Good morning, Chicago. ✶
🔎 Below: Read the first installation in our multipart series tracing Chicago’s Lithuanian connections.
🗞️ Plus: Much-needed grocery stores shutter after years of turmoil, a whale of a controversy arrives at the Shedd Aquarium and more news you need to know.
📝 Keeping score: The Cubs beat the Tigers, 11-2; the White Sox were shut out by the Rangers, 10-0.
📧 Subscribe: Get our morning newsletter delivered to your inbox weekday mornings.
⏱️: An 8-minute read
TODAY’S WEATHER 🌤️
Mostly sunny with a high near 74.
TODAY’S TOP STORY 🔎
U.S. can learn from Lithuania, a younger democracy aided by Chicagoans
Reporting by Stephanie Zimmermann
New series: In April, Sun-Times reporter Stephanie Zimmermann and photo desk editor Ashlee Rezin traveled to Lithuania on assignment, meeting dignitaries and everyday citizens, traversing its back roads and city streets, and diving into the country’s rich history to see how issues there impact Chicago and Midwestern readers. The result: A multipart series launching today.
Why Lithuania?: Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, many in the U.S. have worried what would happen if Russian President Vladimir Putin tried attacking a European NATO country. Lithuania, a NATO member since 2004, is a prime target. The small country of 2.8 million people — slightly more than Chicago’s population — recently celebrated the 36th anniversary of its independence. Lithuanians are known for sticking their necks out for democracy. Chicagoans helped with that when the country pushed for independence.
Baltic connection: Chicago has huge ties to the tiny nation northeast of Poland and across the Baltic Sea from Sweden. Among the city’s famous Lithuanians: Valdas Adamkus, who became president of the country twice; U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin; and Matas Buzelis, the Bulls star who played for Lituanica Athletic Club in Lemont. Upton Sinclair’s “The Jungle” centers an exploited Lithuanian immigrant. Today, about 60,000 Lithuanian Americans live in the Chicago area.
Personal history: Our reporter’s late mother was born in Lithuania, having fled the country as a child when the Soviet reoccupation began in 1944. This reporting trip brought Stephanie face-to-face with global, local and personal history. She explains more in this introductory column.
Part One: What can America’s 250-year-old democracy learn from a 36-year-old upstart? In the series’ first part, we hear from Lithuanians who participated in the Baltic Way demonstration in 1989 and defended Lithuania’s parliament building from Soviet tanks in January 1991, a year after declaring independence. We also speak with young Lithuanians protecting their democracy against online misinformation, foreign attacks and voter apathy.
Coming this week: We’ll take you inside Lithuania’s defense strategy against Russia.
GROCERIES 🛒
Save A Lot stores set to close Saturday after years of turmoil
Reporting by Mariah Rush
Stores close: After opening seven Save A Lot discount stores on the South and West sides with a promise to address food deserts, embattled operator Yellow Banana is set to shutter all stores this weekend, leaving some predominantly Black and Brown neighborhoods without a grocery.
Taxpayer funds: Ohio-based Yellow Banana has a redevelopment agreement with the city of Chicago, through which it received more than $13 million in taxpayer financing to renovate and reopen Save A Lot locations. Save A Lot says it’s cutting ties with Yellow Banana, and without a corporate sponsor, Yellow Banana is set to close all of its stores.
Key context: The news comes years after Yellow Banana operators promised Chicagoans on the South and West sides that they would provide quality food. Citations and penalties for expired foods, upcharging of customers, and overgrown weeds continued throughout the entirety of Yellow Banana’s ownership. The recent death of its CEO dealt the company its largest blow.
ANIMALS 🐳
Rescued belugas have arrived in Chicago, but the move is controversial
Reporting by Stefano Esposito
Rescue mission: In special steel containers marked “live animals, this side up,” four beluga whales arrived in the predawn hours Tuesday at Shedd Aquarium from a shuttered aquatic park in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Shedd officials said the whales were chosen to move together “because of their preexisting bonds with one another.” The youngest is 21 years old, while the oldest is 27.
The controversy: Some Canadian animal rights advocates have been sounding the alarm for years about the whales’ welfare at the aquatic park. Now they’re concerned the Shedd will breed the animals, a possible violation of Canadian law. While Shedd officials didn’t rule out the belugas being bred at some point, they say their focus at the moment is to keep the whales safe.
PUBLIC SAFETY 🚨
- Bar closes after shooting: Acting police Supt. Fred Waller closed the Dime in Lincoln Park on Tuesday after fights that spilled outside culminated in a deadly shooting this weekend. Prosecutors rejected charges against a person of interest taken into custody.
- Woman sentenced for human smuggling: A federal judge gave a nine-year prison sentence to Gladys Ibanez-Olea, who admitted she helped illegally smuggle people into the U.S. from Mexico, harbored them in her Highland Park home, and forced them to work and turn over their pay.
- Cop charged in attack: Chicago police officer Roderick Hummons, who is on security detail for top city officials, was charged this week with battering the mother of his child, months after she was granted a protective order following another alleged attack.
- Police set ICE rules: The city’s police department has finally issued guidelines on how to collect and retain evidence against federal immigration agents suspected of violating state law, six months after a mayoral executive order was issued that directed them to do so.
MORE NEWS YOU NEED 🗞️
- Ex-Chicago Daily News building landmarked: The nearly 97-year-old Art Deco building used to house the city’s storied newspaper before the Daily News was purchased by the Sun-Times in 1959, but the structure’s importance never diminished.
- Air quality warnings remain: While the air is healthier this week after days of dangerous conditions due to Canadian wildfire smoke, the Chicago area could still see fluctuations in air quality as nearly 900 wildfires continue to burn up north.
- State of the Loop: Visitors to arts and culture venues in the Loop are bringing more dollars to Downtown, but weekday foot traffic is still below 2019 levels, according to Chicago Loop Alliance’s second-quarter report.
- Leahy Building sold: Though largely vacant, the River North building is home to the Sound Bar nightclub. Its new owner plans to convert the building into apartments.
POLITICS ✶
State board rules Macías, Sigcho-Lopez won’t appear on ballot for ‘Chuy’ house seat
Reporting by Tina Sfondeles
Signature issue: Mayra Macías and Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th), two independent candidates vying for U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García’s congressional seat, will not appear on the November ballot. The Illinois State Board of Elections ruled Tuesday that neither submitted the minimum number of valid petition signatures required.
In the running: Lyons Mayor Chris Getty, whose petitions weren’t challenged, is the only independent to secure a position. All three say they were inspired to run after Rep. García abruptly dropped out of the race and raised eyebrows by quickly helping his chief of staff, Patty García, get enough signatures to make a tight deadline.
Their takes: Macías and Sigcho-Lopez criticized the process in which Patty García became the Democratic nominee. Patty García said she wants to move past the matter because voters “aren’t talking about the process.”
ON WBEZ 91.5 FM 📻
In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons, 9 a.m.
- Archives closures: The National Archives and Records Administration announced last month plans to close federal record facilities in San Francisco, Seattle and Chicago over the next few years. Chicago archivists explain why they see this as a threat to history and information.
Say More with Mary Dixon and Patrick Smith, 10 a.m.
- The Onion relaunches InfoWars: The Chicago-based satirical news outlet, The Onion, is now operating the former right-wing conspiracy site InfoWars. Onion CEO Ben Collins discusses plans for the site and how humor can help a tough situation. Callers weigh in.
FROM THE PRESS BOX 🏈🏀⚾
- Purple praise: The new Ryan Field gives Northwestern a spectacular football venue 100 years in the making, writes Ben Pope.
- The 3 who got away: The Sky don’t have an All-Star this season, but players who they could have drafted or failed to keep will be in Chicago for the WNBA All-Star Game on Saturday.
- Teel could be out for season: The Sox recalled Edgar Quero after Kyle Teel’s latest setback in a tough sophomore campaign, adding another position to GM Chris Getz’s trade-deadline to-do list.
- Arms still needed: Reliever Trent Thornton seems OK after taking a 109 mph liner off his foot, but mound help remains a priority for the Cubs.
CHICAGO MINI CROSSWORD 🌭
Today’s clue: 3D: Company that calls their cheesecake “Chicago’s most famous dessert”
BRIGHT ONE 🔆
Rainbow Cone marks 100 years of serving up its signature sliced and stacked treat
Reporting by Lisa Shames
To the uninitiated, a Rainbow Cone with its five colorful ice creams stacked in a seemingly gravity-defying way might seem like a recent Instagram-inspired creation. But Chicagoans, especially those on the South Side, know that the Original Rainbow Cone shop and its photogenic namesake are local institutions.
Launched in August 1926 in a small shack at 92nd Street and Western Avenue, Rainbow Cone turns 100 this year with a slew of events to mark the occasion.
Back when Joe and Katherine Sapp started the business, Beverly was nothing like it is today. The couple saw potential in the area that was dominated by dirt roads and dotted with apple orchards and summer cottages.
A car mechanic by trade, Joe was inspired to open Rainbow Cone for a simple reason. “He always loved ice cream and was fascinated by it,” said Lynn Sapp, the third-generation owner of Rainbow Cone.
“I call it the mini miracle as it’s still around after the Depression and wars and all the other challenges,” Sapp said. “As complicated as people get, it’s still a basic ice cream cone and one of the beauties of it is you have to sit back, relax and just enjoy it.”
YOUR DAILY QUESTION ☕️
What longtime Chicago institution should more people know about?
Email your answer to us (please include your first and last name). We may run your answer in a future newsletter or story.
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.