Chicago Reader

A British Airways flight travelling from London to Chicago declared an emergency and turned back to Heathrow airport, according to Italian daily Il Fatto Quotidiano. The aircraft landed safely after the mid-flight diversion, with passengers ultimately unable to continue to the United States on that service. Italian readers are closely following news of the incident, which affected travel on a major transatlantic route.

Kevin Fishbain, The Athletic's Chicago Bears beat writer, is collecting fan questions for his weekly Bears mailbag, published October 7, 2026. Readers are asked to submit questions on the team ahead of the next edition, covering roster, coaching and game topics. The mailbag is a regular fixture for Bears coverage, giving supporters a direct line to beat reporting during the NFL season.

A Northwestern University survey has found that readers of local news around Chicago are wary of artificial intelligence being used in journalism. The study suggests skepticism about how AI might be applied to reporting and news production in their communities. The findings add to a broader national debate over trust, transparency and the role of AI in local media.

A new review of the play Dead Girl's Quinceañera is circulating following its production at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago. The review appears on Talkin' Broadway, one of the main trade outlets covering regional American theatre, and is being shared by readers following the Chicago stage scene.

Chicago-focused news outlet The TRiiBE has published a guide outlining what local voters need to know ahead of the 2026 election. The piece walks readers through key dates, registration details and races on the ballot, aiming to help residents prepare for the upcoming vote.

A Guardian reporter attended the United Astrology Conference in Chicago, America's largest gathering of astrologers, and found the community locked in an internal dispute over how the stars should be read. The article frames the clash as a debate over methods and traditions within modern astrology, placing the practice in the context of its history and its growing commercial appeal in the United States.

A 22-year-old man has been charged in connection with thefts of video gaming terminals in Oak Lawn, Illinois. Authorities say the suspect is accused of stealing the gambling machines, which are common in bars and other licensed venues across the state. Local news coverage of the charges has drawn attention from readers in the Chicago area.

The Chicago Reader's film column The Moviegoer turns its attention to television's place in the movie theater, examining how TV programming and television aesthetics are showing up on the big screen. The piece reflects an ongoing debate among critics and audiences about the blurring line between television and cinema, and what that means for the future of moviegoing.

The Chicago Tribune's 40th annual Holiday Cookie Contest is closing to entries within days, and the paper is urging bakers to submit their recipes before the deadline. The long-running contest is a cherished Chicago tradition, with winning cookies featured each holiday season and readers closely following the judges' picks.

The New York Times has published its NFL staff picks for Week 5 of the season, covering notable matchups including San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears against Green Bay Packers, and Buffalo Bills versus Los Angeles Rams. The selections give readers predictions from the outlet's football writers ahead of this weekend's games.

The Chicago Tribune offers a practical guide to hosting a horror movie marathon at home. The piece walks readers through planning a scary film night, likely covering film picks, pacing, snacks and atmosphere for guests. It is a lifestyle feature aimed at horror fans looking to make the most of a movie night, especially around spooky-season viewing habits.

A box score from May 23, 1939 is drawing attention: the Chicago Cubs beat the Boston Bees 15-8. The Bees were the name the Boston franchise carried from 1938 to 1940 before becoming the Braves, making the matchup a relic of an earlier era of the National League.

A box score from July 22, 1947, showing the Chicago Cubs defeating the Boston Braves 2-0, has drawn renewed attention on MLB.com's archive. The result highlights baseball history from the era when the Braves were still based in Boston, decades before their move to Atlanta. Fans browsing historical scores are revisiting the shutout, part of the Cubs' 1947 season record.

Former Kane County Board member Davoust was charged in a retail theft case, and the charge was later dropped, according to Shaw Local reporting. The reversal has drawn attention in the Chicago-area region, with readers discussing why prosecutors filed and then withdrew the case and what it means for the former official.

Chicago's Hyde Park Children's Book Fair is reportedly entering a new phase, according to the Hyde Park Herald. The local children's literature event, a long-running fixture in the neighbourhood, appears to be undergoing changes as it 'turns the page' on its history. Further details about what the transition involves have not been made clear.

A roundup of live music recommendations for the Chicago area covering September 30 through October 6 highlights shows for locals to catch this week. The guide points readers toward concerts across the city and suburbs during the first full week of October.

A final score from September 12, 1912 showing the Chicago Cubs losing 7-0 to the Braves is drawing attention again, circulating via MLB's historical game archive. The result comes from baseball's deadball era, and the odd date format in the score listing has prompted some confusion about whether the game is recent. MLB maintains Gameday records for games dating back over a century.

A box score from August 24, 1939 is drawing attention, showing the Chicago Cubs defeating the Boston Bees 6-1. The Bees were the name used by the Boston Braves franchise during the late 1930s. Fans are revisiting the vintage matchup as a nostalgic slice of baseball history, recalling an era when the National League team in Boston carried one of the sport's more unusual nicknames.

Gardeners are being reminded that autumn is the time to plant spring-flowering bulbs such as tulips, daffodils and crocuses. The Chicago Tribune is urging readers to get bulbs into the ground now, before the soil freezes, so they can root over winter and flower in spring. The seasonal advice is a staple of home and garden coverage as colder weather sets in.

A Chicago Tribune column introduces the writer who collaborated with longtime Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Maria Pappas on a new book about her. The piece profiles the author and the process of writing the book with Pappas, drawing attention to her long career in county government and the stories behind it. It is the kind of local literary profile that sparks interest among Chicago political readers.

Rachel Meade Smith, host of the Words of Mouth podcast, discusses the emotional toll of searching for work in a new installment of the Chicago Review of Books' 'Book Stuff' series. The conversation explores how job hunting wears people down, framed through books and writing about work, and has drawn attention from readers interested in labour, precarity and the literary conversation around them.

I'm Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire, a stage work examining teenage angst and the intense parasocial bonds fans form with celebrities, is drawing attention from critics. The Chicago Reader reviewed the production, highlighting how it uses an obsessive teen fixation on the Spider-Man actor to probe celebrity worship and adolescent longing.

A New Yorker retrospective revisits the Chicago Pile-1, the world's first nuclear reactor, built beneath the Stagg Field stands at the University of Chicago, where Enrico Fermi's team achieved the first controlled self-sustaining chain reaction in December 1942. The piece reflects on how that crude graphite-and-uranium experiment launched the nuclear age, and readers are debating its legacy for energy today.

A visitation at St. Rita of Cascia Parish in Chicago on All Souls' Day is drawing attention under the banner of local hauntings. CBS News covered the event, describing it as shocking, but few details are available beyond the headline. The story sits at the intersection of religion and the paranormal, a combination that tends to spark wide curiosity and debate among readers.

Newcity Art has published a feature titled 'Where the Bud Blooms', an art-focused piece currently circulating among readers of the Chicago-based arts publication. Details of the work or exhibition it covers are not given in the headline, but the title suggests a botanical or nature-inspired theme in contemporary art. It is part of Newcity's ongoing coverage of art and culture.

A local veteran's story is drawing attention after he explained that he joined the military to leave inner-city Chicago and build a better life. The account highlights how military service offered an escape route from difficult urban circumstances, a theme that resonates with many veterans who describe enlisting as a path to opportunity.

Voter guidance for Chicago in the 2026 US midterm election is being published, explaining registration, early voting, vote-by-mail and polling place procedures for residents of Illinois' largest city. Interest reflects ongoing public attention to the midterm cycle and practical questions about how to participate in upcoming elections.