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New Ryan Field faces its neighborhood test

The new stadium is set to bring 35,000 people to Central Street in Evanston on Friday.

Sports

Northwestern football returns home Friday night, unveiling its $870 million Ryan Field nearly three years after the old stadium was demolished.The big picture: The Wildcats kick off against Penn State at 7pm Friday, exactly 100 years after the original Ryan Field opened.

Bite Club: The Reuben sundae

Kith Treats is serving three Katz's-inspired desserts, including a wild Reuben soft serve.

Food and Drink

New York&#x27;s legendary Katz&#x27;s Delicatessen has landed in Chicago, but don&#x27;t expect pastrami and corned beef.

Durty Nellie's closes after 54 years in Palatine

The popular suburban destination hosted bands like Violent Femmes, Gin Blossoms and Local H.

Business

The iconic Irish pub and concert venue Durty Nellie&#x27;s has closed after 54 years in the northwest suburbs.Why it matters: For generations of suburban music fans, Durty Nellie&#x27;s offered something increasingly hard to find outside Chicago: a legitimate concert venue steps from a Metra station.

Chicago neighborhood quiz, volume 2: Do you know these famous landmarks?

There are so many landmarks in Chicago that it's ripe for a second quiz!

Neighborhoods

Last week, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="I quizzed you" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/09/25/chicago-neighborhood-quiz-landmarks-lakeview-beverly-pilsen-gold-coast" data-vars-content-id="9efdac03-893d-41ff-b5ca-53b20dff4fc1" data-vars-headline="Chicago neighborhood quiz, volume 2: Do you know these famous landmarks?" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/09/25/chicago-neighborhood-quiz-landmarks-lakeview-beverly-pilsen-gold-coast" target="_self">I quizzed you</a> on Chicago neighborhood landmarks. <ul><li>I gave you the landmark; you gave me the &#x27;hood.</li></ul>

Trump says Chicago crime is worsening as homicides decline

President Trump posted on social media that Chicago was seeing unprecedented spikes in crime, but the numbers don't support that claim.

News

President Trump is again raising the prospect of federal intervention in Chicago, saying the city is suffering an &quot;unprecedented&quot; crime wave that&#x27;s &quot;getting worse by the day.&quot;Why it matters: Trump&#x27;s renewed focus on Chicago comes as the city is on pace to record even <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="fewer homicides" data-vars-click-url="https://news.wttw.com/2026/10/02/chicago-pace-fewer-homicides-last-year-s-historic-low-police" data-vars-content-id="0cb64815-17d1-4fb7-a43b-af233af3274c" data-vars-headline="Trump says Chicago crime is worsening as homicides decline" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://news.wttw.com/2026/10/02/chicago-pace-fewer-homicides-last-year-s-historic-low-police" target="_blank">fewer homicides</a> than last year, when killings fell to their lowest level in 60 years.

How to vote in Chicago in the 2026 midterm election

A 1-minute guide to all the dates and information you need for Election Day.

Election

Chicagoans can officially start casting ballots in the 2026 midterm election.Why it matters: You don&#x27;t have to wait until Election Day on Nov. 3, but deadlines for registering, voting by mail and finding an early voting site are approaching.

Former CBS 2 anchor Brad Edwards joins John Kelly's mayoral campaign

Campaigns are hiring familiar faces to help try and convince voters in the upcoming mayor's race.

Politics

Former CBS 2 anchor <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Brad Edwards" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2024/10/28/brad-edwards-cbs-2-journalism-television-job" data-vars-content-id="c14ea610-e112-4a06-b5b6-3e9c11788302" data-vars-headline="Former CBS 2 anchor Brad Edwards joins John Kelly&#x27;s mayoral campaign" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2024/10/28/brad-edwards-cbs-2-journalism-television-job" target="_self">Brad Edwards</a> is jumping into Chicago politics, signing on to help mayoral candidate John Kelly make his case to voters.The latest: Edwards tells Axios he&#x27;s joining Kelly&#x27;s campaign as chief communications strategist.

Exclusive: Morningstar will join Google at Chicago's Thompson Center

The financial firm will co-anchor the newly renovated building on Randolph Street.

Chicago-based financial services firm Morningstar is moving its global headquarters to the redeveloped <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Thompson Center" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2023/12/13/thompson-center-renovation-renderings-google" data-vars-content-id="e3e9bc1e-3c37-4154-863d-84ca5bc71d5b" data-vars-headline="Exclusive: Morningstar will join Google at Chicago&#x27;s Thompson Center" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2023/12/13/thompson-center-renovation-renderings-google" target="_self">Thompson Center</a>, Axios has learned.Why it matters: The move keeps one of Chicago&#x27;s largest homegrown companies — and more than 1,500 employees — in the Loop while giving the Thompson Center redevelopment another major corporate anchor, in addition to Google.

United CEO wants 1,000 daily flights from O'Hare

Scott Kirby spoke about his vision for the future of Chicago air travel on a recent podcast.

Travel

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby wants the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="airline&#x27;s home base" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2025/04/16/united-airlines-ohare-billboards-southwest-earnings" data-vars-content-id="183d1cba-e0ba-48f0-b210-980963d6c33d" data-vars-headline="United CEO wants 1,000 daily flights from O&#x27;Hare" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2025/04/16/united-airlines-ohare-billboards-southwest-earnings" target="_self">airline&#x27;s home base</a> to be the best in the world.The latest: In a new interview with the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="&quot;Office Hours: Business Edition&quot;" data-vars-click-url="https://haslam.utk.edu/office-hours/" data-vars-content-id="183d1cba-e0ba-48f0-b210-980963d6c33d" data-vars-headline="United CEO wants 1,000 daily flights from O&#x27;Hare" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://haslam.utk.edu/office-hours/" target="_blank">&quot;Office Hours: Business Edition&quot;</a> podcast, Kirby lays out an ambitious vision: Make O&#x27;Hare the world&#x27;s No. 1 airport.

Chicago mayor proposes 12-month moratorium on new data centers

The move would give the city time to study the impacts data centers have on residents.

Environment

Chicago could halt new <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="data center development" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/08/11/chicago-mayor-brandon-johnson-urges-moratorium-on-data-centers" data-vars-content-id="c3cd2ce8-1203-4cea-994a-38f331ba73cd" data-vars-headline="Chicago mayor proposes 12-month moratorium on new data centers" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/08/11/chicago-mayor-brandon-johnson-urges-moratorium-on-data-centers" target="_self">data center development</a> within city limits for a year.Why it matters: Data centers&#x27; growing demand for electricity and water could affect residents&#x27; utility bills and the environment, and city leaders want more time to study those impacts.

Chicago mayoral candidate sues rivals over running for two offices

William J. Quinlan is suing fellow candidates Alexi Giannoulias, Mike Quigley and Maria Pappas.

The race for Chicago mayor is heading to court as a newly announced candidate challenges three rivals who are simultaneously seeking re-election to their current offices.The latest: Mayoral candidate and Democratic attorney <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="William J. Quinlan" data-vars-click-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3euB-76Ywzo" data-vars-content-id="365630d9-b304-4ae9-aad8-5e2cec296954" data-vars-headline="Chicago mayoral candidate sues rivals over running for two offices" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3euB-76Ywzo" target="_blank">William J. Quinlan</a> is suing fellow candidates Alexi Giannoulias, Mike Quigley and Maria Pappas over their plans to run for two offices.

Giannoulias laps field in fundraising for Chicago mayor's race

A new report breaks down who's raising the most money and where it's coming from.

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Alexi Giannoulias" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/08/02/alexi-giannoulias-campaign-mayor-johnson-mendoza-quigley-pritzker" data-vars-content-id="184f2c9e-630a-44f6-b081-784459cfe846" data-vars-headline="Giannoulias laps field in fundraising for Chicago mayor&#x27;s race" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/chicago/2026/08/02/alexi-giannoulias-campaign-mayor-johnson-mendoza-quigley-pritzker" target="_self">Alexi Giannoulias</a> has amassed a $22 million fundraising haul, more than the rest of Chicago&#x27;s 2027 mayoral field combined, a new analysis of state campaign finance records shows.Why it matters: The fundraising numbers offer an early look at which candidates have the resources to spend heavily in the 2027 race.

Trump to visit Chicago area for Presidents Cup at Medinah

It'll be President Trump's first visit to the Chicago area in his current term.

President Donald Trump will make his way to the Chicago area this week for the first time during his current term.The latest: The Presidents Cup runs Thursday through Sunday at Medinah Country Club in the northwest suburbs, with Trump serving as honorary chairman. Practices and fan activities begin Tuesday.

Williams carted off in Bears loss

The team says they are conducting further tests to determine the severity of the injury.

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams injured his right hamstring late in Sunday&#x27;s 9-3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field.Why it matters: The young superstar is the face of the franchise and has never missed a game due to injury.

News 🗞

Trump says Chicago crime is worsening as homicides decline

How to vote in Chicago in the 2026 midterm election

Former CBS 2 anchor Brad Edwards joins John Kelly's mayoral campaign

Exclusive: Morningstar will join Google at Chicago's Thompson Center

United CEO wants 1,000 daily flights from O'Hare