Good morning, Chicago.
On this day in 1995, crews began the demolition of a Cabrini-Green high-rise, the first in the Near North Side complex to be razed.
Built over two decades starting in 1942, the story of the towers and row homes of Cabrini-Green have mirrored Chicago’s troubled history of grappling with racism and poverty.
Take a look into our archives for more on the housing complex.
Here are the top stories you need to know to start your day, including what Chicago police officers told the Tribune about responding to standoffs between neighbors and federal immigration agents, the expressway revamp that finished ahead of schedule and a look back at the history of spiritualism in Chicago.
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Federal officers fire chemical agents near Chicago police while attempting to control a group of protesters near the 3900 block of South Kedzie Avenue in Chicago on Oct. 4, 2025. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)
‘Chill the hell out’: Chicago police find themselves in difficult spots as wave of federal immigration enforcement continues
Chicago police have found themselves in a curious position as the Trump administration’s Operation Midway Blitz has rolled out across Chicago. City and state laws generally bar the Chicago Police Department from assisting federal immigration enforcement operations, but local police are still obligated to maintain order and public safety on the streets.
On at least two occasions — in Brighton Park and East Side — CPD personnel responding to standoffs between neighbors and federal agents have found themselves tear-gassed alongside residents as agents react to thrown objects and shouted insults.
Federal judge appears poised to order release of least some ‘Operation Midway Blitz’ arrestees
Judge rules ICE illegally detained Chicago father whose daughter is battling cancer
Ruben Morales Jr. of Yorkville says he was choked and beaten by federal Immigration agents, Oct. 25, 2025. Morales stands near the City Hall in Aurora on Oct. 26, 2025. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune)
Aurora protesters recount detention by federal agents: ‘I’m beat up’
Federal immigration agents detained two Aurora protesters who confronted them outside an elementary school Saturday, sparking allegations of unnecessary force.
Aurora Mayor John Laesch condemned the detentions as part of an “unprecedented period of American history where people’s constitutional rights are being violated” as President Donald Trump’s administration continues its deportation arrest onslaught across the Chicago area.
Local clergy, faith leaders decry Trump’s immigration crackdown: ‘Antithetical to the Gospel’
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Chicago Budget Director Annette Guzman, from left, listens as Ald. Jason Ervin, 28th, chair of the Budget Committee, leads a budget hearing in City Council chambers, Oct. 21, 2025. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune)
Mayor Brandon Johnson faces complaints about property tax sweep plan to balance budget
Mayor Brandon Johnson finds himself in an unexpected fight as he works to rally at least 26 votes to pass his $16 billion 2026 spending plan.
Though aldermen have agreed in every Chicago budget for the past decade to pull money out of tax increment financing districts around the city, both allies and opponents of the mayor on the City Council are voicing serious reservations about the bulk and breadth of this year’s deficit-plugging standby.
A sign heralds Kennedy Expressway rehabilitation completion near Pulaski Road in Chicago on Oct. 24, 2025. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune)
Kennedy Expressway rehab project finishes a bit over budget at $169M but ahead of schedule after early delays
The three-year, $169 million rehabilitation of the Kennedy Expressway was completed Friday — a month ahead of a Thanksgiving deadline — with the opening of ramps at Ontario Street and the Wilson Avenue exit, state officials announced.
The family of Woom Sing Tse gathers with friends and community members for a vigil on Dec. 10, 2021, in Chinatown to remember the 71-year-old who was fatally shot. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
Jury convicts man of 2021 killing ‘beloved’ Chinatown grandfather
A Far South Side man was convicted of gunning down a 71-year-old grandfather taking a regular walk in Chinatown in 2021 in a bold daylight killing that frightened a community already reeling from an uptick in violence.
A California’s SNAP benefits shopper pushes a cart through a supermarket in Bellflower, Calif., Feb. 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Allison Dinner)
Trump administration posts notice that no federal food aid will go out Nov. 1
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has posted a notice on its website saying federal food aid will not go out Nov. 1, raising the stakes for families nationwide as the government shutdown drags on.
The new notice comes after the Trump administration said it would not tap roughly $5 billion in contingency funds to keep benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly referred to as SNAP, flowing into November. That program helps about 1 in 8 Americans buy groceries.
A large ribbon is displayed outside the East Wing of the White House during a preview of the 2016 holiday decor, Nov. 29, 2016, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
The East Wing of the White House is gone. Here’s a look at some of the history made there.
Betty Ford reportedly said that if the White House West Wing is the “mind” of the nation, then the East Wing — the traditional power center for first ladies — is the “heart.”
Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, left, and wide receiver DJ Moore sit on the bench after Williams threw an interception in the fourth quarter against the Ravens on Oct. 26, 2025, at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
What’s next for the Chicago Bears after their 4-game winning streak ends? Brad Biggs’ 10 thoughts on Week 8.
The takeaways dried up. The injuries piled up. The red zone and penalty woes continued.
10 thoughts after the Baltimore Ravens defeated the Bears 30-16, ending a four-game winning streak for coach Ben Johnson’s first team.
Week 8 recap: Caleb Williams’ late INT sinks Bears as 30-16 loss in Baltimore ends 4-game win streak
Caleb Williams’ interception was costly, but Bears also lament earlier missed chances and mistakes
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts looks on from the dugout during the fifth inning of Game 1 of the World Series against the Blue Jays on Oct. 24, 2025 in Toronto. The Blue Jays won 11-4. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
Column: It’s difficult to be outraged over sports issues when real outrages come to your neighborhood
Apologies for the late notice, but it’s difficult these days in Chicago to muster up the required level of outrage needed to become a full-time sports pundit, writes Paul Sullivan.
There certainly are many topics to vent about in the sports world, but not enough real anger to provide a proper harrumphing after watching what’s going on in our own neighborhoods.
Mary “May” Bangs and her sister, Elizabeth “Lizzie” Bangs, shown in an undated photo, spent almost a half-century working as spiritualist mediums, purporting to be able to communicate with the dead. (Camp Chesterfield Collection/Indiana University Indianapolis)
Selling Chicago on spiritualism: Sisters’ act drew crowds for messages conveyed from the great beyond
Among the “Sunday Church Services” listed in the Oct. 9, 1887, edition of the Tribune appeared more than half a dozen under the heading “Spiritualists.”
These “services” included lectures with titles like “The Regions Beyond,” hosted by the Association of Christian Spiritualists, and demonstrations by a range of individuals claiming to possess the ability to communicate with the dead.
Owner Adrian Weisell at the counter of Anfora Wine Merchants in Oak Park, Oct. 15, 2025. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
Oak Park uncorked: The Chicago suburb’s best wine destinations
For many, Oak Park’s reputation was built largely on its literary and architectural icons — Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie style homes and Ernest Hemingway’s boyhood streets. A dry town until the 1970s, it hardly seems the place for serious wine drinking. Yet today, this Chicago suburb hides a handful of thoughtful outposts for oenophiles, both curious newcomers and devotees alike.
