Good afternoon. Here’s the latest news you need to know in Chicago. It’s about a 5-minute read that will brief you on today’s biggest stories.
This afternoon will be sunny with a high near 36 degrees. Tonight will be mostly clear with a low around 30. Tomorrow will be mostly cloudy with a slight chance of rain and a high near 50.
Top story
Authorities identify the 5 people found dead in Buffalo Grove home: 2 girls, 4 and 6, their parents and their grandmother
The neighbor had worried about what was going on inside the sprawling, modern home in Buffalo Grove.
The couple was getting a divorce, and the neighbor had recently seen police cars at the home in the 2800 block of Acacia Terrace. She finally got the courage to ask the mother of two young children who lived there if everything was OK.
Yes, the woman replied as the two walked back from seeing their children onto a school bus.
Yesterday, police were called to the home to check on the well-being of the mother. They found five people dead inside: Andrei Kisliak, 39, his wife Vera Kisliak, 36, their two daughters, Vivian, 6, and Amelia, 4, and Lilia Kisliak, 67, the children’s grandmother, according to neighbors.
“They were so sweet,” the neighbor said of the children. “The older sister had a big personality. Very loud. The younger sister was very shy but so sweet.
“They were so innocent,” she added. “Such sweet girls. Babies. Babies. Just babies. How could anyone do this to their family?”
Four of the victims died from “sharp-force injuries,” according to Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek. An autopsy was still being performed on a fifth victim, but Banek did not say who that was.
Other than releasing the names of the victims and causes of death, authorities released little new information during a news conference this afternoon.
More news you need
- Homeowners in Chicago’s gentrifying Latino neighborhoods will see some of the biggest property tax increases this year, according to an analysis of tax bills by Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas. In Avondale, one of the city’s heavily Hispanic neighborhoods, the median tax bill went up 27%, Pappas says.
- Five months after the mass shooting at the Highland Park Fourth of July parade, Illinois House Democrats plan to introduce a massive gun control bill that would outlaw the sale of assault weapons and prevent most residents under 21 from legally buying a gun. State Rep. Bob Morgan, who was at the parade with his family, said Dems hope to pass the bill next month.
- Chicago’s overnight parking ban served up an unfortunate surprise to 242 drivers who woke up this morning to find their vehicles towed by the city. Some of the Chicagoans who had their cars towed expressed their frustrations to our David Struett, who has more here.
- Dozens of people gathered outside the office of Morningstar Inc., the business founded by Chicago Fire owner Joe Mansueto, over his plan to build an $80 million soccer facility on land once used for public housing. “Just because it was offered to you, doesn’t mean you have to take it,” Laura Donaldson said. Read Michael Loria’s full story here.
- Veteran Chicago police officer Isaac Lambert yesterday took the stand at his CPD whistleblower trial and testified that he was “dumped” — slang for being transferred to an undesirable posting — by police brass for refusing to alter reports in a fellow officer’s off-duty shooting of a disabled teen. “It’s as simple as this: I didn’t do what they wanted me to do. I did what was right and I got screwed,” Lambert testified. Andy Grimm has more from the courthouse here.
- Inspired by a reader question, our colleagues at WBEZ, with the help of researchers from Lincoln Park Zoo’s Urban Wildlife Institute, made a really cool interactive story about the bats who live in our city. Learn more about the Eastern pipistrelle, the hoary bat and other local bats here.
A bright one
Chicago TikTok historian eyes home base for neighborhood tour company with city grant
Auburn Gresham native and Chicago historian Shermann “Dilla” Thomas has been producing bite-sized history lessons for audiences on TikTok, where he has garnered over one million likes and nearly 100,000 followers.
He’s also expanded his classroom from social media to chartered bus tours around South and West Side neighborhoods to share the history and beauty in communities he loves.
A grant announced by Mayor Lori Lightfoot yesterday will give Thomas a home base for his Chicago Mahogany Tours. The funding from the city’s $40 million commitment in Community Development Grants is part of the Chicago Recovery Plan.
Mahogany Tours is one of 61 groups that will receive money as part of the announcement. The grant money ranges from $12,000 to $5 million “to support neighborhood vitality, economic development, community wealth-building, public health, and local planning goals,” the mayor said yesterday in a news release.
“Two of my highest priorities as Mayor are funneling resources into communities that have gone far too long without and removing barriers for residents who have too often been shut out from opportunities to obtain upward mobility,” said Lightfoot. “Through the Community Development Grant program, we are able to make good on both of these commitments while simultaneously driving our city’s equitable economic growth.
From the press box
- With the Bulls’ season spiraling a bit, Joe Cowley has more on the challenges facing coach Billy Donovan.
- Schools around Illinois are set to vote on a proposed IHSA rule change aimed at cracking down on transfers, Michael O’Brien reports.
- Patrick Mahomes II credits former Bears coach Matt Nagy with helping him be prepared to impress the Chiefs’ brass before the 2017 NFL Draft.
Your daily question ☕
How should the Bears handle Justin Fields over the final month of the 2022 season?
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Yesterday, we asked you: What’s one thing you can find in every Chicago home? Here’s what some of you said...
“Package of Vienna Beef hot dogs.” — Mary DalSanto O’Leary
“Red light camera ticket.” — Paul Burgos
“A bottle of Malort for out of town guests!” — Kevin Nelson
“A case of water sitting on the kitchen floor.” — Traci Mae
“Chicago sports collectors’ items.” — Gale Vanpelt
“A jar of neon pickle relish!” — Carol Swanson
“A dibs chair! In the summer it might be under the back porch, in the snow season on the front porch or gangway.” — Jeff Knees
“Snow shovel and/or snow blower!” — Leslye Y. Kauthe
“Royal Dansk Cookie tin with no cookies in it, but filled to the brim with sewing supplies!” — Kimberley Egonmwan
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