Good morning, Chicago.
President Donald Trump yesterday used the platform of the presidency to promote unproven and in some cases discredited ties between Tylenol, vaccines and autism as his administration announced a wide-ranging effort to study the causes of the complex brain disorder.
“Don’t take Tylenol,” Trump instructed pregnant women around a dozen times during the unwieldy White House news conference, also urging mothers not to give their infants the drug, known by the generic name acetaminophen. He also fueled long-debunked claims that ingredients in vaccines or timing shots close together could contribute to rising rates of autism in the U.S., without providing any medical evidence.
The rambling announcement, which appeared to rely on existing studies rather than significant new research, comes as the Make America Healthy Again movement has been pushing for answers on the causes of autism. The diverse coalition of supporters of Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. includes several anti-vaccine activists who have long spread debunked claims that immunizations are responsible.
Read the full story.
And here are the top stories you need to know to start your day, including why Chicago’s water officials became defensive during a City Council hearing yesterday, a new tower proposed for the Magnificent Mile and who is set to return to late night tonight.
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Illinois committee recommends state part ways with feds on COVID-19 vaccines
Illinois health leaders should part ways with the federal government when it comes to COVID-19 vaccines and recommend the shots for all adults and many children, an influential state committee voted yesterday.
The Illinois Department of Public Health Immunization Advisory Committee voted unanimously to recommend updated COVID-19 vaccines for all Illinois residents ages 18 and older. And they voted to recommend the shots for all children ages 6 to 23 months old. The committee also recommended vaccines for children between the ages of 2 and 17 if they are in higher risk groups, or if their parents want them to have the shot.
A jury will look at whether Amazon tricked customers into joining Prime — and made it hard to leave
A federal trial beginning in Amazon’s hometown this week is set to examine whether the online retailing giant tricked customers into signing up for its Prime service and made it difficult to cancel after they did so.
Chicago defends slow pace of notification letters for toxic lead water pipes
Chicago’s top water officials defended their decision to skirt a law requiring the city to warn nearly a million Chicagoans that their water comes from toxic lead service pipes.
Aldermen pressed Department of Water Management leaders during a City Council hearing about why the department has fallen far short of notification requirements.
Developer proposes 56-story residential tower for the Magnificent Mile
A national residential developer has proposed constructing a 668-foot, mixed-use tower on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile. AMLI Residential envisions a 56-story building with 498 units replacing the property best known as the home of Nike Chicago, the brand’s flagship store at 669 N. Michigan Ave., according to a newsletter from Ald. Brendan Reilly, 43rd.
Rivian off-road course draws thousands of joyriders along Michigan Avenue
More than 2,000 people went off-roading along the Magnificent Mile in downtown Chicago over the weekend, as EV automaker Rivian turned Pioneer Court into a pop-up wilderness course.
Police make gun-related arrest No. 16 near Naperville Topgolf
Another person has been arrested on a gun charge near Topgolf in Naperville, bringing the total number of gun-related arrests to 16 for the year, Naperville police confirmed.
Chicago Cubs’ Matt Shaw expected back today after missing game to attend Charlie Kirk memorial in Arizona
Cubs third baseman Matt Shaw is expected to be back with the team for today’s series opener against the New York Mets at Wrigley Field after missing Sunday’s game to attend Charlie Kirk’s memorial in Arizona.
3 things we learned from Illinois, including whether Xavier Scott’s surgery will be season-ending
Illinois coach Bret Bielema doesn’t usually rewatch his teams’ games on Saturday nights. He thinks he’s often “a little bit too high or a little bit too low” to start that work. But alas, he had a 2½-hour bus ride home from Bloomington, Ind., after the Illini’s shocking 63-10 blowout loss to Indiana on Saturday. So he dived into the postmortem via the game film.
“The worst thing that we can do is ignore it as if it never happened,” Bielema told reporters yesterday in Champaign. “So we had to relive it and really understand the process of why.”
ABC ends Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension and his show will return tonight
ABC will reinstate Jimmy Kimmel’s late night show in the wake of criticism over his comments about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, officials with the network said.
“We have spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and after those conversations, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday,” said a statement from the network.
Dogs in restaurants? Chicago ordinance would open door to man’s best friend.
When Josh Iachelli heads out the door to eat near his home, his two miniature golden retrievers, Chad and Derek, sit and stare. It’s a heartache Iachelli might soon get to avoid as aldermen weigh a proposal to let restaurants and cafes welcome dogs.
Ald. Timmy Knudsen, 43rd, plans to introduce an ordinance Thursday clearing the way for dog owners to bring their pups inside Chicago eateries.
Riot Fest wraps up for 2025 with John Stamos devotions and a very outspoken Green Day
Overcast weather and fleeting sprinkles didn’t deter many from coming to Douglass Park for Riot Fest this weekend, including for headliners Weezer on Saturday and Green Day on Sunday — along with the one person nearly everyone wanted to see, actor and musician John Stamos, as well as the rebellious, anti-establishment spirit at the heart of the festival.
