Good morning, Chicago.

There are nearly 4,000 abandoned oil and gas wells in Illinois — holes, essentially, left behind for the state to close.

They litter fields, hide in woods and abut waterways. Many are called “orphans” by the state, their owners dead or unidentified, their companies bankrupted by a notoriously volatile global industry.

Left unplugged, some of these wells leak toxic chemicals hundreds of feet below the surface, potentially contaminating groundwater, and spit climate-warming methane gas into the atmosphere. They allow underground fluid called brine — several times saltier than seawater — to spill onto fertile farmlands, killing crops.

But these abandoned or “orphan” wells pose a threat beyond the potential environmental and agricultural impact.

According to a new report released jointly by the California-based environmental nonprofit ClientEarth USA and the Environmental Advocacy Center of the Bluhm Legal Clinic at Northwestern University’s Pritzker School of Law: “If nothing changes, Illinois faces a perfect storm: aging wells leaking pollutants and rural communities left with contaminated land and groundwater.”

The Tribune’s Jonathan Bullington and Adriana Pérez dive into how we got here and why Springfield’s mismanagement could end up costing Illinoisans.

Here are the top stories you need to know to start your day, including well-funded potential challengers already circling Mayor Brandon Johnson, Chicago Bears season ends with 20-17 OT loss and 5 Chicago Restaurant Week menus we’re excited about.

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People march and gather near the post office during a protest, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Sending soldiers to Minneapolis for immigration crackdown would be unconstitutional, mayor says

The mayor of Minneapolis said that sending active duty soldiers into Minnesota to help with an immigration crackdown is a ridiculous and unconstitutional idea as he urged protesters to remain peaceful so the president won’t see a need to send in the U.S. military.

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Hundreds return to Broadview to denounce federal agents’ killings in Minneapolis, Chicago area

Jawad Fakroune is charged with beating and extorting a Chicago restaurateur in 2024 over a $120,000 loan. This surveillance image allegedly shows Fakroune entering an Italian restaurant in New York City on Dec. 18, 2024, after federal agents went to arrest him at an apartment and he fled nearly naked out the back door. The circle annotation is contained in the court filing. (U.S. attorney’s office)

Extortion trial to provide window into the world of an alleged Chicago con man

Sometimes he introduced himself as the son of infamous Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, or claimed to be a made man in the mafia, federal prosecutors say.

To many, he seemed like a charming and successful businessman, someone who could walk into any high-end steakhouse in downtown Chicago and know everybody who was anybody. He wined and dined sophisticated women, palled around with Chicago cops, and told people he had a vast portfolio of businesses, real estate and restaurants, according to prosecutors.

But in reality, prosecutors say, Jawad Fakroune is a convicted con man who used fake identities, false promises and, at times, threats and violence to further his criminal schemes and lead a lavish lifestyle.

Mayor Brandon Johnson answers questions during a news conference on the fifth floor of Chicago City Hall on Dec. 15, 2025. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)

Well-funded potential challengers already circling Mayor Brandon Johnson

Four years ago, the first Chicago mayoral hopefuls were months away from announcing their campaigns. This time around, the line is already out the door.

A large and growing field of candidates is angling to take out Mayor Brandon Johnson, who is seen as very beatable. New campaign finance records showing a couple of likely challengers holding commanding leads in fundraising over the freshman incumbent drive home the tough battle he faces.

And as members of the crowded slate jockey for money and support, many are casting Johnson as political carrion.

Corita E. Mitchell holds her daughter Camilla Elise Margaret Mitchell, 5, during an interfaith worship service in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., at New Covenant Missionary Baptist Church Sunday Jan. 18, 2026 in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)

South Side worship ceremony honors MLK’s legacy, calls listeners to action

Several hundred people gathered at New Covenant Missionary Baptist Church in Grand Crossing yesterday morning for a worship ceremony in honor of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., highlighting the intersection of faith and social justice movements.

The baseball field at the Old Joliet Prison Historic Site in Joliet on Jan. 12, 2026, where the Joliet Slammers will play the “Big House Ballgame” exhibition against the Gateway Grizzlies on April 30, 2026. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)

Baseball returns to Old Joliet Prison as part of Route 66 celebration

The inmates are still gone but baseball is coming back to the Old Joliet Prison.

The Joliet Slammers will play on the historic grounds against the Gateway Grizzlies of Sauget, Illinois, in an exhibition game April 30 as part of an official Route 66 Centennial kickoff celebration.

Bears quarterback Caleb Williams leaves the field after the team’s 20-17 overtime loss to the Rams on Jan. 18, 2026, in an NFC divisional playoff game at Soldier Field. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)

Playoff recap: Chicago Bears season ends with 20-17 OT loss to LA Rams after incredible tying TD

The Chicago Bears had the football just past midfield in overtime. It was sudden death, season on the line, next score wins.

The Bears were painfully close to field-goal range, painfully close to their first NFC championship game appearance in 15 years.

And then Caleb Williams lofted a pass deep down the field that Los Angeles Rams safety Kam Curl intercepted. Williams was looking for wide receiver DJ Moore over the middle on second-and-8 from the Rams 48-yard line. With the pick, a magical season began to slip from the Bears’ grasp.

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New England Patriots advance to AFC title game 28-16 over Houston Texans in turnover-filled game
‘Bear Down’: How a songwriter’s challenge became Chicago’s rallying cry
Bears fans pledge undying support

White Sox pitcher Wilbur Wood throws his knuckler in April 1973 against the Rangers at Comiskey Park. (Ray Gora/Chicago Tribune)

Wilbur Wood, the workhorse Chicago White Sox knuckleballer who had 4 straight 20-win seasons, dies at 84

Wilbur Wood, who became a Chicago White Sox legend thanks to his rubber-armed durability and a baffling knuckleball, died Saturday in Burlington, Mass. He was 84.

Team captain Travis Woodworth of the Chicago Pride Hockey, center, yells out a chant before a game against the Chicago Aces at the American Heartland Ice Arena, Jan. 15, 2026, in Lincolnwood. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)

For Chicago Pride Hockey, ‘Heated Rivalry’ is more than just a show

When Zack Dessent lets people know he plays “gay hockey,” the first thing out of their mouths in recent months is a “Heated Rivalry” joke — and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

Dessent is a board member on Chicago Pride Hockey, a recreational hockey nonprofit for LGBTQ+ players and allies. Not only have a considerable number of people expressed interest in joining the group because of the hit show — they’ve received around 60 inquiries in just the past two weeks.

But Dessent also enjoyed the depiction of gay relationships in a sport he knows firsthand doesn’t always seem to embrace them. The National Hockey League has never had an active player who is openly gay.

Stacey Lind, Izzi King and Blake Hood in “Prospera” by Otherworld Theatre at Theater Wit. (Erin Bonham)

Review: Otherworld Theatre’s ‘Prospera’ reaches for a sci-fi adaptation of Shakespeare

In the whole of Shakespeare’s canon, it’s hard to think of a better candidate for a sci-fi adaptation than “The Tempest,” the Bard’s late-career tale of a vengeful magician and his daughter, stranded on a remote island with strange inhabitants. Swap the male sorcerer for a powerful female engineer and the island for an inhospitable planet, and voilà, you have the recipe for the latest world premiere by Otherworld Theatre, Chicago’s only theater company dedicated to science fiction and fantasy.

The Soul & Smoke Meat Lover’s Pizza is part of The Little Lark’s 2026 Chicago Restaurant Week dinner menu. (Steve Lewis)

Chicago Restaurant Week 2026: 5 menus we’re excited about

The 19th year of Chicago Restaurant Week kicks off this week, and more than 500 restaurants are taking part, including 75 that are making their debut in this annual food fest.

Participating restaurants across the city and suburbs are offering prix fixe menus priced at $30 for lunch and $45 or $60 for dinner. Do note that beverages, tax and gratuity are typically an additional cost.

While reservations have already gone fast for many of the award-winning eateries featured this year, there’s still plenty to explore. Here are five Restaurant Week menus we’re excited about.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/19/daywatch-a-160-million-problem/ 

Fernando Mendoza arrived on Indiana’s campus last January carrying huge expectations for himself and the program.

Outsiders almost immediately dubbed the highly touted transfer as the quarterback who could lead Indiana’s football program to unprecedented heights. Some even suggested Mendoza could be a Heisman Trophy candidate and possibly the top prospect in the 2026 NFL draft.

But the grounded grandson of Cuban immigrants ignored the chatter and focused instead on proving himself all over again.

Mendoza wasted no time earning the respect of his new teammates thanks to a relentless work ethic. He quickly impressed coaches with his unflappable poise, uncanny natural instincts and unconventional study habits. The Miami native and former Cal star found his exuberant, humble personality fit perfectly in this Midwestern college town that John Mellencamp depicted in his hit song “Small Town.”

QB Fernando Mendoza is the 2025 Chicago Tribune Silver Football winner — Indiana’s 1st winner in 24 years

And eventually Mendoza’s penchant for making clutch plays put him on the big stage, winning college football’s most prestigious individual award in a landslide.

Now as the 22-year-old tries to etch one final chapter into this seemingly made-for-television Hollywood script — leading what had been major college football’s losingest program to its first national championship in front of a throng of family and friends about a 40-minute drive from his parents’ home — Mendoza continues to insist he’s just along for the ride.

“I think it’s the other way around,” he said Jan. 9 when asked about the impact he has had on Indiana’s program. “If you told me (this would happen) a year ago — I believe a year ago today or the day before actually is the day I arrived on campus — Hoosier Nation, the coaching staff and the entire sports staff has given me so much opportunity here and (shown) so much belief in my character and my play, not only as a player, also as a leader, that I’m forever in debt.”

Mendoza’s skill set

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza throws a pass against Penn State on Nov. 8, 2025, in State College, Pa. (AP Photo/Barry Reeger)

By now, Mendoza’s tools on the field should be obvious to even casual football observers.

His arm is strong enough to make any throw and his accuracy is almost unmatched. He’s also capable of extending plays with his legs, and when the top-seeded Hoosiers (15-0) need a key play, Mendoza seems to deliver on cue. Miami coach Mario Cristobal has seen all of it on film.

And while Mendoza graciously shares credit with those around him, coaches and teammates recognize they headed to Miami this weekend largely because of Mendoza’s ability to make a game-changing play on any snap.

“The throws he makes, they just wow you every time,” All-America linebacker Aiden Fisher said. “The job he’s done this year has been nothing short of remarkable. He’s the best football player in the country, and I don’t think it’s close. He’s done such a phenomenal job being a leader for us, somebody we can depend on, we can count on every single time. He’s fantastic at everything he does.”

That includes the part most fans never see.

Teammates watched Mendoza spend countless hours studying film, dissecting defenses and preparing for every potential game-day contingency. In the rare moments Mendoza isn’t working, he’s probably watching other games searching for something he can add to his repertoire.

That example helped Mendoza not only win over the locker room, but also become a beloved figure inside of it.

“He’s just the ultimate professional, a wonderful teammate,” said center Pat Coogan, a Marist High School alumnus and transfer from Notre Dame. “He prepares like no one I’ve ever seen, he works his butt off like no one I’ve ever seen and he’s just an awesome locker-room guy on top of that.”

But Mendoza’s reach goes far beyond football.

He often explains how the daily battle his mother, Elsa, wages against multiple sclerosis helped him learn to cherish every precious moment of this incredible journey. Mendoza also talks openly about how his faith has helped him excel as a person and a player and that he relies on prayer, meditation and Bible study sessions to navigate the highs and lows of life and football.

And his ability to balance so many things has come at such a young age that he has turned even the most hardened football people into true believers.

“He’s a special guy. I mean, he’s extremely intelligent, and people recognize that,” blunt-talking Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said recently. “He’s got a great relationship with the guys, and it’s mainly the older guys, obviously. Those guys hang together.

“But I think what he’s done behind the scenes to bring the offensive unit even closer together — and those are a lot of things I’m not aware of at the time, I find out later — he’s just done a tremendous job in every single area you could impact team success.”

Mendoza’s results

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza reacts during the second half of the Peach Bowl against Oregon in a College Football Playoff semifinal Jan. 9, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Mendoza was hardly a household name coming out of powerhouse Christopher Columbus High School in Miami.

His first scholarship offer came from Yale. His only Football Bowl Subdivision offer came from California. But it was there, in Berkeley, where Mendoza’s career trajectory changed.

After redshirting in 2022, he won the starting job in 2023 and threw for 1,728 yards with 14 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. In 2024, his completion percentage improved from 63% to 68.7% as he finished with 3,004 yards, 16 TDs and six interceptions.

The problem: He was sacked a staggering 41 times.

So when the opportunity came to play behind a better offensive line, chase a national title and join his younger brother, Alberto, in Bloomington, Mendoza was sold. Naturally, he started cramming even before Indiana’s winter semester started.

“Having that playbook at home already, because Alberto was in my parent’s house, I definitely started diving into it during Christmas break in the off time,” Mendoza said, referring to 2024. “Ever since I’ve been trying to be consistent in the film room, in the playbook, in order to gain a mastery (of the offense).”

By then, he already had been turning heads in Bloomington.

While Cignetti liked the commitment, passion and drive for perfection he saw during Mendoza’s recruiting visit, other people noticed different things.

Wide receiver Elijah Sarratt remembers Mendoza “trolling” his future teammates with inside jokes that typically take players months or years to get, and athletic director Scott Dolson found Mendoza to be uniquely genuine.

“All the stuff you hear him say, it’s all authentic and real,” Dolson said. “He cares more about winning and his teammates than he does about himself, and that’s a good lesson for other student-athletes to see or the next generation around the country — that it’s not all about you.”

Still, it’s hard to ignore the results.

Mendoza leads the nation with 41 TD passes, a school record. He’s the first Indiana player to win the Heisman and just the third quarterback to lead the Hoosiers to a Big Ten crown. He’s now the favorite to be the first draft pick in April, and he finds himself squarely in the middle of perhaps the most astounding two-year turnaround in sports history.

Yet here Mendoza stands, one win away from delivering the first 16-0 season in major college football since the 1890s, and all he wants to do is share the spotlight with everyone around him.

“It’s been a great journey, I believe, for all of us,” Mendoza said. “I still remember when I was in the transfer portal, Coach Cignetti said, ‘Hey, if you’re going to come here, you’re going to develop into a hell of a quarterback,’ and it wasn’t about, at that point, ‘I’m going to promise you a national championship.’ It was, ‘You’re going to develop and have that belief.’”

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/19/fernando-mendoza-indiana-national-title/ 

NFL Championship Sunday is set: Rams versus Seahawks and Patriots versus Broncos.

It’s an NFC West showdown between Los Angeles (14-5) and Seattle (15-3) and the AFC matchup is a rematch from 10 years ago when Tom Brady lost to Peyton Manning. This time, Denver (15-3) has to turn to backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham because Bo Nix broke his ankle, while New England (16-3) has second-year sensation Drake Maye.

The Patriots are 5 1/2-point favorites according to BetMGM Sportsbook, while the Seahawks are 2 1/2-point favorites.

Caleb Williams went from hero to goat on Sunday night, giving the Rams an opportunity when he threw his third interception of the game in overtime. Harrison Mevis kicked a 42-yard field goal after Matthew Stafford drove the offense 54 yards, and Los Angeles beat the Chicago Bears 20-17 at blustery, snowy Soldier Field.

“It’s playoff football. We got a lot of things we could be better at, but we stuck together as a team and found a way to win a game on the road in some tough conditions,” Stafford said.

Williams made a sensational, fourth-down, desperation touchdown pass in the final minute to force OT, but he was picked off by Kam Curl after Chicago had reached the Rams 48.

The Rams are in the NFC championship game for the 12th time and third under coach Sean McVay. They’re 5-6 in those games but have won their last four, including four years ago when Stafford led them to a Super Bowl title.

Earlier Sunday, Drake Maye, Mike Vrabel and the Patriots secured a trip to the AFC championship game for the first time since Brady and Bill Belichick led them to eight in a row from 2011-18.

Maye threw three touchdown passes and a tenacious defense forced five turnovers in a 28-16 victory over C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans in rainy, snowy conditions.

“They bring it every week,” Maye said of the Patriots’ defense. “It’s fun to watch. We can help them some more. Proud of the guys.”

The Patriots visit Denver next Sunday in their 16th appearance in the conference title game. Stidham will be making his fifth career start because Nix was injured late in the Broncos’ win over Buffalo. Stidham, who is 1-3 in seven seasons, was selected by the Patriots in the fourth round of the 2019 draft to back up Brady.

“I feel like I have a (No.) 2 (quarterback) that’s capable of starting for a handful of, a number of teams,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said. “I know he feels the same way. So watch out. Just watch.”

Manning and a dominant defense led the Broncos to a 20-18 victory over Brady and the Patriots in Denver’s last appearance in the conference title game. Brady led New England to a 37-31 overtime victory against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs on Jan. 20, 2019, on the franchise’s way to a sixth Super Bowl title.

The Patriots are 11-4 in the AFC title game. They were 4-13 last season under Jerod Mayo but Vrabel, a Patriots Super Bowl champion linebacker, took over and turned the team around quickly.

Sam Darnold and the Seahawks advanced to the NFC championship game by dominating the injury-riddled San Francisco 49ers 41-6 on Saturday night.

The Seahawks and Rams split their season series, each winning at home. Seattle rallied from a 16-point deficit in the fourth quarter for a wacky 38-37 overtime win on a 2-point conversion in Week 16.

It’s Seattle’s fifth trip to a conference title game and first in 11 years. The Seahawks are 3-1, losing their first.

Meanwhile, Josh Allen and the Bills fell short again, with questionable officiating playing a role in Denver’s 33-30 victory in overtime that sent the Broncos to the conference championship game for the 12th time in franchise history. Denver is 8-3 in those games.

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Allen and the Bills (13-6) again were denied an opportunity to win the franchise’s first Lombardi Trophy. Buffalo has been knocked out in the divisional or championship rounds in six straight seasons under Allen and coach Sean McDermott.

Allen and Nix traded go-ahead touchdown passes in the fourth quarter and Buffalo’s Matt Prater kicked a 50-yarder to send it to overtime.

After the Broncos punted on the opening drive, Allen threw a deep pass to Brandin Cooks that would have put the Bills in field-goal range, but Ja’Quan McMillian snatched it away for an interception as both players tumbled to the ground.

Officials quickly reviewed the play and upheld the call, a decision that McDermott criticized after the game. The Broncos took over at their own 20.

“That’s too big of a play, in my estimation, too big of a play in a play that decided the game, potentially as well, to not even slow it down,” McDermott said of the expedited review process.

Two pass-interference penalties on Buffalo gave the Broncos 47 yards and set up Wil Lutz’s game-ending chip-shot field goal. Tre’Davious White, who was called for the second one that moved the ball to Buffalo’s 8, threw his helmet down in disgust while arguing and got an unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty.

Since the NFL expanded the playoff field to 14 teams in 2020, only one team in each conference gets a bye. Those No. 1 seeds are now 9-3 in the divisional round. The 2022 Chiefs are the only No. 1 seed to win the Super Bowl in that span.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/19/nfl-nfc-afc-championships-patriots-broncos-seahawks-rams/ 

The weather over the weekend wasn’t exactly optimal for spending a lot of time outdoors, but that didn’t stop Levi Kammes and his wife and niece from spending some time outside Saturday at the Forest Preserve District of Kane County’s Polar-Palooza in St. Charles.

“I know it’s cold, but we can do this,” said Levi Kammes of St. Charles.

For the second year, the Forest Preserve District offered Polar-Palooza, a three-hour indoor and outdoor fest that included everything from crafts, games and interactive exhibits to outdoor activities which included making a pine cone bird feeder and participating in an “Animal Olympics” where kids were asked to test their skills while engaged in animal-like movements.

The event took place from noon until 3 p.m. at Creek Bend Nature Center at 37W700 Dean St. in St. Charles.

“It was a lot warmer last year, but we’re hoping for a good turnout as we have a lot of indoor activities,” said Erica Lemon, a naturalist at Creek Bend Nature Center, before the event. “We’ve got warming stations outside this year to go with the outdoor activities which is something we didn’t offer last year. We’re hoping that it brings people out.”

Amber Ross, also a naturalist at the center, created the event a year ago and said “we worked to make things easier in terms of getting around and managing the traffic flow this year.”

Seven indoor stations were available as well as four outdoor stations that included the Animal Olympics as well as a game known as “Migration Headache” which Lemon said involved someone “pretending to be a bird and having to get through all the obstacles birds have to get through as they migrate.”

Lemon said the fest is a “way to get families out together but at the same time we are educating through these games. We’re educating about nature, as well as different animals and habitats and ecosystems and things like that. We’re getting that education through games, so there’s an educational component.”

Temperatures this year hovered around 15 degrees – roughly half what they were a year ago, Nature Center staff said  – but Rebecca Kammes insisted Saturday’s program made it worth dealing with the cold.

“It’s great. I mean, it has a lot of different activities and the refreshments and all that and, of course, the hot chocolate and the cookies is what brought her out,” she said while looking at her niece Olivia, who is 3 years old. “Even though it’s cold, it’s good to get outside, it’s something to do in the winter. We know there is an educational component to this and that’s good too.”

Tiffany Beck of Aurora brought her son Cooper, 8, and said a friend who lives in St. Charles told her about the program.

“We’re ready to go outside and try some of the things there,” Beck said. “We’re going to take a look out there before it gets too cold, but we’re prepared.”

Patrick Chess of Geneva said he came a year ago and that his daughter Laurel, 6, “had a good time and really enjoyed playing the games.”

“She always enjoys the opportunity to kind of get outside and do some of the hiking around in nature in the winter, which is something that we tend not to do on a normal weekend,” he said.

David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/19/polar-palooza-in-st-charles-lets-families-chill-out-while-learning-something-too/ 

Pornographic ‘Groomer’ Books On Prominent Display In Kids’ Reading Room At London Museum

Tyler Durden
Mon, 01/19/2026 – 06:20

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/pornographic-groomer-books-prominent-display-kids-reading-room-london-museum 

Contrary to what some might expect, Steven Stewart is happier now than he was eight years ago, before he became fully blind.

“I’m in a better place now than I was back then — physically, emotionally, mentally — just all of the above,” said Stewart, who opened Unsighted Massage in September, housed within Nicole Richards Hair Salon on 159th Street in Orland Park.

Stewart says he wouldn’t have made the jump into massage therapy, from working as a forklift driver in a cold storage warehouse, without having gone blind. Now, the Tinley Park resident hopes to give back by providing free massages to five single parents in the community, selecting them randomly through social media entries.

Why single parents? Stewart dedicates his current and future success to one of them, his mom. He said now in his 30s, he’s come to understand that she gave everything to him and his siblings when they were growing up and wants to show his appreciation to others in similar circumstances.

“A lot of my overhead is my time and my hands, and I don’t mind giving that to people,” Stewart said.

He promoted his first massage giveaway in November, after as many as 2 million Illinoisans lost their SNAP benefits during a federal government shutdown. Stewart said he was moved by news stories of families struggling to afford food and other basic necessities and wanted to help how he could.

He received some unexpected support from Tracy Beagarie, who found Stewart on social media and booked a massage a few days before he announced the giveaway. The two hit it off during her appointment, and Beagarie offered to make charcuterie boards to give to the single parents along with their massages.

She said she chose to give the boards out anonymously, believing “you don’t always need the recognition” for doing nice things. Beagarie plans to make cookies for Stewart to distribute to the current group of parents who receive free massages.

Stewart graduated from Moraine Valley Community College’s massage therapy program in 2023, and opened Unsighted Massage within Nicole Richards Hair Salon in September 2025. (Olivia Stevens/Daily Southtown)

“I have an almost 13-year-old daughter, and the one thing I really instill in her is to be kind,” Beagarie said. “To see his post just kind of hit that heart string for me.”

The two ended up giving to more people than planned, at least 10, as Stewart was affected by the many stories left in his social media comment section, which became even more emotional in person.

“I had one client who broke down in tears just because of how bad she was struggling,” Stewart said of one appointment. “In the massage profession, you have to keep boundaries, but it’s hard when you come across someone who’s kind of breaking down and crying. I want to hug you, but I can’t.”

However, he said several people misrepresented their situations, and he emphasized that only single parents should sign up for the current giveaway.

Stewart recently advertised that he would give five massages to single parents, in honor of his mom who he says has supported him his whole life. (Olivia Stevens/Daily Southtown)

Nicole Richards Salon owner Mary Lynn Fleck is another of Stewart’s supporters and clients. She said having worked at the salon since she was a teenager, she hasn’t seen another massage therapist renting the back room have as much drive and consistency in clientele as Stewart.

Fleck was diagnosed with breast cancer soon after buying the salon in February, and Stewart has helped her via lymphatic drainage, a light-touch therapy that aims to redirect excess fluid away from swollen limbs.

She said her doctors referred her to a practitioner in Chicago, but she is grateful to have been able to receive the therapy from Stewart once a week.

“It was the best night’s sleep I got throughout my whole chemo treatment,” Fleck said. “I feel like I always need to say that, because when I tell you, from the time I found out (I had cancer) until having surgery, the only time I slept during the night was when I had my treatments from him.”

Nicole Richards Salon and Spa, at 7040 W. 159th St. in Orland Park, houses Steven Stewart’s Unsighted Massage practice. (Olivia Stevens/Daily Southtown)

Fleck said at the end of every night, she or another salon professional walks Stewart out of the building, and “one of the best compliments” was to hear that he felt safe coming to work there.

“I think we both just clicked, because he had something happen to him that he would never in his wildest dreams have ever thought, and the same is with me,” Fleck said. “So the first conversation we had, it was like, oh my gosh, we can relate so much to different things.”

Stewart’s interest in giving back to the community through free massages also aligned with Fleck’s goals for the salon, and Fleck believes his work to build a business while helping others “is the best thing you could do.”

“There are not many people who could have their sight taken away and turn around and give back as much as Steven has given back,” she said. “Whatever he wants, I fully support him. Anything we can do to help him, we’re all there.”

ostevens@chicagotribune.com

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/19/blind-massage-therapist-orland-park-gives-back/ 

Destiny Singleton stood inside a Garfield Park church last November. Every seat was filled for the community event, but her voice was measured as she spoke into the microphone. The question put to her was simple: What would you change about your school?

“One thing I wish that could be improved is how admin treats the student voice,” Singleton told the crowd, her neon blue braids draping her shoulders.

Singleton, a senior at Ogden International High School, is used to speaking up. As the honorary student member of the Chicago Board of Education, she represents 316,000 students across the district.

At 17, she has been outspoken about the strengths and shortcomings of Chicago Public Schools. Halfway through her tenure, she has already witnessed a series of historic moments for the district — the transition to an elected school board, a bitter budget battle and the fallout from Operation Midway Blitz.

Singleton is also looking ahead to her next challenge. In the fall, she’ll enroll as a first-generation college student at Stanford University.

“It’s a really interesting difference, because one day, I feel made to be so official, and then I’m just a regular student,” Singleton said recently at the district offices. “I’m grateful for my school and my teachers.”

Singleton was selected in June from a pool of more than 100 CPS juniors and seniors. In her role, she attends meetings, hosts student roundtables and offers input on policy initiatives. While she can’t officially vote, she finds other ways to make her voice heard — often attending community events, like the one in Garfield Park.

She has a lengthy resume at Ogden: Singleton is the founder of the school’s blood drive; president of the National Art Honor Society; vice president of the National Honor Society and book club; and a student government representative. She’s also a volunteer tutor.

It’s a balancing act. “I do Google Calendar strategically,” she said with a laugh. “Everything has a date, everything has a color, everything has a time. … I live and die by my to-do list.”

Singleton lives in the West Loop with her parents, who work as a hairdresser and a driver. After first hearing about the honorary board member position last year, she began imagining the way she could change CPS.

“I was like, ‘No way this is real,” Singleton said. “Like, it was so cool for a student to be able to do this.”

Her primary focus has been on mental health. In December, she presented some of her recommendations to the board, urging CPS to better advertise its mental health resources and explore a districtwide mental health day.

Singleton’s efforts are driven by her own experience attending a selective enrollment high school with a rigorous International Baccalaureate course load. All CPS students have access to free online therapy and counseling — but she said there needs to be a campus culture shift.
Honorary student board member Destiny Singleton, an Ogden High School student, attends a Chicago Board of Education meeting, June 26, 2025. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

“Violence is on the rise, social media is everywhere and immense pressure students are under can have a lasting negative impact,” Singleton told the board. “When you interact with students, please show us love, kindness and empathy.”

She was met with applause. “I think that’s spot-on,” said school board President Sean Harden.

The honorary position is essential to keeping the board grounded in real-world impact, according to board member Debby Pope, District 2B. She said Singleton’s perspective helps district leaders understand the day-to-day issues facing students.

“If we’re just doing this from a spot in the basement on Madison Street, without hearing back from our community and the children that we are there to serve, then we’re operating in a vacuum,” Pope said.

While juggling a mountain of extracurriculars, Singleton was accepted to her dream school: Stanford. She applied to college through QuestBridge, a national nonprofit that connects high-achieving, low-income students to top universities.

She got her acceptance email during biology class. Afterward, she raced to find her English teacher, Kelsey Strait, and the pair opened her official welcome letter together.

“She was crying. And I just, like, couldn’t breathe,” Strait said. “It was really special. We went around telling everyone who was still at school.”

Strait has taught Singleton throughout all four years of high school. It was the first time in recent memory that an Ogden student was accepted to Stanford, she said. “It’s been really special to see her grow. I think her classmates look to her as a leader, in the academic setting.  … She’s always prepared. She has ideas. She doesn’t mind sharing them.”

Destiny Singleton, an honorary student member of the Chicago Board of Education, at Ogden International High School in Chicago, on Jan. 15, 2026. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)

Singleton has never been to California — her first time on a plane was just last year. But as always, she has a plan: She hopes to study psychology, and later attend medical school to become a psychiatrist.

For now, though, her focus is on enjoying senior year.

Singleton collects vinyl records, and is a self-proclaimed foodie and a cinephile. “I watch a lot of movies. That’s, like, my entire personality,” she said. (Her favorite is “The Silence of the Lambs.”)

According to Singleton, most of her classmates aren’t aware of her role within the district. “I feel like we’re just normal teenagers,” she said. “We talk about the hottest new shows, and the assignment we have to do on Monday.”

Applications for the next honorary student board member are expected to open in spring. Singleton often thinks about the advice she’ll give her successor.

“I would say, speak when you’re scared,” she said. “That’s just so important to build character, and to know that what you’re fighting for is meaningful.”

And, of course, stay organized: “Get your Google Calendar, ASAP,” she laughed.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/19/cps-honorary-student-board-member-on-her-tenure-speak-when-youre-scared/