Good morning, Chicago.

Sweet Basil Cafe closed its Hanover Park location when the landlord raised rent by $5,000 a month & issues including the manager’s wife’s health led the family-run chain to reduce its sites.

Only the Skokie restaurant remains open, despite a rewiring problem that disconnected its phone line.

On Saturday in Chicago, ICE agents arrested 52-year-old Jose Luis Mendoza-Gonzalez — accused of hiding Megan Bos’s body in his basement before moving it to a container — and her mother said she was thrilled by the arrest.

Two men were shot in Woodlawn on Sunday evening, July 20 when an unknown vehicle approached them along the 6600 block of South Dorchester Avenue at about 7:30 p.m.—the 44-year-old with leg and abdominal injuries is in serious condition while the 45-year-old with a shoulder injury is in fair condition and detectives are investigating.

Elgin Symphony Orchestra and music director Chad Goodman were honored with top awards from the Illinois Council of Orchestras, marking the first time in the symphony's 75th anniversary that both awards were received.

The awards will be formally presented at a future concert, and the orchestra launches its 76th season on Oct. 11 + 12 with guest pianist Orion Weiss set to perform.

Students from Wegner Elementary in West Chicago collaborated with Jel Sert and Crayola to create the new Flav-or-ice Banana Mango flavor—this limited edition product inspired by the Dandelion crayon has been available since July 8.

UIC will host the Fall 2025 UIDP conference from Sept.

16 to 18 in Chicago—where experts will share ideas about new research policies and work between universities and industry. Attendees will learn about evolving funding, partnerships, and plans for technology commercialization.

Five UIC health science students earned Chicago Area Schweitzer Fellowships to fund community service projects that cover diabetes education in Black communities, using improv to build emotional regulation skills, improving oral health and teen suicide prevention—each project connecting academic learning with real local needs. The fellows will complete 200 hours of service as they advance plans to address gaps in community health and education.

Downtown construction forced the Chicago Grit race in Mundelein on Monday to shift its course to a temporary route—riders faced a two-block uphill pedal instead of the usual 9/10th-mile loop—while the event featured ten races ranging from 30 to 75 minutes and a Family Fun Ride through a neighborhood bordered by Hawthorn Boulevard, Cortland Street, and Archer Avenue.