Good afternoon, Chicago.
Indiana lawmakers took another step toward potentially luring the Chicago Bears to the state today, as a key committee approved a plan to create an agency that would build a new stadium for the team. The Indiana House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee, which oversees state spending, voted 24-0 to establish a northwest Indiana stadium authority empowered to issue bonds to finance, construct and lease a stadium for the Bears near Wolf Lake in Hammond.
The move comes as Republican Gov. Mike Braun and GOP lawmakers in Indianapolis have acted quickly to encourage the Bears across the border, a development that would be a significant economic advantage for “The Region,” as northwest Indiana is called, as well as a political victory against Democratic-dominated Illinois. Republican House Speaker Todd Huston sponsored the measure, having called it “an incredible economic opportunity.”
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.
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Boaz Flemister, 17, was killed on Feb. 19, 2026, in a vehicle crash on the Bishop Ford Freeway. Flemister was a member of the Empiire Dance Company. (Angela Hongo)
2 dancers killed, 3 injured in Bishop Ford Freeway crash: ‘Baby of the family’
Two people killed in a single-vehicle rollover crash on the Bishop Ford Freeway around 1:15 a.m. today, Illinois State Police said. Three others were transported to a local hospital with injuries. Read more here.
More top news stories:
Cook County assessor candidates spar over ‘garbage’ data, property tax shifts
Religious leaders allowed into Broadview ICE facility for Ash Wednesday after judge orders DHS to grant access
Ex-ComEd executive who went undercover for FBI in Madigan bribery probe gets probation
Construction on the permanent Place Casino is scheduled to start early next year in Waukegan.
Waukegan temporary casino marks third anniversary
Entering its third year of operation, American Place’s temporary casino in Waukegan is already outperforming a number of Illinois’ permanent gaming establishments and is virtually even with Bally’s temporary Chicago enterprise. Read more here.
More top business stories:
Loop 4-bedroom home with terrace, built-in wet bar: $6M
Average US long-term mortgage rate dips to 6.01%, lowest level in more than 3 years
Kevin Alcántara throws a ball during fielding drills at spring training at Sloan Park on Feb. 18, 2026, in Mesa, Arizona. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)
Chicago Cubs notes from camp: Kevin Alcántara puts injury behind him — and a lockout ‘all but guaranteed’
Offseason surgery for a sports hernia has Kevin Alcántara fully healthy as he battles for a spot on the opening day roster as a backup outfielder. Read more here.
More top sports stories:
Mundelein’s Ryan Borucki, a Chicago White Sox fan since childhood, is ‘firmly in the mix’ for a roster spot
Chicago Bears promote Jeff King, a member of the front office since 2015, to assistant GM on his birthday
Twenty-four returning players are abandoned on the islands of Fiji with the chance to win $1 million for “Survivor’s” 50th season. (Robert Voets/CBS)
‘Survivor’ offering an idol hunt for viewers ahead of its Season 50 premiere
Ahead of the upcoming season of “Survivor” on Feb. 25, CBS has added an interactive element for viewers with a nationwide hunt for an immunity idol, one hidden in each of the 50 states. Read more here.
More top Eat. Watch. Do. stories:
Garth Brooks, Ed Sheeran, Post Malone will headline Summerfest 2026 in Milwaukee
Review: ‘How to Make a Killing’ wavers between satire and cautionary tale
A sign for the Department of Housing and Urban Development outside the agency’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 16, 2026. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP)
HUD proposes rule that would force noncitizens from public housing
The measure would effectively bar mixed-status families — where some household members are eligible for help — from housing and is part of the government’s immigration crackdown. Read more here.
More top stories from around the world:
Slavery exhibit removed by Trump administration is returning to Independence Mall in Philadelphia
FCC chairman says the agency is investigating ABC’s ‘The View’ over equal time rule
