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 85 degrees. Tonight will be clear with a low near 62. Tomorrow will be sunny with a high near 85.
Top story
Remembering Queen Elizabeth’s historic 1959 Chicago visit
Chicago will forever have a special connection with Queen Elizabeth II, who died today at the age of 96.
The longest-reigning British monarch visited Chicago in 1959 along with her husband Prince Philip, at the invitation of then-Mayor Richard J. Daley. The royal couple was in the U.S. for an official tour of the Great Lakes region following the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway. It would be their only U.S. port of disembarkation on the tour.
According to news reports at the time, more than 1 million spectators lined the lakeshore and Michigan Avenue for a parade to welcome the couple after their arrival via the HMY Britannia, at the landing at Buckingham Fountain.
“A wild, noisy reception went off on the lakefront. Jets crisscrossed overhead. Fireboats shot plumes of water 100 feet in the air. Mortars bombarded the sunny blue sky with the Stars and Stripes and Union Jacks,” Chicago Daily News reporter Henry M. Hanson wrote of the festivities surrounding the royal arrival.
Among the places visited in a 14-hour whirlwind tour by the queen and her husband were Navy Pier where a 2,300-foot-long red carpet welcomed them for a look at the Chicago International Trade Fair, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum of Science and Industry, the University of Chicago, lunch at the Ambassador Hotel, and a formal gala dinner at the Conrad Hilton Hotel.
In an unexpected tour stop, the queen underwent an emergency tooth filling by a Chicago dentist at his downtown office just hours before the gala dinner.
You can find more on the queen’s visit and additional archival photos here.
More news you need
- The civilian agency that oversees the Chicago Police Department has released a final report on the fatal police shooting of Anthony Alvarez, who was killed during a foot chase last year. Among other conclusions, the Civilian Office of Police Accountability determined that officer Evan Solano’s use of deadly force against Alvarez was not justified.
- Chicago’s Rainbow PUSH Coalition today sent a truckload of drinking water to victims of the eastern Kentucky flooding. The donation comes as eastern Kentucky continues to deal with the fallout of storms in late July that brought about deadly flooding in the area.
- R. Kelly’s federal trial in Chicago resumed today with Derrell McDavid, Kelly’s former business manager, taking the stand for a second day. Our Andy Grimm has the latest from the Dirksen Federal Courthouse here.
- A nearly 100-year-old road that runs through Harvey, Dixmoor and Riverdale will be modernized for the first time in its history thanks to a $94 million investment from the state, officials say. The project will take about two full construction seasons with an expected finish date in the summer of 2025.
- In a meeting with residents last night, Sen. Robert Peters and state Rep. Marcus Evans touted a plan to create Chicago’s first offshore wind farm on the Southeast Side. Our Brett Chase has more on the lawmakers’ pitch and how residents are responding here.
A bright one
‘Same page’: Cubs’ Seiya Suzuki, interpreter Toy Matsushita face rookie major-league seasons together
The player-interpreter relationship goes far beyond interviews and press conferences. For an MLB rookie like Seiya Suzuki, who is living and working in the United States for the first time, his interpreter Toy Matsushita not only bridges the language barrier between the player and his teammates and coaches, but also serves as a de facto guide through an unfamiliar league and country.
So, how is it spending all that time together?
“A lot of stuff is new for both of us,” Suzuki said through Matsushita. “... I feel that this year is really important as a stepping stone. I’m trying to learn things here, and he’s trying to learn things, too. So, we’re both on the same page.”
Suzuki said that his first impression of Matsushita was that he was young. At 25 years old, he’s not that much younger than Suzuki, who turned 28 a couple weeks ago. They quickly developed an almost brotherly dynamic, which was clear to see when they set up at UCLA this spring for a couple weeks of workouts, as Suzuki navigated free agency.
Matsushita’s ability to speak in, and translate, baseball vernacular has impressed the clubhouse. It’s a specialized skill that isn’t easy to find. And it’s necessary for a player’s development. If an English-speaking coach has identified a swing adjustment, for example, that information has to effectively pass through the interpreter.
Matsushita never played baseball, but his late grandfather, Yoji Suzuki, passed on his love for the sport. Born in Tokyo and raised in Guam, Matsushita would watch the Yankees with his grandfather, who would teach him the ins and outs of the game.
Matsushita never played baseball, but his late grandfather, Yoji Suzuki, passed on his love for the sport. Born in Tokyo and raised in Guam, Matsushita would watch the Yankees with his grandfather, who would teach him the ins and outs of the game.
Maddie Lee has more with Suzuki and Matsushita here.
From the press box
- Finale or Finals? It’s up to the Sky in a deciding Game 5 against the Sun tonight at 7 p.m. Read Annie Costabile’s preview of the must-win matchup.
- Who will call each of the Bears’ games this season? Jeff Agrest makes his predictions for who Bears fans should expect to listen to on TV this fall.
- Fans attending Bears games at Soldier Field will want to bring a debit or credit card as the stadium goes cashless starting with the season opener against San Francisco.
- Veteran shortstop Elvis Andrus is making his impact felt on the South Side, Daryl Van Schouwen writes.
Your daily question☕
What does democracy mean to you?
A lot of Americans are likely asking themselves that question these days. The November midterm election is right around the corner. Reproductive rights and voting rights are under assault. No wonder that in a recent poll, one in five — 21% — of Americans said that “threats to democracy” are the most important issue facing the country today, a bigger concern than inflation, jobs, the economy, climate change and immigration.
We want to hear from readers on this crucial question. Is American democracy in crisis? If so, what should our nation do to avert the crisis? What can we do as a country to foster greater civic participation?
Send your thoughts in a letter of 250 words or less to letters@suntimes.com, with “Democracy” in the subject line.
We will publish a selection of letters in print and online on Sept. 15, the International Day of Democracy, as part of a collaborative project among media organizations nationwide who will be publishing news stories, editorials and other coverage of the state of democracy in America.
Yesterday, we asked you: What’s something that every Chicagoan has in common?
Here’s what some of you said...
“Knowing the rules to dibs. I can tell you’re an out-of-towner when you don’t know the rules.” — Lauren Edwards
“Our love of food as Chicago has some of the best restaurants to offer.” — Maurice Snell
“We all have stories about the worst winter that we can remember.” — Linda Brons Douglas
“They are tough and resilient.” — Jim Buettner
“Saying pop and gym shoes.” — Jim Williamson
Thanks for reading the Chicago Sun-Times Afternoon Edition. Got a story you think we missed? Email us here.
