Good morning, Chicago. ✶
🔎 Below: Now that the lights are back on in Gary, Indiana, residents talk about moving forward from this month’s devastating derecho and how recovery work is progressing.
🗞️ Plus: New e-bike regulations, how Smyth became North America’s No. 1 restaurant and more news you need to know.
📝 Keeping score: The Cubs lost to the Diamondbacks, 2-0; the White Sox beat the Rangers, 10-4.
☎️ Ask the mayor: Mayor Brandon Johnson will stop by WBEZ’s “In the Loop with Sasha Ann Simons” at 9 a.m. today to answer listeners’ questions live on air. Call 866-915-WBEZ (866-915-9239).
⏱️: An 8-minute read
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CHICAGO JIGSAW PUZZLE 🧩
Piece together history to reveal more about today’s photo from the Sun-Times archives.
TODAY’S WEATHER 🌤️
Mostly sunny with a chance of afternoon showers and a high near 81.
TODAY’S TOP STORY 🔎
After the lights turn on in Gary, the recovery work continues
Reporting by Alex Degman and Pat Nabong
Powerless in Gary: While much of Northwest Indiana suffered significant power loss from an Aug. 11 derecho that swept through the region, Gary residents endured some of the longest wait times for service to be restored. NIPSCO reported more than 60% of its customers — roughly 370,000 — lost power during the storm and aftermath. Gary suffered the most “extensive and complex damage,” a company executive said.
In their words: Once power was mostly restored, we spoke with residents Wednesday about their experiences and recovery.
Allison Looney, local volunteer:
“[We were without power for] 13 days. … I have never been that long without power or internet. The experience [was] stressful, extremely stressful, very hot and muggy and dark. … We lost all our food. .. It was pretty intense. A tree came down, actually hit my roof, hit my car, and then landed on my porch.”
Isaac Mootye, executive director of Brother’s Keeper shelter:
“We lost power here in the shelter for over a week. So obviously, you got 25 men in the dark, which is pretty dangerous because these guys are homeless and a lot of them have come from sordid backgrounds. And then, we have people here who are accountants, doctors, nurses — people who are down on their luck — and they come here for a bridge over troubled waters.”
Miles Lewis, local volunteer:
“We are strong, we are fighters, we are resilient, and we are brilliant. I’m going to tell you that the people of Gary, we mind our own business, we keep to ourselves, and we are a strong people. You think the world has forgotten about us, but we don’t forget about the world. And we know how to stand together and come together as a community.”
IMMIGRATION ✶
Immigration court violated due process for minors handed removal orders, advocates say
Reporting by Adriana Cardona-Maguigad
Sounding the alarm: U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and local advocates sounded the alarm Wednesday over systemic due process violations at immigration court downtown, calling a strategy to speed up cases and issue deportation orders to unaccompanied minors a “mockery of the justice system.” Advocates say since June they’ve seen a surge in cases involving unaccompanied children being called to show up to immigration court.
What they saw: Durbin, U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley, and state leaders spoke out after attending a morning hearing, where they and courtroom advocates witnessed six minors handed removal orders. “These kids, some as young as 12 years old, are now being deported from the United States,” Durbin said.
More on immigration:
- An attorney for a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer accused of sexual assault insisted Wednesday that Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri Mecklenburg should testify under oath about prosecutorial misconduct in the “Broadview Six” case.
- Mayor Brandon Johnson signed a wide-ranging executive order meant to prevent corporations that carry out corrupt or abusive practices, including assisting in aggressive federal deportation campaigns, from doing business with the city.
TRANSPORTATION 🚲
Pritzker signs e-bike regulation bill into law
Reporting by David Struett
E-bike regulations: Gov. JB Pritzker signed legislation regulating e-bikes and other powered micromobility devices. The law codifies e-bikes to their current three-tiered classification, capped at 28 mph, and, starting Jan. 1, places new restrictions for most devices capable of going any faster.
You got a fast bike: The law classifies any device capable of going faster than 28 mph as a motor vehicle and subjects its operators to the state’s drunken driving laws, according to the legislation passed by lawmakers in June. That also means owners of these high-speed devices will be required to have a driver’s license, carry insurance and register their vehicle with the state. They won’t be allowed on bike paths and, in some cases, bike lanes.
MORE NEWS YOU NEED 🗞️
- Pfleger blasts investigation: In his first public comments since being reinstated at St. Sabina Catholic Church following a decades-old sex abuse claim determined to be unfounded, the Rev. Michael Pfleger stood flanked by dozens of supporters Wednesday with a promise to “turn the volume up” on everything from social justice to how accusations against priests are investigated.
- Man fatally shot by robbers: Truck driver Justin McCauley was fatally shot at a Thornton’s in Brighton Park Tuesday moments after warning a clerk he’d spotted masked robbers outside, police said.
- Third suspect charged in woman’s death: Lyndell DeYoung has been charged in the attack of on-duty mail carrier Octavia Redmond, who was fatally shot in July 2024.
- Meta to pay Illinois after settlement: The company has agreed to pay $17 billion and add child-safety measures to its Facebook and Instagram platforms to end a landmark trial over teen social media addiction and settle claims filed by 47 states.
- State sues USPS: Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and 24 other Democratic attorneys general filed the lawsuit against the U.S. Postal Service over what they are calling an unlawful attempt to interfere with mail voting in the fast-approaching midterm elections.
- Rescued beluga dies: Peekachu, one of eight Shedd Aquarium beluga whales recently rescued from a shuttered aquatic park in Canada, has died, the aquarium announced.
- Foxtrot continues return run: The speciality grocer is set to open new locations in Lake View and Lincoln Park next year, adding to the nine stores it has opened since abruptly shuttering the business in 2024.
FOOD SCENE 🍽️
How Smyth became North America’s No. 1 restaurant
Reporting by Ambar Colón
Hard lessons: In today’s thin-margined restaurant economy, John Shields and Karen Urie Shields, the husband-and-wife duo behind Smyth and the Loyalist, have learned a critical lesson: you can’t run a high-end dining destination without a middle-of-the-road offset. Smyth can’t exist without its burger-forward sister restaurant downstairs, The Loyalist, and vice versa.
Anniversary accolades: Smyth is celebrating 10 years in business this month, a decade marked by recognitions, including three Michelin stars and being dubbed the No. 1 restaurant in North America in May by 50 Best.
How they do it: The success of the Shields’ restaurants, much like their romantic relationship, is built on a strong foundation of friendship, creativity and teamwork. Over the last decade, they’ve settled into a partnership that allows John, who is executive chef, to handle back-of-house operations, while Karen, head pastry chef, handles more of the business side.
ON WBEZ 91.5 FM 📻
In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons, 9 a.m.
- Ask the Mayor: Mayor Brandon Johnson joins the show to answer listener questions.
Say More with Mary Dixon and Patrick Smith, 10 a.m.
- Summer reading: What are you reading? Do you differentiate between summer and fall books? Matt Carr of Music Box Theater and Greta Johnsen, host of the “Happy To Be Here” podcast, join the show to discuss. Callers weigh in with book recommendations.
FROM THE PRESS BOX 🏈⚾
- From Green Bay with Love: Packers veteran QB Jordan Love and coach Matt LaFleur give their takes on the Bears and coach Ben Johnson’s goal for Caleb Williams to complete 70% of his passes.
- Roster cuts coming: The Bears must trim their roster to 53 players Sunday. Here’s who Patrick Finley thinks will make the team.
- Lingering neck issue: Ben Brown has hit a setback in his quest to return to the Cubs as a bullpen arm.
- Sox’ key player: Miguel Vargas has an “unbelievably stable” skill set, as bench coach Walker McKinven puts it, and it’s pacing the Sox’ offense.
- High school football: These are the seven under-the-radar quarterbacks who opened eyes in Week 1.
CHICAGO MINI CROSSWORD 🌭
Today’s clue: 7 A: “Good, Better, ___” (Bears mantra)
BRIGHT ONE 🔆
For BTS fans in Chicago, it has always been about more than the music
Reporting by Mendy Kong and Minju Park
It has been seven years since K-pop superstars BTS have been in Chicago. But the group’s fans have kept the fire burning during that time.
Earlier this month, Gov. JB Pritzker declared Aug. 27 and 28 “BTS Day” in Illinois after petitioning by Chicago BTS Army and the HANA Center, an immigrant advocacy nonprofit in Irving Park.
And ahead of BTS’ return to Chicago this week, fans have been gathering to bond over their shared love of the K-pop titans, including a trivia night at Lincoln Park’s Replay on Tuesday.
Between the arcade games in Replay, the tables and bar were packed with buzzing BTS fans ahead of the South Korean superstars’ sold-out “Arirang” world tour shows Thursday and Friday at Soldier Field. Many eventgoers were no strangers to local events hosted by fellow fans, and relished the friendships they were able to make through attending.
“By being a fan, I was able to connect with other people that I might never have met if I didn’t know [BTS], and those people became my best friends,” said Megan Herrera, 25, of Pilsen.
YOUR DAILY QUESTION ☕️
Today’s daily question is inspired by a segment on WBEZ’s “Say More” call-in show.
From cyclospora in lettuce to salmonella in jalapeños, how are you handling food recalls this summer?
Reply to this question via email (please include your first and last name). We may run your answer in a future newsletter or story.
PICTURE CHICAGO 📸
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Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
The former Charles Warrington Earle School in West Englewood — one of 50 Chicago schools shuttered in 2013 — which is now taking on a second life as an affordable apartment building, with roughly a third of its units already leased. City official sheld a ribbon-cutting ceremony and tour on Thursday. | Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
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Written and curated by: Matt Moore
Edited by: Michael Lansu