Good morning, Chicago. ✶
🔎 Below: Residents and leaders are criticizing Walgreens’ decision to close its only Chatham location when the South and West sides have fewer pharmacy locations than other areas of the city.
🗞️ Plus: Lawmakers tackle a deadline to keep the Bears in Illinois, what major redevelopment around the United Center may mean for a 140-year-old church and more news you need to know.
📝 Keeping score: The Cubs beat the Reds, 5-4; the White Sox shut out the Angels, 6-0.
📧 Subscribe: Get this newsletter delivered to your inbox weekday mornings.
⏱️: An 8-minute read
TODAY’S WEATHER ☁️
Mostly cloudy with a high near 60.
TODAY’S TOP STORY 🔎
Leaders, residents decry Walgreens’ decision to close only Chatham location
By Mariah Rush
Store closing: Dozens of South Side residents gathered Monday outside of a Chatham Walgreens, waving signs saying “Senior Lives Matter” and “End Corporate Abandonment,” after learning the store will be closing June 4. Walgreens said theft and violent incidents led to its decision to close the shop at 8628 S. Cottage Grove Ave. It’s the only Walgreens in the neighborhood, with the nearest location more than one mile away.
Residents’ concerns: Neighbors and local leaders say low-income families visit the store because it’s within walking distance, and that the area has a large population of older adults who don’t drive and rely on the pharmacy for medication access.
Key context: Since 2025, at least seven Walgreens locations on the South Side have shuttered or will close, including the area’s only specialty pharmacy at 2351 E. 71st St., which will shut May 19. The South and West sides have fewer pharmacies than other areas of the city. Access to the two largest pharmacy chains in Chicago, Walgreens and CVS, is much higher in the city’s majority white communities than in majority Black or Latino areas.
STADIUM SAGA 🏟️
Homeowners’ property tax relief is ‘negligible’ in current Bears stadium bill
By Mitchell Armentrout
Not settled: A residential property tax relief provision helped the Chicago Bears’ stadium bill pass the Illinois House last month, but Gov. JB Pritzker’s office says any help for homeowners under the proposal would be “negligible.”
Clock is running: That sends lawmakers back to the drawing board to hammer out so-called megaproject legislation that can keep together a diverse Democratic caucus — and keep the Bears in Illinois. The Illinois Senate reconvenes Tuesday with four weeks left to reach a deal.
Key context: Dozens of other states have such megaproject legislation to incentivize large-scale developments, allowing companies that invest in big projects to negotiate discounted payments with local taxing bodies. Pritzker has long pushed for such a measure to attract business to Illinois.
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN 📐
Could United Center redevelopment effort help a landmark church?
By Lee Bey
Once-grand landmark: It’s hard to miss the 140-year-old Greater Union Baptist Church’s imposing red brick Romanesque Revival exterior at 1956 W. Warren Blvd. It was built for a congregation of 600, but today has about 40 members, and has been closed for services since 2022 due to a faulty HVAC system. Gas service to the building is also shut off because of an unpaid $14,000 bill.
Key context: The church, a protected city landmark since 2023, is on the north edge of the area covered by The 1901 Project, the United Center owners’ $7 billion plan to convert acres of parking lots around the stadium into a new community of residential, retail, parks and entertainment spaces.
What’s next?: Much of the neighborhood that once supported Greater Union was wiped away by years of demolition; in more recent decades, residences closest to the stadium were bulldozed to create parking. Will the historic church somehow benefit from the new neighborhood that will rise around it? Sun-Times columnist Lee Bey considers the outlook.
MORE NEWS YOU NEED 🗞️
- Brookfield Zoo staffers strike: Dozens of Brookfield Zoo Chicago union workers picketed Monday, the first day of an authorized strike after prior contract negotiations were unsuccessful. “We’re not lion about being understaffed,” signs read.
- ‘Broadview Six’ update: Four remaining members of the group charged during Operation Midway Blitz protests filed a motion Monday urging a federal judge to release grand jury transcripts, arguing that U.S. prosecutors have kept a felony conspiracy charge “alive and pending” after announcing that it would be dismissed.
- Potential mayoral challenger: Former Ald. George Cardenas said Monday he’s forming an exploratory committee to run for mayor, even as he seeks reelection in November as a commissioner of the Cook County Board of Review.
- Pritzker’s housing plan: Gov. Pritzker’s affordable housing plan would speed up development and aim to make more options available. But in the midst of a reelection campaign and potential ambitions for higher office, the plan picks a fight with powerful enemies.
- UChicago press workers unionize: Employees at the University of Chicago Press say they’ve formed a union, called UCP Workers Guild, to push for fair wages, protections from AI and better work conditions.
- Illinois touts high vax rates: Despite a federal effort to decrease the number of vaccines required for children, new data shows vaccination rates remain high among school-aged kids in the state.
- DIY discourse: Fans and performers say a Wicker Park venue wasn’t prepared to host a sold-out emo show last month. Chop Shop, which says it was following its protocol of removing crowd-surfers, will now use barricades.
- Summer movies preview: Critic Richard Roeper shares his most anticipated films screening in the coming months, including “Masters of the Universe,” another “Scary Movie” franchise installment, “The Odyssey” and more.
ON WBEZ 91.5 FM 📻
In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons, 9 a.m.
- Senior centers: Yolanda Curry and Alicia Henry of the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services and Jeanie Sharpe, a senior citizen participant, discuss how senior centers help Chicago’s older adults combat social isolation.
- Supporting immigrants: A band of Chicago musicians will take the stage May 15 to support Centro Romero, a nonprofit that uplifts immigrant communities through legal, social and educational services. Ahead of the benefit concert, a pair of musicians behind the effort stop by.
Say More with Mary Dixon and Patrick Smith, 10 a.m.
- Are the kids alright?: Recent studies show that today’s youth are doing better than previous generations in many ways. Callers weigh in.
FROM THE PRESS BOX 🏀⚾
- Bulls hire Bryson Graham: Most recently an Atlanta Hawks executive, Graham will lead the Bulls’ front office — and he has a lot of work to do, writes Joe Cowley.
- Sky moves: The Sky signed point guard Natasha Cloud. They also waived Hailey Van Lith, Maddy Westbeld and Aicha Coulibaly.
- Sox shifts: The White Sox signed outfielder Randal Grichuk and put outfielder Austin Hays on the injured list.
- Cubs’ every-day man: Alex Bregman has played in all 35 of the Cubs’ games since the start of the season, starting 34 of them, including Monday night’s Cincinnati matchup.
CHICAGO MINI CROSSWORD 🌭
Today’s clue: 4D: WNBA star Natasha who recently signed with the Chicago Sky
BRIGHT ONE 🔆
Leo High School principal gets surprised with Golden Apple award
By Emmanuel Camarillo
Shaka Rawls, the principal at Leo Catholic High School in Auburn Gresham, knew something was up Monday when he saw all the cars in the school’s parking lot.
What he didn’t know was that those friends, family members and elected officials were there to congratulate him for winning the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Leadership, one of the most prestigious honors for Illinois school principals.
Rawls, principal at Leo since 2016, was selected as one of the leadership award winners from among nearly 100 nominees. Golden Apple winners, which also include teachers, are being surprised with accolades this month. All winners get a cash award of $5,000, and leaders also get $5,000 for their schools.
Under Rawls’ leadership, Leo seniors have a 100% college acceptance rate and the share of ninth graders who are on track to graduate within four years has increased by 20%, according to the Golden Apple Foundation, which awards the prizes each year.
Rawls also spends time mentoring students. He sits with them at lunch and lets them know he is available if they need someone to talk to. Rawls’ role feels personal to him because he once walked the school’s halls as a student. He graduated from Leo in 1993 and wants to give the students access to the kinds of resources and relationships he has now, but didn’t back then.
“When I look at every student in this building, I see me,” Rawls said.
YOUR DAILY QUESTION ☕️
Yesterday, we asked you: What’s the best household item you’ve scored in a Chicago alley? Do you still have it in your home today?
Here’s some of what you said…
“I once found a brand new, 3-foot-by-8-foot wood door with glass center that fit my house perfectly! It was half of a two-door set and it looked like the other half had been damaged in an installation.” — Alice Berry
“A set of six Chicago Cutlery steak knives in a wooden block. That was 20 years ago and we still use them regularly!” — Stephanie Kulke
“Probably a huge cat tree. I had to go find my roommate to help lug it home. The cat loved it.” — Lee Collier
“In an alley in Little Italy … it was dining room or kitchen table, light brown, like a beige color … I found it back in 2010.” — Sasja Alskare
“I found a DuSable class ring — 1979. I misplaced it when I moved out of ChiTown.” — Maurice Moore
PICTURE CHICAGO 📸
Thanks for reading the Sun-Times Morning Edition!
Got a story you think we missed? Email us here.
Written and curated by: Matt Moore
Editor: Eydie Cubarrubia
The Chicago Sun-Times is a nonprofit supported by readers like you. Become a member to make stories like these free and available to everyone. Learn more at suntimes.com/member.