Axios Chicago

September 16, 2025
🏟️ Happy Tuesday! On this day in 1909, President William Howard Taft attended a Cubs game.
☀️ Today's weather: Sunny with a high of 82.
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🎂 Happy birthday to our Axios Chicago member Rodrigo Sierra!
Today's newsletter is 1,078 words — a 4-minute read.
1 big thing: Jim Edgar's bipartisan legacy
Illinoisans are remembering former Gov. Jim Edgar for his willingness to work across the aisle.
Why it matters: Bipartisanship is hard to find these days in Springfield, where Democrats control both chambers and every statewide elected office.
The big picture: Edgar, a Republican who served as governor from 1991 to 1999, died this past weekend after an adverse reaction to treatment for pancreatic cancer. He was 79.
What they're saying: "I believe there are a few key metrics that you will find in most successful elected officials," former Illinois Republican strategist Lance Trover tells Axios. "Be straightforward with voters, operate with integrity and surround yourself with a good team. Governor Edgar did all three."
Reality check: Edgar served in government before social media was used to amplify divisiveness and partisan bubbles.
Between the lines: In some ways, Edgar was forced into bipartisanship. The GOP dominated the state Senate, but Democrats controlled the House, led by then-Speaker Michael Madigan.
- "When I had heart surgery, I dedicated one of the bypasses to Madigan," Edgar recounted during a 2021 interview for "The Madigan Rule" podcast.

Zoom in: Edgar also had a strong working relationship with powerful Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley.
- He helped pave the way for Daley to take over Chicago Public Schools, which at the time was run independently.
- In return, Edgar got Daley's support on a plan to reduce property taxes and increase income taxes to balance that year's budget.
2. How to stop graphic videos from autoplaying
Graphic video of conservative activist Charlie Kirk being shot and killed during a debate last week is circulating through social media platforms, sometimes shocking unsuspecting users.
The big picture: Social media users don't have to see this graphic content without a warning — they can turn it off on most major platforms.
How to disable graphic content on Instagram:
Go to your profile and click on the three lines in the top right corner, opening the "Settings and activity" tab.
- Scroll down the menu to "What you see," and select "Content preferences."
- From there, tap on the "Sensitive content" section, and choose whether you want to see "More," "Standard," or "Less sensitive" content.
- Open the "Settings and activity" tab and scroll down to the "Your app and media" tab.
- From there, click on "Media quality" and toggle the "Use less cellular data" tab off.
3. What it's like to get a robot massage
👋 Hi, it's Carrie!
We can either fear or embrace robots infiltrating our world. For this experiment, I chose to embrace.
The big picture: Two Chicago Equinox locations — one in the Gold Coast and the other in the Loop — started offering Aescape robot massages in April. Sessions can be booked for 15, 30, 45 or 60 minutes.
- Prices start at $29.
- You don't have to be a gym member to book.
How it works: I booked a 30-minute massage at the Gold Coast location. An employee grabbed me a (very tight) shirt, leggings and headband to wear.

- When I lay down on the table, a touchscreen in front of my face had options to adjust the music genre, volume, pressure of massage and how to move the robot if it's working on a spot I don't want it to.
- You can also favorite a specific position and pressure so the machine remembers you for next time.
Zoom in: The robot masseuse was not a cyborg or anything that sci-fi. It has two large arms on each side of the table with curved "hands" that move up and down the back of your body.
4. Tips and Hot Links: Johnson out indefinitely
🤕 Bears Pro-Bowl cornerback Jaylon Johnson is likely to miss the rest of the season after injuring his groin on Sunday. (WGN-TV)
🏡 Former Ald. Walter Burnett is facing increased scrutiny for owning properties that rent to people using Chicago Housing Authority vouchers as he is being considered to lead the CHA. (Sun-Times)
🧀 Geja's celebrates 60 years of romantic dinners and lots of cheesiness. (Tribune)
5. Bally's bets on pop, pasta to boost casino's luck
👋 Monica here!
After two years of setbacks and disappointing financial returns, Bally's temporary casino in River North is betting on a new Italian-American restaurant and live entertainment to help change its fortunes.
Driving the news: I attended a press preview of Tre Denari on the casino's third floor, where the Medinah Bistro had once served innovative fare like a collard-mushroom melt and drinks inspired by Wicker Park's Dove's Luncheonette.
- Those are gone.
Dig in: The new Tre Denari menu offers competent versions of steak, meatballs, chicken parmesan, calamari and pasta in a 40-seat, wood-paneled room.
- One Off Hospitality is still helping with the menu and local sourcing.

Listen up: Before leaving the casino, I caught an energetic performance by The Divas, a female pop trio who crooned and danced behind the ground-floor bar while most patrons focused on their slot machines.
6. History Mystery revealed: 47th Street
Thank you to all who wrote to us with guesses on yesterday's History Mystery.
The reveal: This 1973 photo was taken on Chicago's South Side, along the then-bustling 47th Street corridor at South Indiana Avenue.
The intrigue: The photo produced some easy clues, like a small, blurry street sign and the bus number (47).
- The businesses also give it away, as the Queen of the Sea Steakhouse anchored this stretch for decades.

State of play: Like many of the great business corridors on the South Side, 47th Street has struggled to maintain its footprint.
Yes, but: It still has several great spots, including Peaches Restaurant, a couple of blocks east on King Drive.
Fun fact: This block was also the location of "Ray's Music Exchange" in the 1980 film "Blues Brothers."
- Sadly, the building (300 E. 47th St.) was razed after a fire in 2020.
Edited by Lindsey Erdody.
🎭 Carrie loves that Angela showed up last night to the Goodman to see her BFF Pam star in "Ashland Avenue" which runs through Oct. 12.
🥘 Monica is looking forward to an evening of delicious food and inspiration at an Evening of Hope on Thursday to support mental health and maternal programs in Tigray, Ethiopia at Demera.
📺 Justin is still beaming after Jeff Hiller won the Emmy for his role on HBO's "Somebody Somewhere." The show, which was shot mostly in Lockport, deserves the praise.
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