Good afternoon, Chicago.
It hasn’t been a good year for the immigrant community in Chicago, said Matt DeMateo, a resident and grassroots leader in the Little Village neighborhood.
His team at New Life Centers of Chicagoland, an organization focused on helping underserved families and reducing street violence, had to shift its focus earlier this year to find ways to protect families affected by Operation Midway Blitz, the federal government’s most recent immigration enforcement in the city.
The operation, DeMateo said, filled Chicago’s immigrant communities with fear. Families stopped leaving their homes. Kids stayed home from school. Parents missed work. People were afraid to go to church. Still, DeMateo, the chief executive, rallied his team to keep their heads up, pushing to provide the resources their communities needed.
The Chicago Bears surprised DeMateo, naming him the Inspire Change Changemaker Award winner in recognition of his work supporting immigrant and low-income families on Chicago’s Southwest Side.
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.
Subscribe to more newsletters | Asking Eric | Horoscopes | Puzzles & Games | Today in History
Yolanda Rivera, center, the mother of Krystal Rivera, is comforted by Krystal’s sister, Jackie Rivera, and stepfather, Rico Thompson, during a press conference, Dec. 11, 2025. The family filed a civil lawsuit against her partner, fellow Officer Carlos Baker, who shot Rivera in a friendly fire incident, as well as the city and Chicago Police Department. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)
Family of Krystal Rivera files suit against CPD, partner who shot her, while alleging pair had romantic relationship
In late May, Chicago Police officer Krystal Rivera ended an off-and-on romantic relationship with her partner, fellow officer Carlos Baker, according to her family and attorneys.
Just days later, Baker shot and killed her while the two tactical officers tried to arrest a weapons suspect on the South Side. Rivera, 36, was the first CPD officer to die in a friendly fire incident in nearly 40 years. Read more here.
More top news stories:
People walk past the entrance to the Chicago Public Media and WBEZ newsroom at Navy Pier on July 15, 2025. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
WBEZ back to local programming after 16-hour power outage
WBEZ-FM 91.5 was back on the air live and local this morning after nearly a day without power forced the station to vacate its Navy Pier studios and run network programming.
ComEd replaced a damaged transformer and restored electricity to the studios at 1:46 a.m., allowing the station to return to normal programming in time for morning drive after a 16-hour disruption. Read more here.
More top business stories:
Browns defensive end Myles Garrett sacks Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson on Nov. 16, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Richard)
Can Myles Garrett set the NFL sack record vs. the Chicago Bears? Here’s what the numbers say.
Cleveland Browns pass rusher Myles Garrett is in rare territory.
His 20 sacks through 13 games puts him just 2½ shy of the single-season NFL record set by Michael Strahan in 2001 and matched by T.J. Watt in 2021. Read more here.
More top sports stories:
British actor Ian McKellen speaks at a “Shakespearean Breakfast” by the Royal Shakespeare Company at Middle Temple Hall in London on Nov. 12, 2025, to launch a new curriculum for teaching Shakespeare in schools. (Richard A. Brooks / AFP)
Ian McKellen will perform Shakespeare — and Gandalf — in Chicago
The actor Sir Ian McKellen, a Shakespearean actor also known as the wizard Gandalf in all three “Lord of the Rings” films, is coming to Chicago Shakespeare Theater for a one-night benefit performance in January. Read more here.
More top Eat. Watch. Do. stories:
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., joined at left by Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., speaks to reporters after a closed-door meeting with fellow Republicans, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Senate rejects extension of health care subsidies as costs are set to rise for millions of Americans
The Senate rejected legislation to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits, essentially guaranteeing that millions of Americans will see a steep rise in costs at the beginning of the year. Read more here.
More top stories from around the world: