Daywatch: Connecting city’s rich baseball past to its future
Good morning, Chicago.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker embarks today on a trip to the United Kingdom to sell Illinois as a business destination as he continues looking for a marquee win in his push to make the state a major hub for the burgeoning electric vehicle industry.
As he did during a trip to the U.K. in 2021 and to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, earlier this year, Pritzker — Illinois’ self-appointed “chief marketing officer” — is expected to tout the state’s ambitious plans for electric vehicle and clean energy development, along with the economic benefits of its central location in the U.S. and its logistics infrastructure.
The governor’s office was unable to give specific examples of businesses that chose to relocate to Illinois or expand in the state as a result of those earlier trips.
Read the full story from the Tribune’s Dan Petrella and Robert Channick.
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Tornado confirmed near O’Hare as evening storms spark tornado warnings in Cook, DuPage
Weather sirens in city and suburban communities across the area blared Wednesday evening as strong thunderstorms triggered tornado warnings in Cook and DuPage counties.
At least one tornado was confirmed as having touched down near O’Hare International Airport, according to the National Weather Service. The poor weather briefly grounded all flights at O’Hare and Midway airports, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
In fight for Illinois Senate seat, divisions among Democrats on display
Most Chicagoans probably can’t name their state senator, whose Springfield lawmaking duties are far removed from the essential potholes-and-permits power wielded by aldermen.
But the high emotions and big crowd that jammed into the Hamlin Park field house Monday to see Democratic Party insiders name a 20th District replacement for Cristina Pacione-Zayas prove the importance the posts have for some residents, and for a party that’s continuing to separate along ideological lines, with various factions looking to exert their power.
Asylum-seekers denounce treatment at Pilsen shelter and deliver letter to mayor; alderman denies allegations
It took a lot for Maura Falcon, an asylum-seeker and mother, to speak up about the mistreatment and concerns that she says she has been experiencing at the makeshift shelter where she has been living since arriving in Chicago from Venezuela. Initially, she said, she was just grateful to have a place to sleep and warm food, but three months later, things have changed.
At the volunteer-run shelter in Pilsen, asylum-seekers were promised safety and help to settle in the city in early May. But efforts stagnated and the shelter is troubled, say some of the migrants living there.
Naperville teen gets law passed requiring students learn how to respond to life-threatening allergic reactions
Illinois high school students will be taught how to recognize and respond to life-threatening allergic reactions starting in the 2024-25 school year because Naperville student Darby Elo went above and beyond to fulfill a social studies assignment.
The new law signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker June 30 was an extension of a project Darby completed in her junior year while taking a peace and conflicts studies class at Naperville Central High School.
Column: Double Duty Classic connects city’s rich baseball past with its future
During the height of the Negro Leagues, Chicago was home to an annual Black baseball celebration, the East-West All-Star Game. Held at Comiskey Park, the first East-West game was on Sept. 10, 1933, — two months after Major League Baseball’s inaugural All-Star game. The East-West game was played at Comiskey 28 times, more than any other venue, and was a premier event of the summer until 1960.
The Double Duty Classic (DDC), held annually by the White Sox since 2007, recreates the same vibe as the East-West games, writes Shakeia Taylor. Named after Ted “Double Duty” Radcliffe, who played for the Chicago American Giants, the game features elite inner-city high school baseball players from across the country.
Siskel Film Center executive director Emily Long: ‘How do we overcome the convenience that exists on the couch?’
Raised mostly in the Chicago suburbs, Long succeeded longtime Film Center executive director Jean de St. Aubin in May. “I’ve always wanted to run a theater,” she told me.
Michael Phillips interviewed Long about growing up in Hinsdale, the Film Center calendar and more.
