Welcome to our highlights of events and entertainment in Chicago at our city’s best museums and galleries. Bookmark this page and check back for updates on the latest activities.

‘Last Week Tonight Masterpiece Gallery’

John Oliver displays a portrait of Wendy Williams from the “Last Week Tonight” art collection.HBO

When: Oct. 2-26

Where: 360 N. State

What: The Museum of Broadcast Communications is one of five museums to win a national competition to display three artworks from comedian John Oliver’s HBO series. In addition, the museum also received $10,000 and the Greater Chicago Food Depository received the same. It’s Oliver’s creative way of helping smaller museums impacted by the pandemic as well as helping local food banks. Admission is free; visitors are asked to bring a donation of a canned or boxed food item.

More information: For updated information regarding the museum’s COVID-19 vaccination and/or mask policies, visit museum.tv.

‘Who Says, Who Shows, What Counts’

Fred Wilson’s “Untitled (Venice Biennale),” featured in “Who Says, Who Shows, What Counts.”(C) Fred Wilson. Image courtesy the artist and Pace Gallery

When: To Dec. 5

Where: 40 Arts Circle Dr., Evanston

What: Northwestern University’s Block Museum marks its 40th anniversary and the reopening of its galleries with “Who Says, Who Shows, What Counts,” an exhibit featuring 80 new acquisitions highlighting new collecting strategies and diverse narratives. Admission is free.

More information: For updated information regarding the museum’s COVID-19 vaccination and/or mask policies, visit blockmuseum.northwestern.edu.

‘Romanticism to Ruin: Two Lost Works by Sullivan & Wright’

Photo by unknown photographer, Richard Nickel at the Garrick Theatre in midst of an interview with unidentified journalist, c. 1960.Ryerson & Burnham Libraries, Art Institute of Chicago

When: Sept. 24-Dec. 18

Where: Wrightwood 659, 659 W. Wrightwood

What: This two-part exhibit explores long-gone architectural masterpieces: Louis H. Sullivan’s Garrick Theatre in Chicago and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Larkin Building in Buffalo, New York. Included are 3D models and digital re-creations of the original edifices; salvaged architectural ornaments and artifacts; original furniture; historical documentation of the design, construction and demise of the buildings and archival photographs taken by noted preservationist Richard Nickel. Tickets: $15, available online only.

More information: For updated information regarding the gallery’s COVID-19 vaccination and/or mask policies, visit wrightwood659.org.

‘Thinking of You. I Mean Me. I Mean You.’

Barbara Kruger. Untitled (Truth), 2013. Digital image courtesy of the artist

When: Sept. 19-Jan. 24

Where: Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan

What: The Art Institute presents a major solo exhibition devoted to the work of Barbara Kruger, a conceptual artist known for combining images and type that raise questions about our relationship to consumerism, society and more. The exhibit includes early work and rarely seen paste-ups of the early 1980s, which reveal her process, to her digital productions of the last two decades. Admission: $14-$25. (Also Art on the Mart is projecting a selection of Kruger’s work on the facade of the Merchandise Mart through Nov. 25.)

More information: For updated information regarding the museum’s COVID-19 vaccination and/or mask policies, visit artic.edu.

‘Chicago Avant-Garde’

Dancer Katherine DunhamSun-Times file

When: To Dec. 30

Where: Newberry Library, 60 W. Walton

What: This interesting new exhibit puts the spotlight on five women whose lives and careers embodied a uniquely Chicago style of avant-garde creativity in 1930s-1950s: artist Gertrude Abercrombie, poet Gwendolyn Brooks, dancers Katherine Dunham and Ruth Page and curator Katharine Kuh. “All five women challenged social constraints — based on their gender, their race, or both — to subvert convention and find beauty and freedom in their art,” says curator Liesl Olson. The exhibit includes paintings, photographs, posters, dance costumes and rare video footage. Admission is free.

More information: For updated information regarding the museum’s COVID-19 vaccination and/or mask policies, visit newberry.org.

The Neon and Light Museum

When: Through Oct. 31

Where: 325 W. Huron

What: This pop-up features an immersive exhibition of nearly 70 neon and light-based sculptures. Among the highlights are John Bannon’s 14-foot-tall neon sculpture “Breathe,” Monika Wulfer’s installation “Circle’s Edge” and an iconic neon self-portrait by John Lennon. Other artists include feminist neon artist Zoelle Nagib, pop sign artist Jason Pickleman, projected light specialist Gary Justis, abstract artist sculptor Michael Young and more. Tickets: $40+, reservations required.

More information: For vaccination and/or mask policies, visit neonandlightmuseum.com.

‘Frida Kahlo: Timeless’

(C) 2020 Banco de Mexico Diego Rivera Frida Kahlo Museums Trust, Mexico, D.F. Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

When: Through Oct. 15

Where: https://theccma.org/ticket-information

What: Though it closed Sept. 12, the not-too-miss art exhibit of the summer can still be seen on a virtual tour. Dolores Olmedo’s collection of paintings and works on paper by Kahlo were on view at the newly expanded Cleve Carney Museum of Art in Glen Ellyn. Curator Justin Witte and executive director Diana Martinez offer commentary during the virtual tour. Also featured are a multimedia timeline that offered a framework of Kahlo’s life, more than 100 photographs, a Kahlo-inspired garden and a family-friendly children’s area featuring a replica of Kahlo’s Casa Azul in Coyoacan, Mexico. Tickets: $18.

‘Dias de Muertos: A Time to Grieve & Remember’

George Rodriguez, “Mictlantecuhtli Offering,” 2020, ceramic installation, is featured in the exhibit “Dias de Muertos: A Time to Grieve & Remember.”Courtesy of the artist

When: Sept. 10-Dec. 12

Where: 1852 W. 19th

What: This year’s Day of the Dead exhibition at the National Museum of Mexican Art pays tribute to and remembers the many individuals from Mexico and the U.S. who have died from COVID-19. An annual time-honored tradition in Mexico, the Day of the Dead offers a way to join together to grieve and celebrate the lives of loved ones. The exhibit is a way to contemplate this moment via artworks and installations by artists from both sides of the border. Among those creating installations are Sandra Cisneros, Hector Duarte, Alejandro Garcia Nelo, Enrique Garcia and the Yollacalli Arts Center. These colorful displays sit alongside artwork by a long list of Mexican and Mexican American artists. Admission is free.

More information: For vaccination and/or mask policies, visit nationalmuseumofmexicanart.org.

‘American Epidemic: Guns in the United States’

“Untitled (Death by Gun),” by Felix Gonzalez-Torres (1990)Provided

When: Sept. 10-Feb. 20

Where: 600 S. Michigan

What: The Museum of Contemporary Photography presents an exhibit that brings together work by nine artists who examine the past three decades of gun culture in the United States. Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Carolyn Drake, Zora J Murff, Stephen Foster, Renee Stout, Hank Willis Thomas, Kambui Olujimi, Nancy Floyd and Andres Gonzalez use photography to approach the topic from a wide range of perspectives. “We hope this exhibition lays bare the persistent epidemic of gun violence in this country,” said Karen Irvine, MoCP chief curator and deputy director. “These artists point us towards nuanced ways of reckoning with this tragic — and uniquely American — plight.” Admission is free.

More information: For vaccination and/or mask policies, visit mocp.org.

Future Fossils: SUM

A “Future Fossils: SUM” piece by Lan TuazonCourtesy of the artist

When: Sept. 7-Nov. 13

Where: 5020 S. Cornell

What: This is the final sculpture installation in Lan Tuazon’s decade-long trilogy of work that visualizes the lifespan of our material goods. The Chicago artist calls her process “documentary sculpture.” Common packaged goods, tchotchkes and household items are accumulated, dissected and layered to give an accounting of the unseen byproduct of consumption. Tuazon offers visitors an encounter with a future house — one constructed solely with recovered materials — built to scale and exhibited from inside the two-story gallery at the Hyde Park Art Center. Admission is free.

More information: For vaccination and/or mask policies, visit hydeparkart.org.

‘Bani Abidi: The Man Who Talked Until He Disappeared’

Bani Abidi’s watercolor “The Man Who Talked Until He Disappeared.”Courtesy of Kiran Nadar Museum of Art

When: To June 5

Where: Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago

What: Two decades of the work of multidisciplinary Pakistani artist Bani Abidi are brought together for this exhibition. Informed by her upbringing in Karachi and experiences in cities including Chicago, where she studied at the School of the Art Institute, Abidi, a master storyteller, uses video, photography, sound and installation to uncover the influence of cultural and political power struggles on everyday life. Admission: $15.

More information: For vaccination and/or mask policies, visit mcachicago.org.

‘Chicago Works: Caroline Kent’

The Museum of Contemporary Art presents “Chicago Works: Caroline Kent,” the first solo museum exhibition of work by the multidisciplinary Chicago-based artist. Nathan Keay, (C) MCA Chicago

When: To April 3

Where: 220 E. Chicago

What: The Museum of Contemporary Art presents the first solo museum exhibition of work by the multidisciplinary Chicago-based artist. In this site-specific installation, Kent explores the abbreviated forms of communication that develop in intimate relationships such as those between sisters. Inspired by the experience of communicating with her own twin, she transfers her visual language to painting, sculpture and installation. Admission: $15.

More information: mcachicago.org

‘Origins’

Paul Nicklen, “Face to Face,” Svalbard, Norway, 2008.Courtesy the artist

When: Aug. 27-Oct. 2

Where: Hilton/Asmus Contemporary, Morgan Arts Complex, 3622 S. Morgan

What: The work of National Geographic photographers, filmmakers and marine biologists Paul Nicklen and Cristina Mittermeier are featured in this new exhibit. Nicklen, one of the world’s prominent nature photographers, has spent the last 20 years documenting the beauty and the plight of our planet. Mittermeier, whose work documents the conservation movement, is globally recognized as an influential wildlife writer and conservationist. Admission is free.

More information: Hilton-asmus.com

‘The Art of Banksy’

Banksy’s “Flower Thrower”The Art of Banksy

When: To Oct. 31

Where: 360 N. State

What: The identity of the artist known as Banksy has for years been the art world’s most intriguing mystery. But while we don’t know the man, we do know the art. The English-based street artist has created some of the most iconic images of the past few decades. A new exhibit brings more than 80 of these original works to Chicago. World-famous pieces from private collections including “Flower Thrower,” “Rude Copper” and “Girl with Balloon” will sit alongside other works rarely seen by the general public. As the artist-provocateur Banksy says: “Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.” Tickets: $40, $30 for 16 and younger.

More information: banksyexhibit.com

‘Helmut Jahn: Life + Architecture’

“Helmut Jahn – Life + Architecture”Chicago Architecture Center

When: To Oct. 31

Where: 111 E. Wacker

What: Chicago Architecture Center presents a new exhibit honoring the late Chicago architect, which highlights his designs ranging from signature early projects like the Michigan City Public Library (1977) and the James R. Thompson Center (1985) to the Sony Center in Berlin (2000) and the Pritzker Military Archives Center, currently under construction in Somers, Wisconsin. Photography, models and sketches illuminate each project and explore the collaborative design and engineering process, while personal imagery, video and recollections by those who knew and worked with Jahn underscore his flair for the dramatic and zest for life. Admission is $15.

More information: architecture.org

‘Mimi Cherono Ng’ok: Closer to the Earth, Closer to My Own Body’

“Untitled” by Mimi Cherono Ng’ok(C) Mimi Cherono Ng’ok

When: To Feb. 7

Where: Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan

What: This new exhibit features the work of a photographer who travels extensively across the tropical climates on a mission to understand how natural environments, botanical cultures and human subjects coexist and evolve together. In this solo exhibit, she presents photographs and a film in which she tracked flowers and floral imagery across varied contexts and a range of hidden associations. Admission: $14-$22.

More information: artic.edu

Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum

When: Ongoing

Where: 2430 N. Cannon Dr.

What: The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, where children of all ages can connect to nature and science, reopened July 8. Exhibits include “Without a Trace,” selections of photographs by Zbigniew Bzdak; “Patterns in Nature: A Bridge between Art and the Natural World,” mixed media work by artist Katherine Lampert; “Judy Istock Butterfly Haven,” “Birds of Chicago” and many more. Admission: $6-$9, children under 3 free.

More information: naturemuseum.org

‘Toward Common Cause: Art, Social Change and the MacArthur Fellows Program at 40’

Toba Khedoori’s “Untitled” at the Smart Museum of Art.Courtesy the artist and David Zwirner and Regen Projects, Los Angeles (C) Toba Khedoori.

“Toward Common Cause — Art, Social Change and the MacArthur Fellows Program at 40” is a multi-museum venture organized by the Smart Museum of Art that explores the current sociopolitical moment, challenging questions of inclusion, exclusion, ownership and rights of access. In its gallery, the Smart Museum features works by Mark Bradford, Mel Chin, Nicole Eisenman, LaToya Ruby Frazier, Jeffrey Gibson, Toba Khedoori, Inigo Manglano-Ovalle, Julie Mehretu, Fazal Sheikh and Xu Bing. From July 15-Dec. 19 at Smart Museum, University of Chicago, 5550 S. Greenwood. Admission is free. Visit smartmuseum.uchciago.edu; for a list of participating museums visit towardcommoncause.org.

Stony Island Arts Bank’s contribution is “Towards Common Cause.” The group show features work by Carrie Mae Weems, Kerry James Marshall, Gary Hill, Whitfield Lovell, Trevor Paglen, Deborah Willis, Dawoud Bey, Fred Wilson and Nicole Eisenman. From July 18-Dec. 19 at Stony Island Arts Bank, 6760 S. Stony Island. Admission is free. Visit rebuild-foundation.org.
The reopened DuSable Museum of African American History, 740 E. 56th Pl., participates with an exhibit of “Presenting Negro Scenes Drawn Upon My Passage through the South and Reconfigured for the Benefit of Enlightened Audiences Wherever Such May Be Found, By Myself, Missus K.E.B Walker, Colored,” a signature black silhouette installation from the artist Kara Walker. Admission: $3-$10 (Sundays free), children under 5 free. Visit: dusablemuseum.org.

Hyde Park Art Center

Mel Chin’s Fundred Dollar Bill ProjectProvided/Courtesy of the artist

When: July 25-Oct. 24

Where: 5020 S. Cornell

What: Mel Chin’s Fundred Dollar Bill Project as well as works by LaToya Ruby Frazier and Fazal Sheikh are on display at the Hyde Park museum as part of “Toward Common Cause: Art, Social Change and the MacArthur Fellows Program at 40.” Chin’s 13-year-project, here titled “Chicago Fundred Initiative: A Bill for IL,” invites people to create their own “Fundred,” a form of currency that affirms the right of each maker to equal protection against lead contamination; Frazier’s film “Flint is Family” uses her photographs and voiceover by Flint, Michigan, resident Shea Cobb to understand the Flint water crisis; Sheikh’s landscape photography examines the connection between desertification, colonialism, and the displacement of Bedouin communities from ancestral lands in Israel’s Negev desert. Admission is free.

More information: hydeparkart.org

Weinberg/Newton Gallery

“My Friends are Picking Flowers,” by Salvador Gomez JiminezWendy Ewald Collection

When: To Dec. 18

Where: 688 N. Milwaukee

What: As part of the Smart Museum’s ongoing initiative “Toward Common Cause: Art, Social Change and the MacArthur Fellows Program at 40,” the gallery presents work by Wendy Ewald and Amalia Mesa-Bains, whose projects focus on Latinx migration in Chicago. Ewald’s exhibit includes photographs and writings from a workshop where young students expressed their dreams and concerns about contemporary migration as well as photographs and a film made in Chiapas, Mexico, in 1991. Mesa-Bains offers an installation that is a personal and historical meditation on migration through the lens of her own family. Admission is free.

More information: For updated information regarding the gallery’s COVID-19 vaccination and/or mask policies, visit weinbergnewtongallery.com.

‘Chicago: Where Comics Come to Life (1880-1960)’

A 1954 “Brenda Starr” panel at the Chicago Cultural Center exhibit.DCASE

When: To Oct. 3

Where: Chicago Cultural Center, 77 E. Randolph

What: This exhibit looks at Chicago’s significant role in the development of the early comic strip. Curated by artist-author Chris Ware and the City of Chicago’s cultural historian emeritus, Tim Samuelson, it focuses on comics in popular publishing, African American cartoonists, the first women cartoonists, the first daily comic strip and more. Admission is free. (The exhibit is a historical companion to “Chicago Comics: 1960s to Now,” the survey of contemporary Chicago comics at the Museum of Contemporary Art.)

Visit: chicagoculturalcenter.org

National Museum of Mexican Art

“We the People” by Chaz BojorquezNational Museum of Mexican Art Permanent Collection, gift of Chaz and Christina Bojorquez

When: Ongoing

Where: National Museum of Mexican Art, 1852 W. 19th street

What: After being closed for 15 months, the museum has reopened with a handful of exhibits. “Spotlight on Chaz Bojorquez and Enrique Alferez” features the museum’s newest acquisition, “We the People,” a painting by Bojorquez, and Alferez’s iconic bronze sculpture “La Soldadera.” Plus “Adlateres and the Unexpected Journey: Works by Carmen Chami” features paintings inspired by Mexican Baroque painting and figurative style. Admission is free.

More information: nationalmuseumofmexicanart.org

‘Toward Common Cause’

“Mother and Child,” Njideka Akunyili Crosby (2016). Courtesy the artist, Victoria Miro and David Zwirner.(C) Njideka Akunyili Crosby

When: To Nov. 21

Where: National Public Housing Museum, 625 N. Kingsbury, and at the Minnie Riperton Apartments, 4250 S. Princeton

What: The National Public Housing Museum partners with the Chicago Housing Authority to display artwork by MacArthur Fellow Njideka Akunyili Crosby as part of “Toward Common Cause,” a multi-site exhibition organized by the Smart Museum of Art at the University of Chicago in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of the MacArthur Fellows Program. Crosby uses acrylic, colored pencil and photo collages to create her distinctive portraits of African American life. “I almost want people to feel like the door is open and they’re walking by a scene into someone else’s life,” she says, “because that really is what I’m doing… mining my life to tell a story that is global but really wanting people to feel like they’re getting a glimpse into my world.” Crosby’s artwork installation is displayed on 70-foot banners on the sides of two buildings.

More information: nphm.org

‘Drawn to Combat: Bill Mauldin & the Art of War’

Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Bill MauldinCopyright the Pritzker Military Museum & Library

When: Through spring 2022

Where: 104 S. Michigan

What: Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Bill Mauldin, who studied at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts and was a cartoonist for the Chicago Sun-Times, is the subject of a retrospective at the Pritzker Military Museum & Library. “Drawn to Combat” covers Mauldin’s career as a wartime cartoonist focusing on soldiers’ experiences and as a political cartoonist. The exhibit draws from more than 5,000 cartoons and objects donated to the museum by the Mauldin family. Tickets: $8, $10, children under 12 free.

More information: pritzkermilitary.org

‘Chicago Comics: 1960s to Now’

Nick Drnaso’s painting for the cover of his graphic novel “Sabrina” in “Chicago Comics.”Provided

When: To Oct. 3

Where: Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago

What: A new exhibit celebrates Chicago’s pivotal role as a national and innovative center for comics and cartooning. With a focus on rediscovering the work of women and BIPOC comic artists, this major exhibition presents the last 60 years of the city’s artful cartooning history, showing how comic art is a democratic medium that allows artists to speak directly to people in relatable ways. Over 40 cartoonists are featured including Lynda Barry, Lilli Carre, Daniel Clowes, Nick Drnaso, Edie Fake, Emil Ferris, Nicole Hollander, Charles Johnson, Kerry James Marshall and Chris Ware. On display are comics, graphic novels, zines, original drawings, dioramas, commissioned films, installations, rare ephemera and books. Admission: $8, $15.

More information: mcachicago.org

‘Vivian Maier: In Color’

Vivian Maier, “Three Highland Park firemen,” Highland Park, August 1964, inkjet print. Gift of Jeffrey Goldstein/(C) The Estate of Vivian Maier

When: To May 8, 2023

Where: Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark

What: Much has been heralded about street photographer Vivian Maier’s black-and-white photographs in exhibits, books and films. Now this multimedia exhibit features 65 color images made during her time as a suburban Chicago nanny from the 1950s to 1970s, many of which have never been seen before. Maier, who died in 2009, was a bit of a character and always had a Roloflex camera around her neck as she walked the streets snapping images of women, children, the old, the poor, the abstract. While her motives remain elusive, her photographs continue to speak volumes. Tickets: $17, $19.

More information: chicagohistory.org

Polish Museum of America

The Paderewki Collection at Polish Museum of America.Courtesy Polish Museum of America

When: Ongoing

Where: 984 N. Milwaukee

What: The museum, since 1935 a repository for a wide variety of materials pertaining to Poland and the Polish-American community, has reopened after being shuttered for more than a year. Among the many permanent exhibits are “Polish Chicago 1850-1939,” “Folk Art Collection” and “The Paderewski Collection,” which documents the life of Polish pianist and composer Ignacy Jan Paderewski. Tickets: $6-$10.

More information: polishmuseumofamerica.org

The Hartwell Memorial Window

The Hartwell Memorial Window bears a design attributed to Agnes F. Northrop of Tiffany Studios.The Art Institute of Chicago

When: Permanent

Where: Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan

What: A magnificent stained glass window made by Tiffany Studios in 1917 is now on permanent display at the Art Institute. The Hartwell Memorial Window, attributed to Agnes F. Northrop, Tiffany’s leading landscape window designer, was originally commissioned for a church as the gift of Mary L. Hartwell in memory of her husband Frederick W. Hartwell. It consists of 48 different panels, and is a scenic view of Mount Chocorua, a peak in New Hampshire’s White Mountains. The window, located near the museum’s entrance, is one of the most ambitious landscape window projects produced by Tiffany. Museum admission: $14-$25.

More information: artic.edu

McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum

Gears that open the bridge.Friends of the Chicago River

When: Ongoing

Where: 99 Chicago Riverwalk

What: This five-story museum celebrates the Chicago River and its world-famous movable bridges. Visitors explore a historic bridgehouse, watch the massive gears of a moving bridge and learn about the history of the Chicago River. Plus from the top floor, there’s a 360-degree view of the city and river. Find the museum at 99 Chicago Riverwalk. Admission: $5, $6; children 5 and under free.

More information: bridgehousemuseum.org

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Five people were wounded, one critically, in a shooting Wednesday in West Town.

Two vehicles were driving in the 800 block of North Milwaukee Avenue about 4:45 p.m. when an occupant of one vehicle began shooting at the other, Chicago police said.

A 29-year-old man suffered a gunshot wound to the back and was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in critical condition, police said.

A 30-year-old woman and two men, 25 and 48, were taken to the same hospital in good condition, police said.

The fifth victim, a 27-year-old man, was struck in the arm and transported to Stroger Hospital in good condition, police.

The scene of the shooting spanned two blocks of Milwaukee Avenue from Hubbard to Grand streets, Chicago fire officials said.

Crystal Wilson, a ride-share driver, said the gunman hit a passenger in her blue Kia before continuing its chase through the intersection. She remained on the scene waiting for officers to investigate her car.

“I’ve got a headache, I’m a little shocked,” Wilson said. “I live in Indiana so I don’t want to just leave my car… I was trying to take my passengers home, and we heard a lot of noise, and I thought the noise was like some random fireworks. And then he said, ‘No, I’ve been shot.'”

Wilson stopped the car and dialed 9-1-1 as another woman came over to help.

“These guys were hanging out in the window shooting…I was trying to focus on not hitting someone else’s car and… make sure my passenger was OK,” Wilson said.

Dancello Bennett and Harry McGraw were on their way to grab a bite to eat when they heard the sound of gunfire quickly approaching. McGraw dropped to the ground for safety while Bennett tried to run inside a building.

“We literally have an office down the street. Just grabbing lunch and [then] it’s like an all out gun war, like shooting down the streets,” Bennett said. “It’s wild.”

McGraw said it looked like a gunman from an SUV was shooting at a car in front of them. He thought he heard 20 to 30 gunshots in 10 seconds.

The fleeing car honked at other drivers to get out of their way so they didn’t get blocked in.

“It was just unbelievable to know that these guys are willing to risk it all in the midst of everybody else, just reckless driving, reckless shooting,” McGraw said. “So we need to pray for Chicago; we need better for Chicago.”

Daniel Cater, a new driver for Fortune Fish & Gourmet, was preparing to turn off Milwaukee Avenue onto Halsted Street when he saw two people hanging out of a car with guns.

Two bullets hit the top of the truck — inches from his head– and another bullet pierced his driver-side tire.

“I saw it happen; I knew that was shooting,” Cater said. “I’m still in shock, it was a near-death experience,” Cater continued. “It’s almost unbelievable … I could have died right now. I really don’t feel anything.”

Following the shooting, people gathered around the typically crowded six-way intersection littered with dozens of bullet casings.

Michelle Peterson, of Lake View, was having a drink on Clover’s patio, 722 W. Grand Ave., with a friend when she heard what she thought were fireworks.

“By the time we heard it, it was kind of too late to do anything about it. Two people were shot right there … in broad daylight, in the middle of a busy population area,” Peterson said.

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SeatGeek Stadium has been the site of many pivotal moments in Fire history. From the 2006 US Open Cup triumph that represents the team’s last trophy to the 2013 Cup loss that led to the infamous editorial on the team website bashing supporters to the protests against the banning of the Sector Latino fan group, the arena witnessed the Fire’s decline from a power to a punchline.

So considering everything happening around the club, perhaps it’s fitting the franchise played its first meaningful match at the facility in exactly two years for Wednesday night’s 2-0 victory over New York City FC that ended a five-game winless streak. With seats being sold only on the east and north sides of the stadium, the Fire got second-half goals from Robert Beric and Federico Navarro in front of a lively announced crowd of 5,593.

“It felt good,” Beric said. “The stadium is nice. It’s a soccer stadium, I can say. We won the game, and now we [feel] good.”

The Fire haven’t had a lot of feel-good wins this season, but that’s just one issue around the club.

On the same day the Bears announced they’ve agreed to buy the site of Arlington International Racecourse for around $197 million, the Fire were forced out of their home for a night by their maybe-exiting roommates. Because no events can be held at Soldier Field within five days before a Bears game, the Fire had to return to the arena they called home from 2006-2019.

What a Bears move would mean to the Fire is unclear. Could Soldier Field be retrofitted to better suit the Fire? Would the Fire get better dates in the second half of seasons? Or would a Bears departure somehow hurt the Fire?

Answers to those questions are still years away, but the Fire did reap one tangible benefit Wednesday.

Three days removed from battling a poor grass surface, the Fire played on a proper field. And though the grass wasn’t always optimal during the Fire’s stay at SeatGeek and wasn’t perfect Wednesday, it was recently re-sodded and represented a significant upgrade from the poor conditions Sunday that led to more questions about whether Soldier Field can be the team’s long-term home.

Coach Raphael Wicky wouldn’t be drawn into comparing the playing surfaces of the two venues. What he wanted to focus on was the victory.

“I’m just really happy about the performance from the team from tonight,” Wicky said. “I think it was a well-deserved win.”

Under Wicky and sporting director Georg Heitz, wins like that haven’t come often enough, creating legitimate questions about their fitness for their jobs. A few more games like Wednesday would’ve quieted those queries, and maybe the victory showed the Fire could’ve been capable of more this year.

“We should’ve had more points with the quality we have, but the season is still not over,” defender Johan Kappelhof said. “We can still fix the season and climb, so we’re looking game-to-game and that’s our main focus, the next game.”

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Two 15-year-old boys were among three people seriously wounded in a shooting Wednesday night in Morgan Park on the Far South Side.

The shooting happened about 7:45 p.m. in the 11100 block of South Bishop Street, according to Chicago fire officials.

The three victims were transported to area hospitals all in serious to critical condition, fire officials said. The age of the third victim was not yet known.

The shooting happened down the street from Shoop Academy, 11140 S. Bishop St. At the scene, dozens of evidence markers filled the sidewalk near the mouth of an alley.

A resident, who has lived in the area for the past three years, described the block as “quiet” with “not too much going on.”

Chicago police have not yet released information on the shooting.

This is a developing story. Check back for details.

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At least four people were wounded, two critically, in a shooting Wednesday in the Fulton River District neighborhood in West Town.

The shooting happened about 5:15 p.m. and spanned two blocks of Milwaukee Avenue from Hubbard to Grand streets, Chicago fire officials said.

Four adults were taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital with multiple gunshot wounds, officials said. Two were listed in serious-to-critical condition and two were in good-to-fair condition.

Crystal Wilson, a ride-share driver, said the gunman hit a passenger in her blue Kia before continuing its chase through the intersection. She remained on the scene waiting for officers to investigate her car.

“I’ve got a headache, I’m a little shocked,” Wilson said. “I live in Indiana so I don’t want to just leave my car… I was trying to take my passengers home, and we heard a lot of noise, and I thought the noise was like some random fireworks. And then he said, ‘No, I’ve been shot.'”

Wilson stopped the car and dialed 9-1-1 as another woman came over to help.

“These guys were hanging out in the window shooting…I was trying to focus on not hitting someone else’s car and… make sure my passenger was OK,” Wilson said.

Dancello Bennett and Harry McGraw were on their way to grab a bite to eat when they heard the sound of gunfire quickly approaching. McGraw dropped to the ground for safety while Bennett tried to run inside a building.

“We literally have an office down the street. Just grabbing lunch and [then] it’s like an all out gun war, like shooting down the streets,” Bennett said. “It’s wild.”

McGraw said it looked like a gunman from an SUV was shooting at a car in front of them. He thought he heard 20 to 30 gunshots in 10 seconds.

The fleeing car honked at other drivers to get out of their way so they didn’t get blocked in.

“It was just unbelievable to know that these guys are willing to risk it all in the midst of everybody else, just reckless driving, reckless shooting,” ” McGraw said. “So we need to pray for Chicago; we need better for Chicago.”

Daniel Cater, a new driver for Fortune Fish & Gourmet, was preparing to turn off Milwaukee Avenue onto Halsted Street when he saw two people hanging out of a car with guns.

Two bullets hit the top of the truck — inches from his head– and another bullet pierced his driver-side tire.

“I saw it happen; I knew that was shooting,” Cater said. “I’m still in shock, it was a near-death experience,” Cater continued. “It’s almost unbelievable … I could have died right now. I really don’t feel anything.”

Following the shooting, people gathered around the typically crowded six-way intersection littered with dozens of bullet casings.

Michelle Peterson, of Lake View, was having a drink on Clover’s patio, 722 W. Grand Ave., with a friend when she heard what she thought were fireworks.

“By the time we heard it, it was kind of too late to do anything about it. Two people were shot right there … in broad daylight, in the middle of a busy population area,” Peterson said.

Chicago police have not yet released information on the incident.

This is a developing story. Check back for details.

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The MVP chatter has already begun for Luis Robert.

Not for this year, of course, because Robert has played in only 64 games due to a torn hip flexor suffered on May 2, but because of the numbers the White Sox’ prized 24-year-old center fielder has amassed in those games. Over a 162 game season, Robert’s numbers in the first 120 games of his brief two-year career translate to a .298/.349./516 hitting line, 31 homers, 40 doubles and 97 RBI.

Couple that with the rangy, fluid defense the 2020 Gold Glove winner displayed both as a rookie and this season and process the adjustments he’s made offensively and you begin to see a potential MVP package blossoming in front of your eyes.

In 2021, Robert ranks seventh on the White Sox with a 3.2 wins above replacement per Baseball Reference, quite remarkable considering the limited games played. Even more noteworthy is what Robert has done since getting back on the field Aug. 9, producing a .367/.403/.645 slash line with 11 homers, 13 doubles, 33 RBI and 29 runs scored in 39 games.

That’s a nice roll on which to be heading into the postseason.

“There are times which make me feel like you can do everything on the field, and you can dominate,” Robert said through translator Billy Russo after after hitting home runs that traveled 415 feet to center and 445 majestic feet to left in the Sox’ 7-1 win over the Reds Tuesday at Guaranteed Rate Field. “But there are other times where things look harder for you. It’s just baseball. Sometimes you can do things very easily and then sometimes you can’t find a way to make things happen. You have to deal with it. I’m glad that this year, the results have been there for me and I’ve been consistent with those results.”

It’s not only the results that make Robert stand apart on so many levels, though. His size (6-3 1/2 , 225 pounds per Sox strength and conditioning coordinator Allen Thomas), sleek and muscular body frame — teammates have called him an Under Armour mannequin lookalike — and exceptional talent that makes him so easy on the eyes. Baseball is not an easy game, but Robert is playing it and winning with seemingly effortless proficiency.

And if it’s modesty you like, hear manager Tony La Russa on Robert: “Even around the clubhouse, he never walks around like a ‘dig me’ kind of player. If you look at the great ones, like [Derek] Jeter and guys like that, they have their feet firmly planted. Their ego doesn’t overwhelm them. They have talent and play to their talent. He’s just trying to do, trying to win a game, catch a ball, make a throw or hit.

“He’s got his ego in check, and it’s very important. It gives him a chance to be very good for a long time.”

Robert is getting it done with an aggressive approach in the strike zone, swinging early as long as he sees something to his liking, but the aggressive wanes when it comes to stealing bases (he was five for six going into the Wednesday’s game against the Reds), but La Russa is reeling him in, in part because the hip injury is still too close in the past for total comfort and mainly because he wants to keep legs healthy and fresh going into a postseason that is already clinched.

Robert is fast, but “we have to be careful with turning him loose,” La Russa said.

Maybe next year, when he might be putting together that MVP portfolio. His numbers this year, a .349/.387/.579 hitting line with a .956 OPS, 12 homers and 41 RBI over 227 plate appearances, may offer a hint of what’s next.

“He’s playing to his huge talent and he’s producing huge, he plays defense huge,” La Russa said. “You understand how much we missed him and Eloy [Jimenez, torn pectoral muscle] in the first half. Can’t give our club enough credit for hanging in there. Having those two guys back, it’s a different looking team.”

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The cost of breaking their Soldier Field lease could cost the Chicago Bears nearly $90 million, but that would only be a small chunk of how much the team will have to shell out to reach its goal of playing in a shiny new suburban stadium — and it could be dwarfed by the amount of government subsidies the team might ask for to break ground in Arlington Heights.

That’s according to a Sun-Times analysis of the team’s lease with the Chicago Park District, which owns the aging lakefront gridiron and has the Monsters of the Midway on the hook if they skip town for Arlington Heights within the next few years.

The Bears — among the few NFL teams that don’t own their home turf — signed the lease in 2001 after pushing for Soldier Field’s notorious overhaul. They started playing at the renovated stadium in 2004, paying $5.7 million a year for use of the stadium and parking lots.

The contract with the park district runs through 2033 and calls for that payment to increase every five years, an increase tied to the Consumer Price Index, putting their current rate at about $6.6 million per year.

Arlington International Racecourse owner Churchill Downs said the sale to the Bears could close by early 2023. If the Bears were to break ground then, followed by an estimated two years for construction, the team could be expected to break their Soldier Field lease in 2026.

But the Bears’ contract with the park district puts the team on the hook for 150% of their remaining obligations if they go through with such an “improper relocation,” which shakes out to roughly $86.9 million, the Sun-Times calculates.

When the Bears signed the contract to play in a renovated Soldier Field, they agreed to pay a fine if they broke the lease and left before the term was up.AFP/Getty Images

That buyout fee decreases the longer the team stays at Soldier Field. For example, it’d be closer to $55 million if they stick around till 2029, or less than $12 million if they break the lease with a year remaining.

The contract also leaves open the possibility of either side challenging the contract through independent arbitration.

Still, $86.9 million is less than half what the Bears agreed to pay for the 326-acre Arlington Heights property, and it’s a drop in the bucket compared to the financing needed for a new stadium guaranteed to cost billions.

The Arlington property has plenty of land for the Bears to develop as they see fit. It also has a Metra stop right next to it.Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

Whatever the price, the move is an attractive option for the Bears, who would stand to generate huge new revenues over Soldier Field. It has the NFL’s smallest capacity at 61,500.

Meanwhile, with or without the Bears, taxpayers will still be paying off debt on the Soldier Field renovation for another decade. It was financed by bonds issued by the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority, obligations that will total $660 million by the time it’s paid off in 2032.

Officials at the Facilities Authority did not respond to requests for comment on the Bears’ threat to move.

While the team has said it’s still only in the “exploration” phase of a move, one conservative group is urging state and local officials not to “repeat the mistakes of the past” with sizable public financing and tax breaks.

“I expect the Bears to ask for the world,” said Brian Costin, deputy state director of the Illinois chapter of Americans for Prosperity.

He pointed to the case of southwest suburban Bridgeview, which issued $135 million in bonds in 2005 to build what’s now called SeatGeek Stadium, only to see its main tenant, the Chicago Fire, break its lease to move to Soldier Field — while the village’s bond rating plummeted to junk status.

Bridgeview built a new soccer-only stadium to lure the Chicago Fire from Soldier Field to the western suburb in 2006. But the Fire reversed course and returned to Soldier Field in 2020, though the Chicago Red Stars, who play in the National Women’s Soccer League, are still a tenant, however.Sun-Times file

But Costin noted a multibillion-dollar stadium would be a boon for Arlington Heights and Cook County through property taxes — something the Bears have never paid as lakefront tenants.

“This can be a very pro-taxpayer development with private financing and the right policies in place,” he said.

Arlington Heights Mayor Tom Hayes declined to comment on whether he’d support subsidizing the Bears’ move, or whether the team has broached the topic.

“We’re certainly looking forward to further exploring this potential move, and we’re going to have a lot of community discussions,” Hayes said.

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Six times. No, I think it was seven. Or maybe even eight.

I guess I lost count of how many times I wanted to turn away from the screen while watching the bizarre and thrilling and provocative and unnerving “Titane,” a symphony of disturbing and dark madness unlike anything you’ve ever seen — and I mean that in a good way, but you might have a little trouble sleeping after this one.

Winner of the prestigious Palme d’Or as the outstanding film at the Cannes Film Festival, “Titane” is a triumph of hallucinogenic, gender-switching, erotic and violent horror from writer-director Julia Ducournau. At times it reminded me of David Cronenberg’s psychological thriller “Crash” from 1996 and the Scarlett Johansson-starring “Under the Skin” (2013), but this is a wholly original story brimming with creativity and a uniquely weird viewpoint. I mean, when was the last time you saw a movie about a serial killer with a plate in her head who has sexual relations with automobiles and passes herself off as a man even though she’s pregnant?

I rest my case, but let’s go back to the beginning.

In a prologue sequence setting the oddball tone for what’s to come, an adolescent girl is in the back seat of car, fidgeting and fussing and making sounds like a revving engine, irritating and distracting her father to the point where he crashes the car, and the girl needs to have a titanium plate implanted into the side of her skull. When the girl is released from the hospital, the first thing she does is zip over to the car to embrace it.

Flash forward two decades, and the girl has grown up to be Alexia (Agathe Rousselle in an unforgettably searing performance), who wears her hair in a way that exposes that titanium plate and works as an exotic dancer who performs on the hoods of muscle cars as panting men take pictures with their smart phones and mob her for autographs after the performance. Just don’t touch her or make a move. One persistent fan tries that, and let’s just say we won’t see him for the rest of the movie.

With cinematographer Ruben Impens delivering gorgeous and haunting, neon-saturated, wet-pavement-noir imagery, “Titane” follows Alexia as she emerges dripping from a shower, climbs into a pimped-out Cadillac, and has sex. By herself. Or with the car. Or something. All we know is, she gets pregnant, and we’re thinking whatever emerges from Alexia’s womb might be so otherworldly not even Rosemary’s Baby would want to have a play date.

Fueled by anger and distrust and simmering with intensity, Alexia embarks on a killing spree, highlighted by a scene reminiscent of the massacre in the luxury house in “Us.” Then things get REALLY strange when Alexia shaves her head, bruises her own face, binds her breasts and assumes the identity of a young man named Adrien who has been missing since he was a boy. Vincent Lindon is a revelation as Vincent, a macho firefighter who convinces himself this is really his son, even though anyone who isn’t delusional and perhaps even deranged could see otherwise.

What transpires after that is best left for the viewer to discover. Suffice to say “Titane” gets increasingly weird, dark and unsettling, as writer-director Ducournau explores the drastic measures some will take in an effort to find companionship and comfort.

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Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Wednesday sounded almost resigned to moving on at Soldier Field without the Bears, at least if convincing the team to stay requires building a new stadium to accommodate the financial reality of the modern-day National Football League.

Lightfoot was forced to face the possibility of the Bears leaving Chicago when the team upped the ante in the high-stakes negotiations by signing an agreement to purchase the Arlington International Racecourse property.

Churchill Downs pegged the price at $197.2 million and said it anticipated closing the sale in 2022 or early 2023.

Between now and then, Lightfoot hopes to talk turkey with the Bears about what she can do within fiscal reason to expand and improve Soldier Field and maximize year-round revenues.

But if nothing short of a new, preferably domed stadium — either in parking lots adjacent to Soldier Field or on land now occupied by McCormick Place East — will prevent the Bears from moving to Arlington Heights, the beloved Bears could be a goner.

“You know the economics of municipally-financed stadiums, as do I, as do the Bears. If you look at what’s been built recently in the NFL — whether it’s SoFi [the Rams/Chargers stadium in Los Angeles] or the Allegiant in Las Vegas, you’re talking about a $4 or $5 billion venture. And if you look into the future, that price tag is only gonna go up,” Lightfoot said Wednesday in an interview with Mike Mulligan and David Haugh on 670 The Score.

“In a time where we’re going through a recovery from an epic economic meltdown as a result of COVID-19, we’ve got to be smart about how we spend taxpayers’ dollars and I intend to do just that. … I would love that the Bears be part of our present and our future. But we’ve got to do a deal that makes sense for us in the context of where we are.”

Bears team president Ted Phillips issued a statement Wednesday saying the purchase agreement is “the critical next step in continuing our exploration of the property and its potential.

“Much work remains to be completed, including working closely with the Village of Arlington Heights and surrounding communities, before we can close on this transaction,” the statement continued. “Our goal is to chart a path forward that allows our team to thrive on the field, Chicagoland to prosper from this endeavor and the Bears organization to be ensured a strong future. We will never stop working toward delivering Bears fans the very best experience.”

Lots of room for the Bears to build on at the site of Arlington National Racecourse. Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

Phillips and Bears chairman George McCaskey declined to speak with the Sun-Times.

The Bears would still need approval from the Village of Arlington Heights to build a stadium, but it doesn’t sound like that will be a problem.

“I could not be more excited,” Mayor Tom Hayes said. “The Village is committed to working with the Bears organization and all stakeholders to explore this opportunity for Arlington Heights and the northwest suburban region.”

This isn’t the first time the Bears have talked of going to Arlington Heights; when the idea was floated in the 1970s, Mayor Richard J. Daley threatened to prevent the team from keeping “Chicago” in its name.

Mayor Richard J. Daley was not amused by the thought of the Chicago Bears leaving the city to play in Arlington Heights when the team pondered such a move in 1975. Sun-Times files

At first, some saw this renewed interest as another negotiating tactic, though news of the purchase agreement has changed that.

Lightfoot said she appreciates the heads-up phone call she got from McCaskey. But what she clearly does not appreciate is the team’s decision to cancel a negotiating session that had been scheduled for Tuesday as it continues to play cat-and-mouse about what, if anything, it would take to keep them at a renovated Soldier Field.

“We can’t operate in the dark. I don’t have a magic eight ball to divine what the Bears want. Obviously, we have some sense of it. But you’ve got to get down to brass tacks. You’ve got to put your cards on the table and figure out what’s possible and what’s not possible. … We have been open to a conversation. They have not,” she said.

“They’ve got a contract that runs to 2033. I’m not about to let them out and certainly not on a ‘Thanks for the memories and goodbye.’ If they want to leave, they’re gonna have to pay us consistent with the contract. But we’ve got to have a discussion with them and they’ve got to put some cards on the table, which, thus far, they really haven’t been willing to do.”

Soldier Field renovations, shown under way in 2002, included building a new seating bowl within the existing confines of the historic stadium. It improved sightlines and fan amenities, but also reduced capacity. Soldier Field now officially seats 61,500 for football, according to the National Football League, making it the league’s smallest stadium.Associated Press

That payment for leaving Soldier Field early could amount to about $86.9 million, according to a Chicago Sun-Times analysis of the team’s 2001 lease with the Chicago Park District, which owns Soldier Field.

Renovations to Soldier Field started the year after that lease was signed. The work was financed by bonds issued by the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority. The total debt, about $660 million, won’t be paid off until 2032.

Two architects who worked on the Soldier Field renovation and a structural engineer familiar with that project told the Sun-Times that when it comes to improving the facility, the mayor’s hands may be tied by the constraints of a lakefront seating bowl already towering over historic colonnades at a stadium that’s also a war memorial.

Chicago architects Dirk Lohan and Adrian Smith said only modest expansion is possible at the NFL’s smallest stadium, and only in the north and south end zones. And a retractable dome would be equally difficult, requiring a new support structure.

Sports marketing expert Marc Ganis went even further.

He argued nothing short of a new stadium will keep the Bears on the lakefront, because the “economics of the NFL” have “changed dramatically” since the renovation.

“It wouldn’t really matter that much if the mayor said you could do naming rights. You could do gambling. And you can have more advertising. You can put in more events. The building itself was economically obsolete before the concrete dried.”

During Wednesday’s radio interview, Lightfoot pretty much agreed.

She argued the Bears cut a deal 20 years — and two mayors — ago that “they’re unhappy with” and “clearly feel doesn’t work for them” in current NFL economics.

“There’s longstanding issues way before I came on the scene. I can’t do anything about the past. All I can do is about the present and the future. And we were more than willing to have a reasonable discussion with them. But they’ve got to want to come to the table in good faith,” she said.

With the Chicago Bears announcing they have signed an agreement to purchase the Arlington International Racecourse property, Mayor Lori Lightfoot seems resigned to the possibility of the team leaving Soldier Field, its home for 50 years.Sun-Times photo

Lightfoot: Room to do something ‘bold’ on lakefront

With or without the Bears, Lightfoot said she is intent on improving the fan experience at Soldier Field, maximizing year-round revenues.

The mayor said she is “very mindful of what the restrictions are” along the lakefront. But, she argued, there is “still room to do something big and bold” without running afoul of the Lakefront Protection Ordinance and Friends of the Parks. Opposition from that group killed former Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s plan to build the Lucas Museum near Soldier Field.

“We are not getting the best that we can out of that venue. Six months of the year or so, it stays empty. … It makes no sense to me that we’ve got these massive parking lots that are vacant for much of the year,” she said.

“So we’ve assembled a small group that is gonna start looking at, what can we be doing really from the Shedd [Aquarium] down to McCormick Place, to maximize the value of this incredible asset and really make the fan experience — whether they’re coming for a Bears game or they’re coming for a concert — something that is really enjoyable and can be there as a year-round revenue generator.”

Mayor Lori Lightfoot talks to reporters Wednesday after a Chicago Fire Department graduation ceremony.Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

As far as whether the Bears can use “Chicago” in their name, Lightfoot noted Wednesday the NFL already has 11 teams that play outside cities in their names. And when asked whether she’d like to see a second football team in the city — which Mayor Richard M. Daley once sought — Lightfoot said only: “We’re a long, long way from that discussion.”

Noting that Soldier Field was “rocking” for last weekend’s Shamrock Series match-up between Notre Dame and Wisconsin, Lightfoot said: “If the Bears decide their future is in Arlington Heights — and I hope that’s not the case — we’re not gonna lack for suitors to make Soldier Field a permanent home.”

Even if the Bears move, the taxpayers will have to shell out a lot of money to pay off the stadium renovations.

Three months ago, the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority refinanced part of its Soldier Field debt to let Chicago taxpayers off the hook for what would have been a $22 million cost tied to the pandemic, which caused a drop in the hotel tax revenue used to pay off the Soldier Field bonds.

In the last fiscal year, ending June 30, the debt service payment was $46.5 million. It goes to $49.4 million in 2022, and continues to increase gradually until balloon payments at the end: $66.5 million in 2030, $81.7 million in 2031 and $86.9 million in 2032.

Those balloon payments were among changes made after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, as the travel industry ground to a halt.

To salvage the Soldier Field renovation deal, Richard M. Daley pressured the Bears to permanently forfeit their right to sell corporate naming rights to Soldier Field and built in a two-year protection for Chicago taxpayers.

Under the original version, the state could keep a chunk of the city’s share of the state income tax whenever the Chicago hotel tax failed to grow at an annual rate of 5.5% — enough to retire $399 million in stadium bonds.

The new version was restructured — with interest payments deferred, triggering those balloon amounts — to make a local tax bailout unnecessary for two years. That gave the airline, convention and tourism industries an opportunity to rebound from the devastating losses they suffered after the terrorist attacks.

Contributing: Mitchell Armentrout, Patrick Finley, Jason Lieser

The renovated Soldier Field opened in 2004. Sun-Times file

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PITTSBURGH — The Cubs have been able to avoid any major issues with COVID this season, but with four games left in the season, they got one more reminder that the pandemic is still in control.

The team put rookie sensation Patrick Wisdom on the injured list before Wednesday’s game against the Pirates. The Cubs’ third baseman will miss the final four games of the season.

The Cubs did not give an injury designation for Wisdom or put him on the COVID IL, but over the past two seasons, teams will often put players who have tested positive or been a close contact to someone who has tested positive for the virus on the IL. Not to be confused with the normal 10-day IL.

“This is not the wrist,” manager David Ross said of Wisdom’s IL stint. “We’re taking every precaution we can to make sure everybody’s healthy on the field when they step foot out there.”

The move to the injured list also opens up a spot on the 40-man roster, which wouldn’t happen in normal circumstances. The team selected infielder Trent Giambrone from Triple-A Iowa to take Wisdom’s place on the roster.

It was clear on the field at PNC Park that something had taken place with regards to a COVID situation. When the team took the field for batting practice, all players, coaches and other team personnel emerged from the clubhouse with masks on.

The Cubs have had to walk a fine line with COVID as they remain one of a handful of teams, who did not reach the 85% vaccination threshold this season. The team has been fortunate to not have an outbreak this season considering they’ve been unable to reach the vaccination threshold. Several teams have been ravaged unlike other teams around baseball who have had several players test positive.

Wisdom’s situation isn’t the first time the Cubs have had a coronavirus reality check. Ross and president Jed Hoyer both tested positive earlier this month, but both were vaccinated. First base coach Craig Driver and bullpen coach Chris Young also tested positive earlier this season, but were also vaccinated. It’s not known at this point if Wisdom has been vaccinated.

According to MLB protocols, Tier 1 personnel who are vaccinated and are close contacts of someone who tests positive for the virus would not have to quarantine. Unvaccinated Tier 1 personnel would have to quarantine for seven days if deemed a close contact.

“I think that everybody has gone through some form of adversity within this pandemic,” Ross said. “We’ve had our fair share even as minimal as it’s been. … We follow the protocols, and you follow the rules the best way that has been instructed for us to stay safe and try to stick to that.

“I think we found a nice routine in the middle of trying to win baseball games and do the best we can on the field as well. And it’s been a really challenging thing to do.”

Wisdom took the league by storm this season with his prodigious power and quickly began to make a name for himself, providing the Cubs with serious power. Not only did, breaking Kris Bryant’s rookie home run record slugging 28 homers.

He finishes his rookie campaign with a .231/.305/.518 with 13 doubles, 28 home runs and 61 RBIs in 106 games this season. Wisdom also put together a strong season with the glove, rating as an above-average defender at third base with a plus-four defensive runs saved and plus-six outs above average.

The 30-year-old rookie told the Sun-Times last month that he was excited for the chance to be a part of next year’s roster and after his breakout 2021 season, the chance he gets that opportunity are high.

“He had a really great season,” Ross said before the game. “Super proud of the year he was able to put together for us. Filled a lot of holes and did a really nice job for us.”

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