McDermott said, “That’s absolutely correct.” “They are talking about Halas Hall, everything,” McDermott said. “That’s breaking … Oh no, the lawyer is coming.” The lawyer stood up and said the news conference would end after one more question.

seems fine and not Parks and Recs vibes at all.

www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/19/c...

Fact-check (on a Friday morning with, notably, no Bears traffic)

A Tribune push alert about the Bears stadium possibly relocating to Hammond, Indiana, which is laughably described as a 20-minute drive from Solider Field.

Sure, in a space ship maybe.

If this proves true and clergy are allowed inside the Broadview facility regularly to provide pastoral care and Communion, that would be a huge shift.

Note: clergy access at Broadview has indeed been the subject of a lawsuit, as well as several protests — including one with dozens of arrests.

The biggest barriers to solving the climate crisis are political, not technological. We don't need an AI to help us because we already know what we need to do. We just lack the political will to do it.

(And one of those things we need to do is turn off AI data centers that run on fossil fuels.)

A two-person round table at Potbelly’s featuring the Chicago Municipal Device (black design on a white background)

A Chicago Municipal Device on a pillar outside of the Fire Museum of Greater Chicago. The pillar is concrete, the device is white with a pale blue background

A Chicago Municipal Device symbol displayed in a tile mural on a wall of the Chicago Cultural Center. The mural mainly features blue-green foliage and red flowers with the municipal device in the middle

A Chicago Municipal Device seen on the Franklin St. bridge across the Chicago River

The photo gallery at the top of the story is fun (intrepid Tribune photographer Josh Bland went all over town photographing examples) and I gotta say the table at Potbelly’s on State St. (a tip from Robert) made me laugh

www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/11/c...

The Chicago Municipal Device is the city symbol few Chicagoans know about The backstory of Chicago’s century-old symbol — a “Y” inside a circle — that can be found dotted throughout the city.

Inspired by a delightful back-and-forth on here recently between @robertloerzel.bsky.social & @ladytophamcatt.bsky.social sharing photos of the Chicago Municipal Device, I thought it’d be fun to write about what the hell it even is and why you can spot it all over town once you look for it

Gift 🔗

Donate to Washington Post 2026 layoff fund, organized by Rachel Siegel On Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026, The Washington Post laid off hundreds of journalists. We ar… Rachel Siegel needs your support for Washington Post 2026 layoff fund

Support the staffers who were laid off today

A Sox giveaway labeled “Finance Bro Vest.”

Unhinged and I love it.

White Sox promo schedule release day is practically an annual holiday in my household.

Hello I’m the ubermensch, my one weakness is whistles

Minnesota National Guard members have arrived at a federal building and were directed to distribute donuts, coffee, and hot chocolate to anti-ICE protesters. Guard members were issued reflective vests so they would not be mistaken for federal agents.

Thread. @cengizyar.com is part of the visuals team at @propublica.org, doing important reporting work on the ground.

KARE 11: Minnesota DOC launches new website to 'address ongoing misinformation by DHS' The DOC names Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino directly in a statement.

Minnesota Department of Corrections Statement on Minneapolis Shooting and Federal Claims January 24, 2026 The Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC) extends its condolences to the family and loved ones of Alex Pretti, who was shot and killed by federal agents this morning in Minneapolis. The loss of life is tragic, and Minnesotans deserve transparency, accountability, and facts. In the hours following the shooting, U.S. Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino held a press conference asserting that the operation was targeting an individual named Jose Huerta-Chuma and characterized him as having a significant criminal history. Because federal statements have repeatedly included inaccurate information about Minnesota custody and criminal records, the DOC reviewed available records to determine whether the individual referenced had any connection to Minnesota state prison custody.

ased on DOC records and publicly available Minnesota court data: The individual identified by federal officials has never been in Minnesota DOC custody. DOC and court records show no felony commitments associated with this Public Minnesota court records reflect only misdemeanor-level traffic offenses from more than a decade ago. The individual is not currently under DOC supervision. DOC records further indicate that an individual by this name was previously held in federal immigration custody in a local Minnesota jail in 2018, during President Trump’s first administration. Any decisions regarding release from federal custody at that time would have been made by federal authorities. DOC has no information explaining why this individual was released.

Things are so bad that the Minnesota prison system has had to launch a website specifically to combat DHS lies. The first major release from DOC officials suggests Gregory Bovino outright lied about the target of the Border Patrol operation during which agents shot and killed Alex Pretti.

Chicago. Now. Ice out of everywhere. Snow and cold not slowing folks.

There are about 100 protesters outside Schumer’s building in the middle of the blizzard urging him to whip Dem votes against any more ICE/CBP funding.

One of the popular lines from conservatives has been that it must be something about agitators in Minneapolis because it’s not happening elsewhere. Of course it is also happening elsewhere.

This is a very strong rebuke of ICE

Takeaways from AP reporting on Trump administration cuts affecting US water systems Deep funding cuts under President Donald Trump will make it more difficult for struggling communities to get help to fix sewer systems that put health and homes at risk.

Here are the key takeaways from The Associated Press' reporting on the Trump administration's cuts affecting the U.S. water systems.

Up to 360K Illinoisans Could Lose SNAP Benefits in 2026. Here's What to Know — City Bureau Work requirement changes mean SNAP benefits are at risk for veterans, parents with older kids, people experiencing homelessness and more. Advocates are reminding people how to make sure they meet the ...

More details on what's to come on @citybureau.bsky.social's website:

While there is a 3-month grace period, after that, it's gone for THREE YEARS. So if someone uses it up in early 2026 and then loses their job later in the year, they risk falling out of compliance and losing their benefits.

SNAP recipients only have until JANUARY 31 to certify they are meeting the new work requirements or qualify for an exemption.

Veterans and people experiencing homelessness aged 18-64 will be required to work, volunteer or in job training for 80 hours per month to access SNAP benefits.

Up to 360K Illinoisans Could Lose SNAP Benefits in 2026. Here's What to Know — City Bureau Work requirement changes mean SNAP benefits are at risk for veterans, parents with older kids, people experiencing homelessness and more. Advocates are reminding people how to make sure they meet the ...

Things that made my jaw drop when reading @blackjor-el.bsky.social's report on how SNAP benefits are changing in 2026:

Liening On the Wrong Side of the Law: A multi-state comparative analysis of property tax sale reform in response to Tyler v. Hennepin  | Impact for Equity Author: Mallory Verez Contributors: Simone Montgomery, Maya Nakamura Introduction  In [...]

Hello! Did you know that IL is the only state in the country to not even try to be in compliance with a 2023 Supreme Court ruling that says the government can't take $100,000 in home equity over a $1,500 tax debt?

impactforequity.org/report/lieni...

The people who live in the South Shore building that was violently raided in the middle of the night by federal agents are forming a tenants union. Here are their demands, per a press release that just went out.

A nighttime shot of the Chicago Board of Trade reflected in a puddle. The bright lights aimed at the building. Make it stand out from the darker surroundings

Last night on LaSalle St.