‘No plan’ for Bears to stay in Chicago

Good morning, Chicago. ✶

🔎 Below: Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office has peddled the dream that the Bears will stay in Chicago, but Gov. JB Pritzker says Johnson has “no plan” to make it happen. 

🗞️ Plus: Parking meters could be sold again, Chicago venues’ phone-free trend and more news you need to know.

📝 Keeping score: The Cubs fell to the Brewers, 9-3; the White Sox lost to the Mariners, 6-1.

📧 Subscribe: Get this newsletter delivered to your inbox weekday mornings.

⏱️: An 8-minute read

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TODAY’S WEATHER ☁️

Mostly cloudy with a chance of thunderstorms and a high near 78.

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TODAY’S TOP STORY 🔎

Mayor Johnson has ‘no plan’ to keep Bears in Chicago, Pritzker says

By Fran Spielman and Patrick Finley

‘No plan’: Gov. JB Pritzker said Monday that Mayor Brandon Johnson has “no plan” to keep the Bears in Chicago, declaring Johnson’s long-shot hope for city control over the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority was “typical” for a mayor he says has accomplished little in Springfield. The remarks revive earlier tensions between Pritzker and Johnson.

The Chicago Wheres? When the NFL holds its quarterly meeting Tuesday in Orlando, the Bears plan to reiterate the only two viable sites they’re considering are Arlington Heights and Hammond, Indiana — and nowhere else, a source told the Sun-Times on Monday. The team has said it plans to decide between the two in late spring or early summer.

Key context: Pritzker’s claim about Johnson is not quite accurate. Two years ago, the mayor joined Bears president Kevin Warren in unveiling plans for a domed lakefront stadium that would have required $2.4 billion in public support. Pritzker was noticeably absent, and the mayor’s plan went nowhere in Springfield. Earlier this month, Johnson went to the capital to try to tank the Arlington Heights plan.

What Pritzker wants: The governor and state lawmakers are focusing on Arlington Heights. A megaprojects bill that would allow the Bears to negotiate discounted property tax payments with local school districts is before the Illinois Senate. Pritzker said Monday he expected the bill to land on his desk before the Legislature adjourns its spring session May 31.

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WATCH: STADIUM SAGA EXPLAINED ▶️

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PUBLIC SAFETY 🚨

Man stalked ex’s new partner before targeting him in deadly shooting, court records say

By Violet Miller and Sophie Sherry

Stalking history: Court records show Ammar Houssamo had a long history of stalking his ex-husband’s new partner, Nick Calzaretta. It started in August 2023, when Houssamo allegedly sent a message to Calzaretta on a dating app asking him to be “friends with benefits,” and soon escalated, records say. In a series of court filings, Calzaretta said Houssamo’s actions forced him to quit his job and made him worried about leaving home.

Deadly shooting: Cook County prosecutors said Houssamo tracked Calzaretta down as he was walking his dog Thursday morning in Edgewater. As Calzaretta screamed out, “Leave me alone,” Houssamo fatally shot him before turning the gun on himself, according to a police report. Houssamo survived and he’s now charged with first-degree murder and illegal gun possession.

Protective order nixed: The shooting came two years after a Cook County judge vacated a protective order keeping Houssamo from contacting or interacting with Calzaretta or the ex-husband, whose identity is being withheld. Calzaretta’s brother said the family is questioning how Houssamo got the guns and why the protective order was lifted.

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IMMIGRATION ✶

• ‘Broadview 6′ trial nears: A Monday hearing largely revolved around whether prosecutors will try to hold the four remaining defendants of the “Broadview Six” accountable for their own actions or those of the crowd they joined. The trial is set for May 26.
• Ald. sues federal government: Ald. Jessie Fuentes (26th) has filed a lawsuit accusing federal agents of shoving, handcuffing and nearly arresting her after she went to a hospital to check on a constituent whose leg was severely injured during Operation Midway Blitz last fall.
• Running quest continues: Joabe Barbosa, a Brazilian national and Roosevelt University grad student, has been on a quest to run every street in Chicago, despite an expiring visa threatening his stay. Now, he’ll get to remain through 2028 thanks to a teaching arrangement.

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MORE NEWS YOU NEED 🗞️

• Rush nurses unionize: Rush University Medical Center nurses on Monday secured enough votes in favor of being represented by the National Nurses Organizing Committee, an affiliate of the larger National Nurses United. The final count saw 77% vote in support.
• Services for firefighter: Chicago firefighter Steven M. Decker, 61, died last week during training, fire officials said. Funeral services for Decker, a firefighter for 30 years, are scheduled Thursday and Friday.
• Hantavirus risk low: A Winnebago County resident tested for hantavirus does not have the infection, state health officials said, emphasizing the very low risk of the disease’s spread in Illinois.
• Museum labor strife: The Chicago History Museum violated federal labor laws after management disciplined and fired employees for unionizing, the National Labor Relations Board claims in a complaint filed last week.
• Council backs affordable housing: Chicago must ensure the availability of 2,000 affordable housing units for people with disabilities and 800 units for hearing and visually impaired residents, under a $2.25 million settlement advanced Monday by a City Council committee.
• School Board race begins: Prospective Chicago School Board candidates, incumbents and supporters flocked Monday to file petitions declaring their candidacy. This year, all 20 seats as well as the citywide board president position will be decided by voters.
• Parking meters could be sold: The owner of Chicago’s parking meters is seeking to sell the asset to a New York investment firm, but the deal requires approval from City Council.

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ARTS AND CULTURE 📵

Going to a show in Chicago? Be prepared to hand over your phone until it’s over

By Ambar Colón

‘Unplugged’ trend: If you want a deep dive into Chicago arts and culture, check your phone at the door. An “unplugged” trend is growing locally among arts groups responding to a collective desire for more phone-free experiences. Organizers say they aim to deepen human connection and offer spaces for creating art.

How it works: Recently, dozens of people filed into a River North co-working space for a pop-up, hands-on, phone-free experience. They slipped their devices into cloth pouches at the door and spent the night on crafts, reading and games. In Edgewater, a theater requires audiences to place their phones in pouches that lock magnetically for the duration of a 100-minute show.

Key context: For some Chicago cafes and lounges — such as Kibbitznest Books, Brews & Blarney and Verzênay in Lincoln Park — the trend isn’t new. These places are intentionally free of Wi-Fi, offering board games and books instead of a sea of silent, disconnected remote workers. Musicians such as Phoebe Bridgers and David Byrne have enforced no-phone zones at their events, too, using pouches or lockers.

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ON WBEZ 91.5 FM 📻

In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons, 9 a.m.

• Mental health help: The Crisis Assistance Response and Engagement program, which dispatches mental health professionals and EMTs to certain 911 calls, is expanding to all city police districts. Tiffany Patton-Burnside, of CARE, and Chicago Deputy Mayor of Health and Human Services Arturo Carrillo discuss.
• Love late in life: Guests Megan Wessels, of Throwback Dating, and couple Eden Bernal and Jack Smith talk about what dating is like for older adults.

Say More with Mary Dixon and Patrick Smith, 10 a.m.

• ‘The Conviction Machine’: Attorney and author G. Flint Taylor discusses his new book, which connects the police killing of Fred Hampton to the torture of accused murderer Jackie Wilson.
• Small talk: Author Nicholas Epley talks about his new book “A Little More Social” and the benefits of small talk with strangers. Callers weigh in.

LISTEN LIVE 🎧

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FROM THE PRESS BOX ⚾

• DraftKings pivots: Citing Illinois’ high taxes on sports wagering, the company is ending in-person betting at its Wrigley Field location. The venue will remain open as a sports bar.
• PCA regrets vulgar response: The Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong reflected on his response to a woman who heckled him Sunday at Rate Field and the backlash that has followed. 
• MMM good: The three Ms at the heart of the Sox’ batting order — Munetaka Murakami, Colson Montgomery and Miguel Vargas — have accounted for two-thirds of the team’s home run total.

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CHICAGO MINI CROSSWORD 🌭

Today’s clue: 7A: Girl & The Goat chef Stephanie ___

PLAY NOW

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BRIGHT ONE 🔆

Dancers in Chinatown celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

By Violet Miller

Melody Wu, a teacher at the Bridgeport-based DanDance Art Academy, gave her dancers a smiling thumbs-up as they finished a public performance Sunday in Chinatown Square.

The Uyghur ethnic dance was part of an event celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

“The girls are so hardworking,” Wu said. “As a teacher, I’ve been glad to see them improve themselves.”

Sunday’s showcase featured a variety of dances, including the face-changing art of bian lian, performed by Zhi Qing Aiu. He swapped masks mid-performance, sometimes hidden behind a fan or hand, to show the changing mood of his dance’s story.

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YOUR DAILY QUESTION ☕️

How do you feel about entertainment venues asking audiences to check in their phones for a device-free experience?

Email your answer (please include your first and last name). We may run your answer in a future newsletter or story.

Yesterday, we asked you: What now-closed Chicago business do you miss the most?

Here’s some of what you said…

“Ashkenaz Deli in the Gold Coast. Their GeForce fish was the best in Chicago!” — Maurine Neiberg 

“Rose Records on Wabash; spent many a day looking for the latest releases.” — Rick Faber

“I miss Quenchers Saloon the most. Large beer selection. Better than average food.” — Michael Blane

“Montgomery Wards. I have SO many fond memories as a kid of making my Christmas list based upon the items contained within their Christmas catalog, which I would peruse constantly! I enjoyed every single trip to their Evergreen Plaza … location. And my grandmother even worked at the downtown store.” — Derek D. Forest

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Thanks for reading the Sun-Times Morning Edition!
Got a story you think we missed? Email us here.

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Written and curated by: Matt Moore
Editor: Eydie Cubarrubia

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