News across Greater Chicago

ETHS football: Wildkits have eye on playoffs with win over Niles North
Football teams with zero or one loss at this point in the season can be certainthey’ll land a spot in the Illinois High School Association state playoffs. For everyone else, it’s still just conjecture. But Evanston’s 28-7 victory at NilesNorth on Friday night felt like an…

Theaster Gates bets on fine china
The famed Chicago-based artist's career is taking a new direction with the purchase of Pickard China, the sole remaining maker of fine china in the United States.

Theaster Gates bets on fine china
The famed, Chicago-based artist's career is taking a new direction with the purchase of Pickard China, the sole remaining maker of fine china in the United States.

NU debuts new Ryan Field with packed house, big ceremony — and a Wildcats win
One hundred years to the day after its predecessor opened, the new Ryan Field football stadium officially debuted Friday night as Northwestern University hosted Penn State before a sold-out crowd of 35,000 and a national TV audience. The launch of Northwestern’s $875 million…

Waffle dessert shop Wafflavor to close permanently on Sunday
Korean waffle and frozen yogurt shop Wafflavor at 1596 Sherman Ave. plans to close Sunday, Oct. 4. The shop will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. today and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Wafflavor announced the closure on Instagram this week, thanking “everyone who has…

New Ryan Field ready for its close-up
The New Ryan Field officially opens for business Friday, Oct. 2. Northwestern kicks off New Ryan Field in its Big Ten home opener against Penn State at 7 p.m. The game will be televised across the country as part of Fox College Football Friday and the matchup is sold out. Gates…

Space to Place market kicks off this weekend in Bookman’s Alley
Retail incubator and pop-up program Space to Place kicks off this weekend, bringing local Evanston businesses that don’t have brick-and-mortar locations to one of downtown Evanston’s vacant storefronts in Bookman’s Alley, 1712 Sherman Ave. “The whole idea is to begin the process…

Two years old and three times the size
Dozens of people fill Animal Records as the store celebrates its second anniversary and grand reopening. The vintage record (and CDs) store moved to a new space at 620 Grove St., which is almost three times its original space next door. “I think people want a place to hang out,…

Mexican restaurant Boca Brava plans to take over half of former Reza’s space
A new Mexican restaurant called Boca Brava, which means “brave mouth” or “fierce mouth” in Spanish, plans to take over part of the former Reza’s Restaurant and Lounge space at 1557 Sherman Ave. Reza’s closed in May 2025. Owner Carlos Arechiga, 31, has signed a lease for the…

ETHS golf: Golfers score wet win at IHSA regional
Evanston’s golf team has fallen short of winning an Illinois High School Associationstate championship by the slimmest of margins for two years in a row. But there can’t be any doubt about the current squad’s mental toughness even ifthey don’t go all the way in 2026. That mental…

Evanston man, 56, killed in rollover accident
An Evanston man died Friday night after a rollover crash at Simpson Street and Sherman Avenue, according to the Evanston Police Department. At about 6:30 p.m. on Friday, EPD and the Fire Department responded to a serious traffic accident in which officers located an SUV on its…

'Wait Wait' for October 3, 2026: With Not My Job guest David Byrne
This week, Wait Wait is live in Chicago with host Peter Sagal, special guest David Byrne and panelists Rob Anderson, Alonzo Bodden, and Rachel Coster