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Up until the nominating period ends at noon on Friday, December 9th, you can return to your ballot here at chicagoreader.com/best to nominate in additional categories or change your nominations.
Voting on the most nominated finalists will begin on January 18, 2023.
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Reader senior writer Ben Joravsky riffs on the day’s stories with his celebrated humor, insight, and honesty, and interviews politicians, activists, journalists and other political know-it-alls. Presented by the Chicago Reader, the show is available by 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays at chicagoreader.com/joravsky—or wherever you get your podcasts. Don’t miss Oh, What a Week!–the Friday feature in which Ben & producer Dennis (aka, Dr. D.) review the week’s top stories. Also, bonus interviews drop on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays.
Chicago Reader podcasts are recorded on Shure microphones. Learn more at Shure.com.
Chicago Reader senior writer Ben Joravsky discusses the day’s stories with his celebrated humor, insight, and honesty on The Ben Joravsky Show.
Listen to The Ben Joravsky ShowBen Joravskyon November 10, 2022 at 8:01 am Read More »
The Reader is published in print every other week and distributed free to the 1,100 locations on this map (which can also be opened in a separate window or tab). Copies are available free of charge—while supplies last.
This week’s print issue is the issue of November 10, 2022, The People Issue. Distribution to locations began yesterday morning and will continue through tonight, Thursday, November 10.
Many Reader boxes including downtown and transit line locations will be restocked on the Wednesday following each issue date.
The next print issue is the issue of November 24, the Nonprofits Issue. It will be distributed to locations starting on Wednesday, November 23, and continuing Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 24.
Never miss a copy! Paid print subscriptions are available for 12 issues, 26 issues, and for 52 issues from the Reader Store.
The Chicago Reader is published in print every other week. Issues are dated Thursday. Distribution usually happens Wednesday morning through Thursday night of the issue date. Upcoming print issue dates through December 2022 are:
11/24/2022
12/8/2022
12/22/2022
Download the full 2022 editorial calendar is here (PDF).
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The first print issue in 2023 will be published three weeks after the 12/22/2022 issue, the final issue of 2022. The print issue dates through June 2023 are:
1/12/2023
1/26/2023
2/9/2023
2/23/2023
3/9/2023
3/23/2023
4/6/2023
4/20/2023
5/4/2023
5/18/2023
6/1/2023
6/15/2023
6/29/2023
Get a print copy of The People IssueChicago Readeron November 10, 2022 at 1:53 pm Read More »
The Sun-Times’ experts offer their picks for the Bears’ home game Sunday against the 2-6 Lions:
RICK MORRISSEY
Bears, 31-28
According to Vegas, the Bears are slight favorites to beat the Lions. According to public opinion in Chicago, Justin Fields will run for 200 yards, pass for 200 more and launch a mayoral campaign Sunday. If the Bears can keep their feet on the ground while their fan base swoons over the quarterback, they’ll have a good chance against Detroit.Season: 6-3.
RICK TELANDER
Bears, 25-23
One team’s on a winning high, the other’s coming off a tough loss. Guess which team is favored? Fields is now known to the league. But the Bears better be careful. Cockiness kills. Season: 5-4.
LAURENCE HOLMES
Bears, 30-20
The Bears are riding high behind the NFC Offensive Player of the Week. The Lionswon their Super Bowl and probably saved their coach’s job last week against Green Bay. Look for Fields to have a big day passing on Sunday. Season: 5-4.
PATRICK FINLEY
Bears, 43-42
Getting to this unique score –it’s never happened before in the NFL –is a bet on just how bad these two defenses are. The Lions allow 6.39 yards per play, the fifth-most in the history of the sport. The Bears allow about a half-yard less. Season: 5-4.
JASON LIESER
Bears, 39-32
Fields did well enough against the Lions in just his second NFL start to take over the position for the Bears. He’s a lot better now, and the Lions might — somehow — have gotten even worse. Season: 5-4.
MARK POTASH
Bears, 31-24
An improving Fields coming off a record-setting performance against the Dolphins, playing at home vs. a Lions defense that ranks 32nd and last in the NFL in points and yards allowed. What could go wrong? Season: 6-3.
Bears predictions: Week 10 vs Lions Read More »
Jose Abreu has been arguably the best free agent signing that the Chicago White Sox ever made. The 2020 AL MVP, has parted ways with the south siders and is now entering free agency. The now 35-year-old first baseman, has been marked as a target for the Chicago Cubs.
Cubs “Will Express Strong Interest” in Jose Abreu, But Matt Mervis Will Still Have an Opportunity to Contribute Right Away
https://t.co/5rzil2bJrF https://t.co/VBh4NHezYp
According to Bruce Levine of the marqueesportsnetwork.com, the Cubs have a strong interest and are expected to reach out to the representative of Jose Abreu and gauge to see if there’s mutual interest.
This would be an upgrade for the Cubs at this point in both offense and leadership. A durable starter that can give you 500 plus at-bats per year. Abreu finished the 2022 campaign slashing .304/.378/.446, with 15 homeruns and 75 runs batted in. While his power numbers have gone down, Abreu is still a very productive hitter and can produce runs from the middle of the order.
Being in his late 30s and having a nine year career under his belt, Abreu would be an ideal fit for the Cubs in the leadership aspect of things. Matt Mervis, is someone who can learn from Abreu while splitting time with him at 1B/DH.
The Cubs are expected to be mayor players in a lot of free agents, Abreu is key due to the leadership and hitting potential that he brings. We’ll see if the Cubs can work out a deal with the veteran first baseman.
Follow us on Twitter at @chicitysports23 for more great content. We appreciate you taking time to read our articles. To interact more with our community and keep up to date on the latest in Chicago sports news, JOIN OUR FREE FACEBOOK GROUP by CLICKING HERE
Chicago Cubs Free Agent Target: Jose Abreu Read More »
Jose Abreu has been arguably the best free agent signing that the Chicago White Sox ever made. The 2020 AL MVP, has parted ways with the south siders and is now entering free agency. The now 35-year-old first baseman, has been marked as a target for the Chicago Cubs.
Cubs “Will Express Strong Interest” in Jose Abreu, But Matt Mervis Will Still Have an Opportunity to Contribute Right Away
https://t.co/5rzil2bJrF https://t.co/VBh4NHezYp
According to Bruce Levine of the marqueesportsnetwork.com, the Cubs have a strong interest and are expected to reach out to the representative of Jose Abreu and gauge to see if there’s mutual interest.
This would be an upgrade for the Cubs at this point in both offense and leadership. A durable starter that can give you 500 plus at-bats per year. Abreu finished the 2022 campaign slashing .304/.378/.446, with 15 homeruns and 75 runs batted in. While his power numbers have gone down, Abreu is still a very productive hitter and can produce runs from the middle of the order.
Being in his late 30s and having a nine year career under his belt, Abreu would be an ideal fit for the Cubs in the leadership aspect of things. Matt Mervis, is someone who can learn from Abreu while splitting time with him at 1B/DH.
The Cubs are expected to be mayor players in a lot of free agents, Abreu is key due to the leadership and hitting potential that he brings. We’ll see if the Cubs can work out a deal with the veteran first baseman.
Follow us on Twitter at @chicitysports23 for more great content. We appreciate you taking time to read our articles. To interact more with our community and keep up to date on the latest in Chicago sports news, JOIN OUR FREE FACEBOOK GROUP by CLICKING HERE
Chicago Cubs Free Agent Target: Jose Abreu Read More »
Born of the Fireside Bowl hardcore scene, local trio Sweet Cobra have become synonymous with heavy music in Chicago over the past two decades—but they’ve also evolved every step of the way. They started off as a fairly typical early-aughts doomy hardcore act, and though they’ve shifted away from hardcore with proggy, sludgy, and melodic forays, they’ve consistently delivered tunes with their signature pummeling attack. On their brand-new fifth album, Threes, bassist and vocalist Tim Remis, guitarist Robert “Grumpy” Lanham, and drummer Jason Gagovski (who’s releasing the record on his Hawthorne Street label) have landed somewhere in the middle of their earlier work and at the same time far beyond anything they’ve created before. They’ve all but done away with straightforward melodic hardcore, and now they’re interpreting their usual heaviness through layers of lush tones and waves of warm guitar rather than a cacophonous wall of distortion. And when they add elements of dreamy shoegaze, sky-high space rock, earthy Americana, and blissed-out alternative rock, you could describe Threes as “post-everything.” My favorite thing about the record is also what surprised me the most—it’s incredibly catchy. Sweet Cobra will never be a pop band, but here they get pretty damn close. Twenty years into their career, they’re still reinventing themselves, and on Threes the payoff is the best yet.
Sweet Cobra’s Threes is available on Bandcamp.
Sweet Cobra go post-everything with a brilliant new musical reinvention Read More »
Born of the Fireside Bowl hardcore scene, local trio Sweet Cobra have become synonymous with heavy music in Chicago over the past two decades—but they’ve also evolved every step of the way. They started off as a fairly typical early-aughts doomy hardcore act, and though they’ve shifted away from hardcore with proggy, sludgy, and melodic forays, they’ve consistently delivered tunes with their signature pummeling attack. On their brand-new fifth album, Threes, bassist and vocalist Tim Remis, guitarist Robert “Grumpy” Lanham, and drummer Jason Gagovski (who’s releasing the record on his Hawthorne Street label) have landed somewhere in the middle of their earlier work and at the same time far beyond anything they’ve created before. They’ve all but done away with straightforward melodic hardcore, and now they’re interpreting their usual heaviness through layers of lush tones and waves of warm guitar rather than a cacophonous wall of distortion. And when they add elements of dreamy shoegaze, sky-high space rock, earthy Americana, and blissed-out alternative rock, you could describe Threes as “post-everything.” My favorite thing about the record is also what surprised me the most—it’s incredibly catchy. Sweet Cobra will never be a pop band, but here they get pretty damn close. Twenty years into their career, they’re still reinventing themselves, and on Threes the payoff is the best yet.
Sweet Cobra’s Threes is available on Bandcamp.
Tomorrow, the Chicago Cubs can officially agree to terms with free agents, as the MLB free agency period opens up.
After finishing the 2022 regular season well, the Cubs go into their offseason with hope to carry on the momentum into next season, especially if they are able to add some notable talent.
By all accounts, that’s exactly what the Cubs are poised to do. From what we know, Jed Hoyer has said he plans to “be aggressive” while “spending wisely” during the free agency period.
The aggressiveness could come almost immediately, too, as MLB insider Bruce Levine reported on 670 The Score. According to Levine, the Cubs have a pair of notable names on their radar: first baseman Jose Abreu and starting pitcher Corey Kluber.
For starters, Abreu is not an unfamiliar name to Chicagoans. Of course, Abreu has spent his entire Major League career with the Chicago White Sox, which started all the way back in 2014. The 35-year-old is unlikely to return to the Sox, per Levine, and the Cubs will be in on him right away.
The 3-time All Star would give the Cubs some added hitting, although he did hit a career-low 15 home runs last season. Still, the Cubs’ lineup needs a boost in the middle of the order and that is just what Abreu could provide them.
Meanwhile, Kluber is not an unfamiliar name to Cubs fans, either.
The 2-time Cy Young winner faced those World Series Champion Cubs back in the prime of his career, where Kluber made three-straight All Star Games. The 36-year-old righty has notched 18 or more wins in four separate seasons over his lengthy career, but over the past few years has dipped in production.
Last season, though, Kluber enjoyed a bit of a resurgence in Tampa Bay. Over the 2022 season, the veteran won 10 games, pitched 164.0 innings (his most since 2018) and posted an ERA of 4.34.
Kluber struck out 139 while walking just 21 batters last year, as well.
He doesn’t have a whole lot longer ahead of him, but Kluber could give the Cubs another solid arm within their rotation and would be a nice signing to kick off free agency.
It wasn’t the first time Patrick Williams faced the monster before.
Heck, the Bulls hosted Zion Williamson and the Pelicans in the preseason opener, with Williamson being Williams’ main assignment.
Just in case, however, leading up to the showdown with the 2019 overall No. 1 pick, Billy Donovan showed the film and reminded the entire team of what was coming.
“There’s certain teams or individual players that when you’re watching them on film, the film doesn’t do it justice, and clearly he’s one of those guys,” Donovan said of Williamson. “Like a team that’s really fast in transition, and you know they’re really fast, but like the film doesn’t do it justice. Then all of a sudden they get out there and it’s like, ‘Woah.’ Zion is that kind of player where, ‘OK, this guy is quick, he’s explosive, he’s big.’ But you don’t realize it until you’re actually in it.”
In the second half on Wednesday, the Bulls were in it, and knee-deep.
After holding Williamson to just four points in the first half, Williamson and the Pelicans turned it around, holding on to beat the Bulls 115-111.
Williamson scored 15 points in that second half, but it was also the attention he drew on double-teams that allowed the rest of his teammates to rally late.
And while New Orleans (6-5) had a Zion, the Bulls had a DeRozan.
With 1:24 left in the game and down one, veteran DeMar DeRozan drew the foul and hit both free throws. Brandon Ingram and DeRozan would trade baskets, but after Ingram hit a 19-footer with 39.7 seconds left, DeRozan drove in for the floater. One problem, and a big one, as Williamson redirected the shot, allowing Jonas Valanciunas to grab the defensive rebound.
Williamson was fouled with 19.4 seconds left, splitting the pair to make it a three-point game.
Out of the timeout, it seemed like DeRozan would have the chance to play hero yet again, getting the pass from Goran Dragic on the inbound.
He didn’t catch it cleanly, though, as it bounced off his foot and went out of bounds.
“There was a three-point shot on, as well as a two. Just a read-the-defense situation,” Donovan said of the play.
A read DeRozan wouldn’t have a chance to make.
“That was on me,” DeRozan said of the turnover. “Wasn’t on anyone else. I tricked it off, should have caught it. It’s just frustrating when we don’t give ourselves a chance to see what would happen by making mistakes.”
That turnover left the Bulls (6-7) no choice but to foul, and Herbert Jones made them pay, making both.
Ingram finished with 22, but it was Williamson’s aggressiveness, especially in the third quarter when Ingram was in foul trouble, that turned momentum.
“Zion can do it off the dribble, he can get in the paint, and you bring a big crowd at him, he shoots it, misses it, and he’s off the floor before anybody else,” Donovan said. “He’s such a unique player.”
One that they had under wraps early.
Whether it was the Bulls defense or simply the flow of the game, Williamson took just two shots the first half, scoring four points. The Bulls did blitz him with double teams at times, but he also seemed like he was easing himself into the game.
That changed coming out of the halftime locker room, as Williamson not only attacked the hoop to start the third, but helped put the Bulls on their heels, as the visiting team jumped out to its biggest lead of the game, going up 11 before Donovan called a timeout to try and slow the bleeding.
They did temporarily, but not when it mattered most.
Bulls fall apart late, allowing Zion Williamson & Co. to grab the win Read More »
