Good afternoon, Chicago. ✶
What makes a place feel like a classic Chicago spot?
For me, a few things come to mind — wood paneling, a bright and unique sign, maybe there’s a counter in the mix (probably laminate), or something on the menu that feels like it has cost the same for years, and the presence of regulars who give off the impression that there’s nowhere else they’d rather be.
I’m thinking Sidekicks in Old Irving Park, where neon lights shine on wood-paneled walls, folks belt their hearts out and no one could care less how you sound. Or Lem’s Bar-B-Q in Greater Grand Crossing, where that big sign’s bright bulbs and neon green hue pull you into a line that wraps around the building as the smell hangs over you and everyone waits eagerly to get to the counter to order. Heck, I still get excited when I go to the Billy Goat Tavern under Michigan Avenue and buy a burger for about $5!
While we’ve lost plenty of storied businesses the last few years, I’m thankful that we still have so many institutions going strong these days. And thanks to your answers to Wednesday’s question of the day, I’ve got a few more “old-school Chicago” places to check out.
But before we take off, here are the stories you need to know this afternoon.
⏱️: A 7-minute read
— Matt Moore, newsletter reporter (@MattKenMoore)
TODAY’S TOP STORY
Temporary Chicago casino could open this summer as Bally’s plan clears state hurdle
Reporting by Mitchell Armentrout
Temporary casino could open soon: State regulators today handed down a key early approval to Bally’s Chicago casino plan, paving the way for the corporation to launch a temporary gambling house within a couple of months at the historic Medinah Temple in River North while it builds the permanent structure in River West.
The vote: The four-member Illinois Gaming Board voted unanimously on a finding of “preliminary suitability” for Rhode Island-based Bally’s, which was former Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s pick to spearhead the casino that eluded generations of mayors before her. Lightfoot pushed Bally’s plan through the City Council last spring after a contentious operator selection process, and the corporation applied for state approval in August.
Next steps: The gaming board’s “preliminary suitability” finding allows Bally’s to lay the groundwork for its operations both at Medinah and the $1.7 billion casino complex it has envisioned at the site of the Chicago Tribune printing press at Chicago Avenue and Halsted Street, which is expected to open by 2026. But the curtain won’t rise until Bally’s meets a final set of regulatory hurdles, including a test run of its slots and table games, before the temporary Medinah site can open.
WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?
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Landmark home catches fire: The owner of one of the city’s oldest homes jumped into action when a fire started early this morning in Austin. The blaze was mostly confined to the attic of the home, known as the Seth P. Warner House, the owner said.
- Jury reaches verdict in bribery case: A verdict has been reached in the trial of businessman James T. Weiss, who is accused of bribing two state lawmakers to push legislation in the Illinois General Assembly. Our Jon Seidel has the latest on this developing story.
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Chicago police to work overtime NASCAR race weekend: Chicago police officers will have to work overtime to direct traffic for street closures related to the race over July Fourth weekend, but the Chicago Police Department says other officers will still patrol neighborhoods.
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Bailey backs Trump, vies for support: Fresh from his front-row seat at Donald Trump’s post-arraignment political rally, downstate farmer Darren Bailey Wednesday pledged his full-throated support for the former president — ahead of the former state senator’s own expected attempt at a political comeback.
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Revered Chicago fashion designer dies at age 60: Calls to Thierry Andre Roger often traced back to a simple cocktail party question: Where’d you get that dress?
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Museum of Contemporary Art hikes suggested admission price: For Chicago residents, student and seniors, tickets will go from $8 to $10, and the adult price will go from $15 to $19.
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Pickleball-themed restaurant to open in suburbs: Pickle Haus, a pickleball and pizza joint complete with 12 indoor playing courts, is set to open in November in Algonquin.
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Get paid to eat cheese?: Calling for a “descriptive sensory panelist,” the University of Wisconsin-Madison wants to pay someone to taste up to 24 cheese samples, 12 pizzas and other food products a week, according to a job summary.
- Steppenwolf gig a ‘dream come true’ for Judy Greer: The actor makes her Steppenwolf stage debut in “Another Marriage,” opening tonight and running through July 23.
OUR CITY IN COLOR 🎨
Reporting by Richie Requena
The owners of the building at 2001 N. Clybourn Ave. were thinking about commissioning a mural to go out front when they approached Levar Hoard for help.
But Hoard thought: Why not put it in the back, where three alleys converge?
The spot offers a good line of sight onto Armitage Avenue, which dead ends there at Racine Avenue and is “the most beautiful street in all of Chicago,” according to Hoard.
Hoard says he brought in Mexican artist Eskat to create the mural because of the way his style melds realism with an abstract sensibility. Eskat called the mural, which he painted in 2019, “En Busca del Camino” — which means “In Search of the Way.”
It stands four stories tall, seeming to snake up the building.
There’s a “symbolic woman” in the piece who’s supposed to be “from the Victorian era but brought to today with art — it’s a contemporary take,” Hoard says, that offers a nod to the many Victorian-style homes found in Lincoln Park.
BRIGHT ONE ✨
Father and son are heading to college with a surprise scholarship: ‘I was not expecting any of this’
Reporting by Nereida Moreno
Logan Garcia was a junior at Juarez High School in Pilsen when he learned that a local nonprofit would offer to pay for students to go to college for free, regardless of grades. To top it off, one of their parents would be eligible for a full scholarship as well.
Up to that point, Logan had been planning to get a job after high school — maybe as a barista or at the airport with his mom. He had watched his sisters struggle with college debt and wanted to find a different path. But everything changed when he found out he would receive the scholarship.
Philanthropists and entrepreneurs Pete Kadens and Ted Koenig launched Hope Chicago, which partnered with Juarez and four other public high schools to increase college access on the South and West sides.
At least four graduating classes will receive scholarships to one of 23 colleges or training programs in Illinois —that includes four years of tuition, room and board, a new laptop, plus books and fees.
For Logan’s family, the Hope Chicago scholarship has meant a chance at a fresh start. His father, James Garcia, wants to go back to school and explore a new career.
“I get a second wind or my next chapter,” he said.
YOUR DAILY QUESTION ☕️
If you had to choose only one Chicago restaurant to eat at — for every meal, every day — for the rest of your life, which would you choose? Tell us why.
Email us (please include your first and last name and where you live). To see the answers to this question, check our Morning Edition newsletter. Not subscribed to Morning Edition? Sign up here so you won’t miss a thing!
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Editor: Ellery Jones
Newsletter reporter: Matt Moore
Copy editor: Angie Myers
