
Afternoon Briefing: Dangerous heat expected this week
After a spell of rain and cooler weather, high temperatures will roll across Chicago and the suburbs later this week.
Dangerously high heat and humidity are forecast for Wednesday and Thursday, with the National Weather Service issuing a extreme heat watch today. A heat watch indicates that the weather is right for high temperatures in the Chicago area but has yet to occur.
Here's what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit chicagotribune.com/latest-headlines and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices.
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Once a rising corporate star, former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore was sentenced today to two years in federal prison for her role in an elaborate scheme to funnel more than $1.3 million and other perks to associates of then-House Speaker Michael Madigan in exchange for help with the utility's ambitious legislative agenda. Read more here.
More top news stories:
Adient, a leading global manufacturer of auto seats, is investing more than $8 million to repurpose an 85,000 square-foot-warehouse adjacent to the Rivian plant to make front and rear seats for the EVs. Read more here.
More top business stories:
The White Sox hadn't won their first three games coming out of the All-Star break since 2005. Miguel Vargas and Mike Tauchman helped the 2025 Sox accomplish that feat yesterday. Read more here.
More top sports stories:
Perhaps in an effort to rest his pipes, Lyle Lovett allocated plenty of time for banter and dialogue. He talked. And talked. He shared memories of his first Chicago appearance at Park West in 1988. He gushed about his 8-year-old twins. Read more here.
More top Eat. Watch. Do. stories:
As the Trump administration intensifies deportation activity around the country, some immigrants — including many who have lived in Texas's southern tip for decades — are unwilling to leave their homes, even for necessary medical care. Read more here.
More top stories from around the world:

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Chicago Tribune
2 days ago
- Chicago Tribune
The Tribune's Quotes of the Week quiz for July 26
It was another hot and humid week in Chicago. With dangerous heat engulfing the city, residents again turned to box fans and AC units for relief from the soaring temps — that is despite recent spikes in electric costs. The heat subsided only to welcome thunderstorms that knocked out power for 50,000 ComEd customers. But it wasn't all doom and gloom this week. After years of construction, four North Side Red Line stations reopened Sunday, and in some good news for homeowners, Mayor Brandon Johnson said he won't seek a property tax hike in his upcoming budget proposal. Gov. JB Pritzker, along with 17 other Democratic governors, petitioned the Trump administration to release nearly $7 billion in withheld federal education grants. On Friday, the Department of Education did just that. But local education leaders are still struggling with their own funding problems. At Thursday's Chicago Board of Education meeting, Chief Budget Officer Michael Sitkowski reiterated that Chicago Public Schools has identified $165 million in spending reductions, including cuts to its administrative staff and vendor contracts, but the district is still searching for a solution to its $734 million budget deficit. Two of the four defendants in the 'ComEd Four' case were sentenced this week. Ex-ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore and the utility's former lobbyist Michael McClain will spend two years in prison for their part in the elaborate scheme to bribe then-House Speaker Michael Madigan. New Tribune reporting shows arrests by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement are up in Chicago since President Donald Trump took office, and local children recently received deportation letters from the Department of Homeland Security. Meanwhile, on Friday, a federal judge in Chicago blocked the Trump administration's challenge over sanctuary policies in the state of Illinois. In global news, the United States cut short ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas on Thursday, while hunger and malnutrition surges in Gaza. France also announced this week that the country will recognize Palestine as a state. Three big names in the world of celebrity and entertainment passed away this week. Malcolm-Jamal Warner, the 54-year-old actor best known for his role as teenage son Theo Huxtable on 'The Cosby Show,' died in an accidental drowning Sunday in Costa Rica. Ozzy Osbourne, lead singer of Black Sabbath and godfather of heavy metal, died at the age of 76, just weeks after his farewell show. And professional wrestling legend Hulk Hogan died Thursday after suffering cardiac arrest. He was 71. Plus, the Chicago Cubs and White Sox play each other in this weekend's City Series at Rate Field. It's a matchup with stakes for both teams, as the Sox come off their best roadtrip since September 2022 and the Cubs just dropped from first place in their division. That's it for the headlines! Now here's the Tribune's Quotes of the Week quiz for July 20 to 26. Missed last week? You can find it here or check out our past editions of Quotes of the Week.


Chicago Tribune
2 days ago
- Chicago Tribune
Today in Chicago History: Cubs pitcher Greg Maddux records 3,000th strikeout at a wet Wrigley
Here's a look back at what happened in the Chicago area on July 26, according to the Tribune's archives. Is an important event missing from this date? Email us. Weather records (from the National Weather Service, Chicago) 1964: Jimmy Hoffa, president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, was found guilty in Chicago on three of 20 counts of fraud related to the Teamsters' Central States Pension Fund and one count of conspiracy. He was convicted of jury tampering earlier that year. 1985: Old St. Patrick's Church held its first 'World's Largest Block Party.' Tickets were $15 and entertainment included Stanley Paul & His Orchestra and the Jesse White Tumblers. The church discontinued the annual event in 2020. 2005: After a lengthy rain delay, Chicago Cubs pitcher Greg Maddux recorded his 3,000th career strikeout. Maddux caught San Francisco Giants shortstop Omar Vizquel looking at a third strike to end the third inning. Maddux, who was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2014, became the 13th member of the 3,000 strikeout club and the ninth pitcher in history with both 3,000 strikeouts and 300 victories. 2016: Park Ridge native Hillary Clinton became the first woman nominated to lead a major American political party in a run toward the White House. Subscribe to the free Vintage Chicago Tribune newsletter, join our Chicagoland history Facebook group, stay current with Today in Chicago History and follow us on Instagram for more from Chicago's past.


USA Today
2 days ago
- USA Today
Victor Wembanyama may want the NBA to distance itself from Karl Malone
San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama made a very noteworthy decision on social media Friday afternoon and it could make waves around the NBA. Wembanyama, who is currently recovering from a blood clot that sidelined him for the second half of last season, was recently cleared to return from his injury. He caught some attention based on some of his social media activity this week. The NBA made a post wishing a happy birthday to former NBA star Karl Malone. Here is what we wrote in 2023 regarding allegations that Malone impregnated his 13-year-old neighbor when he was 20: Blood tests showed a 99.3 percent probability Malone was the father of Demetress Bell, per AP. The family could have filed criminal charges against Malone for impregnating a minor because, in Louisiana, an individual could not consent to sex until the age of 17. While statutory rape could have carried a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, Malone was a 'neighborhood kid', so they didn't press charges. His actions are absolutely heinous and should make it hard for the NBA to look themselves in the mirror after honoring this man two years in a row. But the story doesn't stop there for Malone and his awful shortcomings. When the child's grandparents filed a lawsuit in 1985 requesting $200 a week to help their daughter raise their son, Malone did not respond, despite his career earnings topping $104 million. He was ordered to pay $125 per week in child support, but he appealed, eventually reaching a settlement that did not require him to acknowledge that he was the father. It seems more than possible that Wembanyama is aware of the history surrounding Malone. More: The NBA should be ashamed for honoring Karl Malone during All-Star Weekend He reposted DJ J. Strand reacting to the birthday wishes with a meme video of content creator Lil Rodney Son saying "Oh no, see, that's what we not about to do." Also in the video responding to the post about Malone, Lil Rodney Son is on camera saying someone belongs "under the jail" for their actions. To be fair, we don't know exactly why Wembanyama chose to repost this. Remember: Reposts do not equal endorsements (which is now officially the case, as decided by a judge) so unless Wembanyama directly says something about the matter, we do not know his feelings. But many, including Complex, are speculating that Wemby would like the league to distance itself from Malone. Even this, though, is more than most (if not all) prominent basketball players have said about this difficult topic. So perhaps just the speculation that the rising star wants no part of Malone is enough for the NBA to listen.