Good morning, Chicago. ✶
🔎 Below: Pope Leo XIV greeted Mayor Brandon Johnson during a historic audience at the Vatican, where the two talked about the legacy of slavery, “ending illegal wars” — and a potential homecoming.
🗞️ Plus: A high schooler is back playing soccer after federal immigration detention, the Bears stadium bill languishes as the end of Springfield’s legislative session nears and more.
📝 Keeping score: The Cubs beat the Pirates, 7-2; the White Sox bested the Twins, 6-2.
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⏱️: An 8-minute read
TODAY’S WEATHER ☀️
Sunny with a high near 84.
TODAY’S TOP STORY 🔎
Mayor Johnson, Pope Leo talk slavery, wars and a Chicago invitation during Vatican visit
By Cathleen Falsani and Mariah Woelfel
Two Chicagoans meet: Mayor Brandon Johnson on Thursday privately met with Pope Leo XIV in a visit to the Vatican that touched on the legacy of slavery, reparations, endless wars and more. Johnson also gave the pope a letter inviting him to deliver Mass in Grant Park next year.
‘How’s Chicago?’: That was the first thing the pope asked the mayor, a question Johnson said felt familial. “I was able to say that Chicago is strong and that we are transforming,” the mayor told the press during a conference at American University in Rome.
Finest gifts we bring: Johnson traveled with a delegation of Chicago political and business leaders who presented the pope with some two dozen gifts, including the DePaul University diplomas of Leo’s parents, letters from Englewood parishioners, Frango mints, a jar of giardiniera and a key to the city. Find the full gift list here.
Hunt for deep dish: In addition to covering the historic meeting between the pope and the mayor, our journalists in Rome decided to search the city for the Chicago delicacy. Here’s how they fared.
WATCH: ROME DISPATCHES ▶️
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IMMIGRATION ✶
Mather High senior laces soccer shoes again after months in immigration detention
By Emmanuel Camarillo
Life after detainment: Since March, Ricardo Navarrete, 18, had been in a detention facility after federal immigration officials took him and his mother into custody during a routine hearing for their asylum case. Mom was freed last week, and Navarrete was released Wednesday. Thursday marked a chance for him to return to life as a teenager, playing in a soccer game before his Mather High School graduation.
What’s next: The family’s ordeal isn’t over. They’ll continue to pursue their asylum case in court. Ricardo has to check in daily with ICE through a GPS tracker on his wrist.
‘So many feelings’: “I feel so many feelings,” Navarrete told the Sun-Times at the game Thursday. “I’m so happy to be here. I just want to be with my family and play soccer.”
SPRINGFIELD 🏛️
Bears stadium bill, state budget unresolved as Springfield session winds down
By Mitchell Armentrout and Matt Trunfio
Sunday cutoff: Illinois lawmakers are in Springfield with a number of key measures hanging in the balance as the state constitutional deadline of midnight Sunday nears.
‘Megaprojects’ bill: The effort to advance property tax incentive legislation to help the Bears build a new stadium in Arlington Heights remains ongoing. The team is threatening a move to Hammond, Indiana, if the bill fizzles.
State budget: Lawmakers have yet to pass the $56 billion state budget Gov. JB Pritzker proposed in February. Along with shifting gambling taxes and corporate income tax deductions, the governor is pushing for more revenue with a tax on social media companies to help make ends meet.
Measures accomplished: Legislators passed two bills to rein in insurance companies, requiring companies to notify policyholders long before any rate increases of 10% or more, and giving the state authority to review and block unfair hikes. Lawmakers also sought to regulate AI companies, requiring them to adopt “safety plans.”
MORE NEWS YOU NEED 🗞️
- Calls to oust federal prosecutor: Democratic Senate candidate Juliana Stratton joined calls for U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros to resign or be fired over the botched “Broadview Six” case. Ex-Mayor Lori Lightfoot also questioned Boutros’ credibility.
- Shooting suspect released: A person taken into custody after Tuesday’s fatal shooting of Pedro Ramirez in Back of the Yards was released Thursday without charges. Ramirez, 17, had been on his way to school.
- Family sues again: The family of Adam Toledo filed a new lawsuit this week against the city and Eric Stillman, the police officer who fatally shot the 13-year-old in 2021. It comes a month after the family abruptly dropped another lawsuit just days before opening arguments were to begin.
- Thousands jailed: Over the past decade, more than 2,500 people — nearly all of them men — have been locked up in Cook County for indirect civil contempt, most of them for failing to comply with court-ordered payments to children or former spouses.
- Ontario feeder ramp opens: The highway ramp is set to fully reopen Friday morning, weather permitting, after nearly 1.5 years of construction. Later this summer, concrete pavement patching will require full closure over three weekends alternating between the Ohio and Ontario ramps.
- Festival’s permit denied: The African/Caribbean International Festival of Life, now in its 33rd year, has been denied a permit by the city for the second year in a row due to lack of police resources, organizers said.
- Riot Fest lineup: The rock-heavy fest returns Sept. 18-20 to Douglass Park with Tool, Twenty One Pilots, Alanis Morissette, NAS, Morrissey and Santigold among the big names on the bill.
- Things to do May 29-June 3: Do Division Street Fest, Chicago Dance Month and the premiere of “Keerah” at Definition Theatre are just a few of the highlights happening in the days ahead.
ON WBEZ 91.5 FM 📻
In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons, 9 a.m.
- Weekly news recap: The Sun-Times’ Violet Miller, Better Government Association’s Alex Nitkin and journalist Brandon Pope talk about the week’s biggest stories.
Say More with Mary Dixon and Patrick Smith, 10 a.m.
- Lakefront fun: What’s your perfect day at the beach? Do you remember the first time you went to the lakefront? Callers weigh in, and guests Michelle McClendon of South Shore Social Beach Club and WBEZ’s Lynnea Domienik discuss.
FROM THE PRESS BOX ⚾
Demolition of women’s shelter is underway as Cubs eye site for parking lot expansion
By Abby Miller
Demo begins: The Cubs is demolishing the former House of the Good Shepherd in Lake View as part of an effort to expand its nearby Camry parking lot at Racine Avenue and Grace Street.
Key context: The team purchased the site from Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago and began demolishing the former domestic violence shelter in late April. A permit to tear down the two-story building was issued by the city April 20.
Parking priority: The team wants to add 259 parking spaces ahead of the 2027 All-Star Game at Wrigley Field. But that will require city approval, starting with the Chicago Plan Commission. The number one concern the Cubs have heard from neighbors is that Wrigley Field patrons steal residents’ parking, according to Mike Lufrano, executive vice president of community and legal affairs for the Cubs.
CHICAGO MINI CROSSWORD 🌭
Today’s clue: 2D: “____” is what Chicago sounds like” (Vocalo Radio tagline).
BRIGHT ONE 🔆
Fathom opens as part of couple’s planned mini empire of queer-focused bars
By Maggie Hennessy
When Fathom, the nautical-lite queer neighborhood bar in Lake View, debuted in early April, it became the first official joint project of married business partners Whitney LaMora and Zoe Schor.
Between real estate negotiations, fundraising, buildouts, hiring and permitting, it took 2.5 years for LaMora and Schor to open Fathom after their first glimpse of 1622 W. Belmont Ave., formerly Flagship Tavern.
The couple, who also own the subterranean lesbian cocktail lounge Dorothy Downstairs in West Town, have higher ambitions that stretch beyond Chicago as they build the city’s first lesbian-owned hospitality group solely focused on creating queer gathering places.
“My wife never stops looking for real estate,” LaMora said of Schor. “She’s always hungry for the next project.”
So far, their business venture — called Friend of Dorothy Bars — is backed by 30 mostly local investors who’ve bought into their vision, too.
“We are really showing that the queer community wants and deserves these beautiful spaces,” LaMora said.
YOUR DAILY QUESTION ☕️
Do you remember the first time you went to the lakefront in Chicago? Tell us about it.
Reply with your answer here to this (please include your first and last name). We may run your answer in a future newsletter or story.
Yesterday, we asked you: What would you bring the pope?
Here’s some of what you said…
“A big can of Garrett Mix popcorn! A delicious taste of home for Pope Leo!” — Janet Volk
“A very wet Italian beef sandwich from Tony’s on Pulaski.” — Maria Rose Therese
“Celery salt for his Chicago-style hot dogs. I’m sure it’s hard to find in Italy.” — Tony Galati
“A miniature replica of Holy Name Cathedral because it is a beautiful Chicago landmark.” — Bonnie Collins
“A bottle of Malört.” — Anshul Jain
ONE MORE THING 🔊
Vocalo, WBEZ’s sister radio station for music, is premiering a new call-in request show tonight at 8 p.m.
Hosted by Vocalo DJ Nudia Hernandez, The Vocalo Hotline show will air weekly on WBEZ 91.5 FM and Vocalo 91.1 FM. Listeners can call in with their shout-outs, messages and dedications paired with a song.
You can listen live via the WBEZ app or online here.
Thanks for reading the Sun-Times Morning Edition!
Got a story you think we missed? Email us here.
Written and curated by: Matt Moore
Editor: Eydie Cubarrubia
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