A lot of meaningful things have happened since the Tribune's Pulitzer was announced the other week, but for me this is pretty close to the top of the list. It was wild to have the student newspaper that helped raise me ask for an interview about the work. chicagomaroon.com/52577/news/u...

Right here it’s hard to believe there is anything wrong with the world. I would like more of these moments

www.chicagotribune.com/2026/05/14/c... ex-body removal service sues Chicago over termination of its contract, which was awarded last year to a NW side funeral home with five (?) employees. via @samjcharles.bsky.social

Art I am thinking about: Joan Didion’s Year of Magical Thinking: “We all know that if we are to live ourselves there comes a time when we must relinquish the dead, let them go, keep them dead… Let go of them in the water. Knowing this does not make it any easier to let go of them in the water.”

Inventory, Monday 4:20 p.m. 1 story in progress 1 box of strawberries 1 headache 16 unanswered texts 16 tabs open 0.25 cups of coffee left bah, humbug

This is now a homicide. 35 y/o man, shot multiple times, pronounced at Stroger.

012: Man shot, Cullerton and Leavitt. At least 3 casings, can’t see caliber. Some witnesses here just left for the hospital, one in very bad shape. Victim seems to have been released from prison or was otherwise on EM based on what I’ve heard, and hung out on 18th St. No word on his condition

Art I am thinking about: Joan Didion’s Year of Magical Thinking: “We all know that if we are to live ourselves there comes a time when we must relinquish the dead, let them go, keep them dead… Let go of them in the water. Knowing this does not make it any easier to let go of them in the water.”

Back of the Yards, Gage Park. Visual notes

News: Former Chicago immigration Judge Carla Espinoza has sued the Trump administration over her July 2025 termination, which was part of a wave of departures, buyouts and layoffs at Chicago's immigration court and nationwide. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/05/05/d...

The Chicago Tribune won the Pulitzer Prize for local reporting Monday for its coverage of Operation Midway Blitz, the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement mission in the Chicago area last fall.

127 W Van Buren

The Chicago Police Department’s Bureau of Internal Affairs has opened an investigation into two officers who searched Alphanso Talley last weekend before he was taken to Swedish Hospital, where he allegedly shot and killed Officer John Bartholomew.

Overheard at 26/Cal: “I don’t have any good news. Actually, I’m here. That’s good news.” - courtroom marshal, leaving room

Prosecutors said suspect was searched and a wad of cash recovered before he was taken to Swedish for treatment, no real new info on how the gun got into the hospital. Per APD, suspect was a ward of DCFS til age 18 and hospitalized multiple times for suicide attempts beginning at age 9.

Alphanso Talley, the alleged Swedish Hospital shooter, is back in court today for a full detention hearing. We’ll be updating here @chicagotribune www.chicagotribune.com/2026/04/30/s...

Phone camera doesn’t do justice to the western view from the pink line right now

I could certainly do worse in the coworkers department

Anyone have a good blocker or web extension for the AI summaries/analysis prompts that are popping up at me all over the place?

Art I am thinking about: Raymond Carver's "Waiting." Years since I read it in full

I looked up and it was peony season again

Thinking about "After Us," by Connie Wanek, today and also just always

News: Alphanso Talley allegedly hid a 10-mm Glock 29 under a blanket as he was being prepared for a CT scan at Swedish Hospital Saturday. As Ofc. John Bartholomew uncuffed him from the bed, ASAs said Talley took the gun out and shot him and another officer. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/04/27/p...

News: Man charged in killing one cop, wounding a second inside Swedish Hospital. Per police report, said he'd swallowed a couple bags of dope and that's why they took him to the hospital to the begin with. No update on second cop's condition. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/04/27/p...

A knack for public service was one of Chicago police Officer John Bartholomew’s defining qualities, friends and neighbors recalled Sunday.

Breaking: An Albany Park (17th) police officer is dead and another critically wounded after someone in custody shot them inside Swedish Hospital Saturday morning - per note from Supt. Snelling to CPD. Suspect was originally arrested for robbery, per sources. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/04/25/n...

Seen on 21st Street. Showed up in early April. Last few nights, someone has been coming by to make sure these are lit.

CPD releases seeking to ID bulletin about a white Honda and three occupants involved in a quadruple shooting at 26th and St. Louis Wednesday that left one man dead. Per a police report, Englewood (7th) police found a white Honda, recently reported stolen, set on fire at 79th and Ada soon afterward.

Filing music: "Nothing Left to Lose," by Transit www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5eF...

Could do a lot worse for a spring morning

To my own embarrassment, I have only today learned what the stars on the Chicago flag represent, per the Chicago Architecture Center: Fort Dearborn The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 The World’s Columbian Exposition The Century of Progress Exposition What would folks suggest for a fifth star?

scoop by the indefatigable @taliasoglin.bsky.social, as the federal back-and-forth about security on Chicago public transit wears on....

Black Disciples vs. Gangster Disciples + Vice Lords, seen at 60th/Prairie

These things should break away from the market rather than break in or break bus shelters or break anything else for that matter.

Only in Illinois alert: Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, pardoned by President Trump for an array of corruption convictions, has been paid $130k by ex-ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore to lobby Trump for a pardon in her conviction of bribing House Speaker Michael Madigan www.chicagotribune.com/2026/04/09/a...

We’re on strike today! Support our fight for a fair contract by NOT visiting the @propublica.org website or engaging with ProPublica stories today. Tell ProPublica’s management you won’t cross the picket line: actionnetwork.org/petitions/te...

Today in @chicagotribune.com: Chicago immigration court observers, who act as scouts into an increasingly uncertain landscape for immigrants seeking to stay in the U.S., are having a harder and harder time getting into court proceedings to do their work. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/30/i...

🚨 @illinoisanswers.bsky.social and @chicago.suntimes.com won a court case to release the records including body cam footage of last summer's fatal police shooting of Ofc. Krystal Rivera by her partner, Ofc. Carlos Baker.

"This is like a Comic-Con, for people who like to write letters and have strong opinions on pens.” Gotta love Chris Borelli and his forays into the millions of little subcultures that make up Chicago. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/26/c...

Whaddaya mean, your story isn't filed yet?

ICE lodged an arrest detainer asking Illinois officials not to release a suspect, who is a Venezuelan migrant, according to the agency, and who has been taken into custody in connection with Thursday’s shooting death of a Loyola University freshman.

News: Police have made an arrest in the fatal shooting of Loyola University freshman Sheridan Gorman. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/21/l...

COPA said in response to a FOIA they did not process a relief of power memo for Ofc. Max Walzer, which indicates the move to strip him was a CPD decision. Shooting was March 9. Walzer was relieved March 13 per CPD spox

News: CPD officer involved in fatal Humboldt Park shooting on March 9 was stripped of police powers four days later. COPA investigation is ongoing. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/19/c...

News: police are questioning a man in connection with a fire that led to the death of FF Michael Altman earlier this week. The man — ID’d in an internal bulletin and arrested this afternoon — is being held on an unrelated warrant per CPD sources. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/18/c...

Hey, bsky. Have you worked as an immigration court observer over the last six months — either in-person or virtually? If so and you're interested in speaking to me about that experience, my email is in my bio and I'd love to hear from you.

Attorneys in the "Broadview 6 (minus 2)" case say federal prosecutors have elevated misdemeanor property damage allegations into sweeping conspiracy claims that attempt to criminalize fundamental free speech and assembly rights Story: www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/16/a...

This weekend showed me a new divide within Gen Z: Those who had been familiar with BORGs since at least 2018 and those like myself who apparently spent undergrad under a rock (but had a great time informing people and police sources what the acronym stood for) www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/16/c...

Complaining about the finer points of local politics

A Skokie woman said ICE detained her for nearly 48 hours after landing at O’Hare. But Tribune reporters @aliceyin.bsky.social @taliasoglin.bsky.social and @ckubzansky.bsky.social have found big holes in her account — and problems in her past. Read this: www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/11/o...