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A daily look at the most significant and interesting stories affecting Chicago. Written by Monica Eng, Justin Kaufmann and Carrie Shepherd.

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A majority of you would head for the Hollywood Hills — if you decided to leave Chicago (and Illinois).

What's happening: In our Axios Chicago survey last week, 18% of the 460 respondents picked California as their top destination. The warmth, beautiful nature, and the ocean all added up for readers.

Why it matters: Our survey is hardly scientific, but it appears to track with recent migration trends.

State of play: Florida topped the states for Illinois residents to move, according to an analysis of 2022 data by MoveBuddha.

The new data says Illinois residents are also moving to Texas and California.

Yes, but: While California and Florida also scored big in our survey, Texas received only six votes.

Zoom in: California-loving respondents called out the state's "warm climate" and "outdoor activities," choosing places from San Diego up to the redwood forests.

One reader who picked Los Angeles did so because it has "access to outdoor activities and better climate, entertainment and food."

San Francisco "demonstrates concern for the environment," one respondent wrote.

By the numbers: Colorado came in second place with 10% of readers, with nearby Michigan coming in third.

Just missing the top 10: Maine, South Carolina and Massachusetts.

Where Chicagoans would move if they left Illinois

Many say they'd head for the Hollywood Hills.

Illinois

A majority of you would head for the Hollywood Hills — if you decided to leave Chicago (and Illinois).What&#x27;s happening: In our <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Axios Chicago survey" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2023/09/21/where-to-live-illinois" data-vars-content-id="012fe76a-3a76-4dc3-a301-66a12aa9b1fd" data-vars-headline="Where Chicagoans would move if they left Illinois" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2023/09/21/where-to-live-illinois" target="_self">Axios Chicago survey</a> last week, 18% of the 460 respondents picked California as their top destination. The warmth, beautiful nature, and the ocean all added up for readers.

News

The new U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Rankings are out, and Illinois schools score near the top of the list.

By the numbers: Northwestern University is No. 9 in the country for the 2023-24 school year, up one position from last year. Meanwhile, University of Chicago ranked No. 12 — dropping six spots.

Princeton, MIT and Harvard ranked top three in the nation.

The intrigue: This year U.S. News & World Report significantly changed up its methodology. The new list places more emphasis on social mobility and graduation outcomes, while de-emphasizing class size, alumni giving, and the proportion of graduates with federal loans.

Yes, but: The rankings have been criticized as unreliable. A number of higher education institutions — including Columbia University and Harvard Medical School — stopped providing data for them.

Zoom in: Northwestern and the University of Chicago aren't the only Illinois institutions that made the top 100:

No. 37: University of Illinois (Urbana/Champaign)

No. 98: Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT)

Of note: In addition to the general rankings, the report also analyzed categories including  liberal arts colleges where downstate Principia College came in at No. 51.

What's more: Illinois Wesleyan University ranked No. 1 in the Best Regional Colleges Midwest Rankings.

Illinois makes the grade on new college rankings

Northwestern University is No. 9 in the country, up one position from last year.

Illustration of a line chart on a college pennant.

Universities

The new <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="U.S. News &amp; World Report Best Colleges Rankings" data-vars-click-url="https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges" data-vars-content-id="355f5d3b-d94e-4067-b137-3eb6dad7cf25" data-vars-headline="Illinois makes the grade on new college rankings" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges" target="_blank">U.S. News &amp; World Report Best Colleges Rankings</a> are out, and Illinois schools score near the top of the list.By the numbers: Northwestern University is No. 9 in the country for the 2023-24 school year, up one position <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="from last year" data-vars-click-url="https://patch.com/illinois/across-il/illinois-schools-ranked-among-u-s-news-2022-2023-best-colleges" data-vars-content-id="355f5d3b-d94e-4067-b137-3eb6dad7cf25" data-vars-headline="Illinois makes the grade on new college rankings" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://patch.com/illinois/across-il/illinois-schools-ranked-among-u-s-news-2022-2023-best-colleges" target="_blank">from last year</a>. Meanwhile, University of Chicago ranked No. 12 — dropping six spots.

Education

The Bears capped an ugly week with an ugly loss to the Chiefs, 41-10, on Sunday. 

Driving the news: The team lost their 13th game in a row dating back to last year, as they start the season 0-3. 

Justin Fields had another rough outing before sustaining an injury on a late run. He came back in the game and threw a touchdown to wide receiver DJ Moore in garbage time. 

What's next: The Bears play the 0-3 Denver Broncos on Sunday at Soldier Field. 

Thought bubble: You had to be that bad in front of Taylor Swift? 

Chicago Bears lose big in Kansas City

The team lost their 13th game in a row dating back to last year, as they start the season 0-3.

Photo of a football player trying to score a touchdown

Jerick McKinnon of the Kansas City Chiefs scores a touchdown in the second quarter of a game against the Bears at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Photo: Jason Hanna/Getty Images

Football

The Bears capped an <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="ugly week" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2023/09/20/chicago-bears-alan-williams-resigns" data-vars-content-id="4a6c98c6-bcf6-44dd-8cdb-a97999e196cf" data-vars-headline="Chicago Bears lose big in Kansas City" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2023/09/20/chicago-bears-alan-williams-resigns" target="_self">ugly week</a> with an ugly loss to the Chiefs, 41-10, on Sunday. Driving the news: The team lost their 13th game in a row dating back to last year, as they start the season 0-3.

Sports

What's happening: Moti & La Michoacana opened last year in a Glenview strip mall dominated by a Joong Boo supermarket, and it has developed a menu that fuses Indian, Himalayan, Mexican and Korean foods in ways I've never seen.

Details: Like its two other locations in Lincoln Park and downtown, Moti offers Indian-ish chicken or paneer tikka pizzas,  but this location also offers Nepali momos, Korean bulgogi tacos and Mexican ice cream "to serve local demographics," owner Alex Min tells Axios.

What they're saying: "We have a lot of creative freedom to try things because it's our own place," Min says. "So we're always asking customers what they like changing and refining the menu … this is like the third iteration."

Moti & Michoacana owner Alex Min at his place in Glenview. Photo: Monica Eng/Axios

Hits: Firecracker steamed momo ($12) dumplings topped with a fiery sauce, palak paneer pizza ($7.99) with a crisp crust and spinach-laced sauce, and the kimchi fries ($13) with house-made marinated beef, cheese, gochujang sauce and crispy onions.

Miss: The Chi-City chaat bowl, featuring rice, crushed samosa, chickpeas and sauces offered great flavor, but it came out just warm.

Next time: I'll try house-made ice cream and paleta flavors including ube, falooda, kesar, green tea and peanut butter chocolate.

Kimchi fries feature house-made bulgogi marinated beef, sauteed kimchi and gochujang sauce. Photo: Monica Eng/Axios 

Taste Korean, Indian, Mexican and Nepali fusion dishes in Glenview

Moti & La Michoacana has locations in Glenview, Lincoln Park and downtown.

Firecracker momos, palak paneer pizza and the Chi-City chaat bowl. Photo: Monica Eng/Axios

I think I found global fast-food heaven.What&#x27;s happening: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Moti &amp; La Michoacana" data-vars-click-url="https://order.toasttab.com/online/moti_lamichoacana/item-palak-paneer-pizza_de0fc690-796d-41f0-8a88-40682b89ad60" data-vars-content-id="b719a4bf-f014-4075-a63f-c763bd9282e3" data-vars-headline="Taste Korean, Indian, Mexican and Nepali fusion dishes in Glenview" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://order.toasttab.com/online/moti_lamichoacana/item-palak-paneer-pizza_de0fc690-796d-41f0-8a88-40682b89ad60" target="_blank">Moti &amp; La Michoacana</a> opened last year in a Glenview strip mall dominated by a Joong Boo supermarket, and it has developed a menu that fuses Indian, Himalayan, Mexican and Korean foods in ways I&#x27;ve never seen.

After 2016, Cubs fans were happy to purge the dreaded "c-word" from their vocabulary. The World Series win broke the "curse."

Why it matters: The curse — supposedly started over a goat — is believed to have led to late-season breakdowns, unfathomable losing streaks and the ball bouncing the wrong way.

Fast-forward to 2023, and fans are feeling déjà vu all over again.

State of play: The team entered September with a solid hold on the second wild card position, so all that was undecided was how much you'd get gouged for parking come playoff time.

Yes, but: After going 11-15 in September, the Cubs are now behind the Miami Marlins for the last wild card spot with only three games left in the season.

The lowlight: Seiya Suzuki lost a routine fly ball in the lights in the ninth inning in Atlanta on Tuesday, sealing another frustrating loss.

By the numbers: The Cubs have lost five games in September when leading in or after the eighth inning. That ties a record going back 50 years.

Closer Adbert Alzolay was out most of the month, but he plans to return tonight.

What they're saying: "Ultimately, I would hope that the real benefit of '16 is people believing good things can happen," Cubs president Jed Hoyer said this week. "The supernatural is not causing missed fly balls to Brant Brown and Seiya Suzuki."

Zoom out: The losses aren't on par with the '69 Cubs losing a 20-game lead, and the team's misfortune doesn't rival Leon Durham's Gatorade-soaked glove in San Diego, but consider Brown's drop in 1998 and, of course, the 2003 meltdown (against the Marlins), and it all seems eerily the same.

Reality check: The Cubs weren't expected to compete for a playoff spot this year. So even with an epic meltdown, they've played meaningful baseball until the last weekend of the season.

"This is the most excruciating, agonizing September for either team in this town in a long, long time," The Score's Matt Spiegel tells Axios.

"But … this is what everyone wanted! September baseball that matters."

What's next: The Brewers. The Cubs finish the season this weekend in Milwaukee. And if they can catch the surging Marlins, they'll play the three-game wild card playoff series against … the Brewers in Milwaukee.

The bottom line: It may not be a curse, but the Cubs need to win to avoid the 2023 season being added to the legend of the lovable losers.

Chicago Cubs fans are bracing for the worst in playoff push

It's starting to feel like deja vu all over again.

Pete Crow-Armstrong dives but fails to catch a fly ball in the eighth inning at Truist Park on Wednesday in Atlanta. Photo: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Baseball

After 2016, Cubs fans were happy to purge the dreaded &quot;c-word&quot; from their vocabulary. The World Series win broke the &quot;curse.&quot;Why it matters: The curse — supposedly started over <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="a goat" data-vars-click-url="https://www.billygoattavern.com/legend/curse/" data-vars-content-id="b88f465d-243f-4072-b6f9-9f24f127e7d7" data-vars-headline="Chicago Cubs fans are bracing for the worst in playoff push" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.billygoattavern.com/legend/curse/" target="_blank">a goat</a> — is believed to have led to late-season breakdowns, unfathomable losing streaks and the ball bouncing the wrong way.

Justin Kaufmann

Featured stories

Chicago Cubs fans are bracing for the worst in playoff push

Where Chicagoans would move if they left Illinois

Illinois makes the grade on new college rankings

Taste Korean, Indian, Mexican and Nepali fusion dishes in Glenview

Chicago Bears lose big in Kansas City