It’s still hard to believe a team was audacious enough to record a rap video revealing their plans to go to the Super Bowl, but the “Super Bowl Shuffle” remains one of the more endearing stories of the 1985 Chicago Bears, whose legendary swagger never seems to grow old.

In Chicago, we’ve relived the ’85 Bears over and over again over the last 40 years, sometimes on anniversaries, and more recently due to the passing of iconic figures like Buddy Ryan or Steve McMichael.

The stories have all been told and retold, but there never seems to be a moment in time when someone doesn’t believe we want to hear them again. The ’85 Bears are the gift that keeps on giving, reminding us of how wonderful a time it was, and how long it’s been since Super Bowl XX.

The latest reminder is courtesy of HBO, which on Tuesday begins airing a 40-minute documentary titled “The Shuffle.”

NFL Films produced the documentary, which is directed by Jeff Cameron. Without having seen it, I strongly believe “The Shuffle” should be required viewing for the current Bears, who seem capable of making a postseason run themselves, despite the unconventional way they win games.

It can not only serve as inspiration, but it should also explain why Bears fans are the way they are.

Most of us here know the story, even if it was handed down by our parents or grandparents. After going 12-0 to start the season, there was a feeling of invincibility surrounding the ‘85 Bears, who had never been to a Super Bowl and hadn’t won a championship since 1963.

A group of players, including William “Refrigerator” Perry and Mike Singletary, famously recorded the video at the Park West on Dec. 3, 1985, the day after their 38-24 loss to the Miami Dolphins on “Monday Night Football,” which was their only loss of the season.

Receiver Willie Gault was the ringleader of the project, but not everyone was on board.

“I don’t agree in bragging before the fact,” McMichael told the Chicago Tribune’s Don Pierson before the start of the playoffs. “I didn’t agree with it.”

Nevertheless, the Bears’ “Shufflin’ Crew” assembled on the nightclub stage and recorded the video, which included silly rap lyrics and bad dance moves, particularly from backup quarterback Steve Fuller. They later added Jim McMahon and Walter Payton, who recorded their parts in front of a blue screen. These were the Bears’ two biggest stars, so convincing them to do it was what really made it seem like a team project, not just a few players.

The rest is history. The “Shuffle” became an instant hit in the era when MTV showed music videos, and you couldn’t turn on the radio in Chicago without hearing a snippet, whether it was a rock station like “The Loop,” a news-talk station like WGN-AM, or a hip-hop station like WGCI-FM. It became the first Billboard song to sell over one million copies without making it into the Top 40 (peaking at No. 41), because many stations didn’t report “novelty” songs to ratings providers.

It was nominated for a Grammy for best R&B performance, though some players obviously had no rhythm at all.

Half of the profits were reportedly earmarked for charities, making it a feel-good story when the video and song became big hits. The players reportedly got $6,000 each, with the rest going to charity.

“We’re not doing this because we’re greedy,” Payton sang. “The Bears are doing it to feed the needy.”

It was an outrageous message to send to the rest of the NFL in late November — basically pointing to the Super Bowl as fait accompli — and even crazier by the time the recording and video were released on Dec. 10, just in time for the holiday sales.

As Singletary says in a teaser to the documentary, the players would look “the biggest idiots ever” if they didn’t at least make it to the Super Bowl.

But Gault said during the playoffs, the lyrics never mentioned winning.

“If you listen to the record, it doesn’t say we’re going to the Super Bowl,” he said. “We didn’t say we’re going to win the Super Bowl. It said we’re going to do a dance, and it’s called ‘The Super Bowl Shuffle.’”

It was all semantics. Of course, the Bears had to win the Super Bowl after making the video.

By the time they made it to New Orleans, every bar in the French Quarter was blasting the song out its doors, inducing Bears fans to come inside and make it their home for the week. After their dominating win over New England on Jan. 26, 1986, the song was played on a loop at bars in the Quarter all night.

The postscript of the story occurred that February when Illinois Attorney General Neil Hartigan told Dick Meyer, the record’s producer, that 75% of the profits were to be directed to charities.

Then-Bears president Mike McCaskey said Meyer originally was going to give only 15% to charity, so he asked the attorney general to look into it. Meyer then upped it to 50%.

“You just can’t tell the public, ‘Part of this I’m giving to charity,’” a spokesman for Hartigan’s office told me in ’86. “You’ve got to follow the Illinois statute.”

After the Bears’ Super Bowl victory, Chicago Tribune columnist Mike Royko wrote that Meyer owed over $2.1 million to a bank, along with some other outstanding debts. Royko suggested the producer needed the video project to pay off his debts, and then convinced Gault to get his Bears teammates involved. In typical fashion, Royko then took a jab at the Bears owners’ history of frugality.

“The players, of course, figured to make a little money too,” Royko wrote. “You can’t blame them. Anyone who depends on a paycheck from the Bears franchise is wise to stash away as much as he can, when he can.”

Singletary reportedly threw his gold record in the garbage later in protest of reports the bulk of the money wasn’t going to the needy, only to have Gault fish it out. Years later, in 2014, six Bears, including McMahon, Gault, Richard Dent and Otis Wilson, sued the video’s rights owners for not informing the shufflin’ crew of revenues from manufacturing, advertising, sales, licensing and merchandising “The Super Bowl Shuffle.”

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“For my opinion, they used us and they made a lot of money and now is the time to pay up,” Wilson told the Tribune.

No matter the controversy over the dispersal of the profits, the video sparked a rush of copycats, including videos in 1986 by the Patriots, Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Raiders, Cleveland Browns and Los Angeles Rams, whose version, “Let’s Ram It,” was produced by Meyer.

Suffice to say there will be no documentaries made on any of these videos.

Even Bears coach Mike Ditka, who was not involved with the “Shuffle,” made his own video in ’87 called “The Grabowski Shuffle,” featuring Da Coach and several dancers. As Ditka would say: “This too shall pass.”

“The Super Bowl Shuffle” remains the standard, and with the Bears now 40 years removed from their last championship season, the video is a nostalgic flashback to a bygone era when something could go viral without the aid of the internet or social media.

Hopefully the 2025 Bears can watch “The Shuffle” and come away with a greater appreciation for the history of the team and our city.

As long as they don’t try to emulate the ’85 Bears and make a video of their own, it should be safe for workplace viewing.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/25/chicago-bears-1985-team-documentary/ 

Nvidia Slides As Google Emerges As New Threat In AI-Chip Market

Tyler Durden
Tue, 11/25/2025 – 06:55

https://www.zerohedge.com/ai/nvidia-slides-google-emerges-new-threat-ai-chip-market 

An Oakton College professor who spends her spare time volunteering for and helping to lead several local organizations has been honored by the Evanston/North Shore chapter of the NAACP.

Ella Whitehead, a Skokie resident who serves as Oakton’s director of Admission and Equity Outreach, was recognized with the NAACP’s 2025 President’s Award.

Oakton College, in a statement, called Whitehead “a driving force behind expanding educational opportunity and ensuring every student can thrive at Oakton College.”

The college noted she also serves as a leader across the region, including in roles with the North Shore Section of the National Council of Negro Women, the Skokie Public Library, and the Skokie Community Foundation.

Whitehead accepted the honor from the historic civil rights organization at the Evanston/North Shore Branch’s 61st Annual Freedom Fund Banquet, Nov. 15.

“Ella’s commitment to advancing equity and student empowerment aligns deeply with the mission of Oakton College,” said Joianne L. Smith, Ph.D., Oakton’s president.

In her role as an Oakton administrator, Whitehead oversees Admissions, Equity Outreach, International Student Services, and the Emory Williams Academy, the college said in a statement.

Beyond Oakton, Whitehead is the chartering president of the North Shore Section of the National Council of Negro Women, immediate past president of Oakton’s chapter of the American Association of Women in Community Colleges, and an active member of the Evanston/North Shore NAACP, Skokie Valley Rotary Club, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She also serves on the Skokie Public Library Board and the Skokie Community Foundation Board. Additionally, she volunteers with the Youth Job Center, mentoring young people and helping them develop job-readiness skills.

Whitehead earned a master’s degree in Human Resource Development from Northeastern Illinois University and is  pursuing a doctorate in Education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. In her studies, she focuses on diversity, equity and access in higher education.

“I’m truly humbled to receive the President’s Award from the Evanston/North Shore Branch of the NAACP,” said Whitehead. “This honor means so much because it reflects the heart of what drives me every day — lifting as we climb, standing up for what’s right, and building a community where everyone is seen, valued, and empowered to thrive.”

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/25/naacp-honors-oakton-administrator-of-skokie-with-presidents-award/ 

Por SAM McNEIL

BRUSELAS (AP) — El responsable de Defensa de la Unión Europea propuso el martes una integración más profunda de la industria de defensa del bloque con Ucrania, mientras un plan de paz de Estados Unidos sigue en el aire y las operaciones de guerra no convencionales de Rusia sacuden al bloque de 27 naciones.

Se espera que los legisladores de la UE voten sobre un programa de 1.500 millones de euros (1.700 millones de dólares), con 300 millones de euros (345 millones de dólares) destinados al Mecanismo para Ucrania.

El comisario de Defensa de la UE, Andrius Kubilius, afirmó a los legisladores de la UE en Estrasburgo, Francia, que la industria de defensa de Ucrania “nos necesita”, sin mencionar las negociaciones de paz en curso para poner fin a la guerra. “Pero nosotros necesitamos aún más las innovaciones de defensa de Ucrania”.

Dijo que permitir el acceso de Ucrania al Programa para la Industria de Defensa Europea “hace posible adquirir equipos de defensa en, con y para Ucrania”.

Se espera que el gasto en defensa de la UE sume alrededor de 392.000 millones de euros (más de 450.000 millones de dólares) este año, casi el doble de la cantidad de hace cuatro años, antes de que Rusia lanzara su invasión a gran escala de Ucrania el 24 de febrero de 2022.

El gobierno de Donald Trump ha señalado que está priorizando la seguridad de Estados Unidos en sus propias fronteras domésticas y en Asia. Ha dicho a los europeos que deben defenderse a sí mismos y a Ucrania en el futuro.

La UE, nacida de la carnicería de las dos guerras mundiales, comenzó como un bloque comercial diseñado para evitar conflictos. Pero la guerra de Rusia en Ucrania ha impulsado un cambio en el bloque con sede en Bruselas, intensificando su postura de defensa y seguridad.

La Comisión Europea, el brazo ejecutivo de la UE, cree que se gastarán alrededor de 3,4 billones de euros (4 billones de dólares) en defensa durante la próxima década. Para ayudar, tiene la intención de proponer un aumento del presupuesto a largo plazo de la UE para defensa y espacio a 131.000 millones de euros (153.000 millones de dólares).

Se insta a los países miembros de la UE a comprar gran parte de su equipo militar dentro del bloque, trabajando principalmente con proveedores europeos, en algunos casos con ayuda de la UE para reducir precios y acelerar pedidos. Según la hoja de ruta, las naciones de la UE solo deberían comprar equipos del extranjero cuando los costos, el rendimiento o los retrasos en el suministro lo hagan preferible.

Kubilius dijo que las empresas de defensa con sede en la UE pueden solicitar exenciones fiscales y otros incentivos financieros para financiar los llamados proyectos de defensa europeos de interés común que “ningún estado miembro puede construir sólo, pero que protegerán a toda Europa”, como los proyectos Vigilancia del Flanco Oriental, Iniciativa Europea de Defensa contra Drones, o Escudo Espacial Europeo

Permitir que las empresas ucranianas participen en estos proyectos “nos permite inyectar innovación militar ucraniana en la industria de defensa europea”, afirmó.

La semana pasada, la Comisión Europea lanzó un nuevo paquete de defensa para permitir que tanques y tropas se desplieguen más rápidamente en toda Europa, así como una hoja de ruta para simplificar y unificar las regulaciones sobre la industria de defensa en el bloque y canalizar la inversión en la producción nacional de armas, vehículos, satélites, proyectiles y balas.

___

Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/25/la-unin-europea-propone-fortalecer-los-lazos-de-su-industria-de-defensa-con-ucrania/ 

UK Government “Resist” Program Monitors Citizens’ Online Posts

Tyler Durden
Tue, 11/25/2025 – 06:30

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/uk-government-resist-program-monitors-citizens-online-posts 

Patty Chen knew she had a good idea in opening Serious Sanji Asian Cuisine and Bubble Tea in Northbrook, but did not anticipate the demand for its soup dumplings.

“We started with a rush, learning on the fly,” said Chen, manager and owner of Serious Sanji, 794 Skokie Blvd. “I was shocked by how many people were coming in. I knew it would be busy, but I did not expect this.”

Chen obtained the franchise from a Florida company that specialized in carryout, she said. Adapting the preparation and service to in-person dining turned out to be challenging.

“They had their own way to do it,” she said of the Florida franchises. “We were not trained (to serve for in-person dining). We started slowly, but we had time to fix the process and learn how to do it well. Now we’re on track.”

To keep up with demand, Serious Sanji uses 13 of its 20 employees for each shift, Chen said. Even at 2 p.m. on a Wednesday, the restaurant, which sits in a strip mall at Skokie Boulevard and Dundee Road, was serving four tables in its small dining area.

“Drivers passing by stop in,” Chen said. “They do not see good Asian food in the area. We decided it would be a great location. The only comparable Asian places are in Niles, so they do not have to drive far to come here.”

All of the Serious Sanji staff is experienced in preparing and serving Asian food, she said. The restaurant specializes in unusual dishes, including dim sum-style soup dumplings, Chen said.

“Dim sum is a small plate, so you have to order a lot of items and share,” she said. “It’s really different from the American style of dining. People have said the portions are small. We explain that you have to order several items.”

Because the restaurant is limited in size, Serious Sanji is not able to take as many orders as other establishments, Chen said. She prefers asking customers to return on another day than to tell them the restaurant is out of certain dishes.

Serious Sanji Asian Cuisine and Bubble Tea in Northbrook serves “Asian cuisine with a mix of Cantonese and Shanghai soup style,” according to owner Patty Chen. (Phil Rockrohr/for Pioneer Press)

“At noon or 5-6 p.m., we try our best,” she said. “Sometimes we have to turn people away. I don’t want them to sit down and (then) say, ‘We’re sorry. We’re out of soup dumplings.’ We want to make sure everything is served hot and fresh.”

Chen calls the food “Asian cuisine with a mix of Cantonese and Shanghai soup style.” For example, the dumplings and sanji are Shanghai style, but the dim sum style is Cantonese, she said.

Serious Sanji Asian Cuisine and Bubble Tea in Northbrook serves “Asian cuisine with a mix of Cantonese and Shanghai soup style,” according to owner Patty Chen. (Phil Rockrohr/for Pioneer Press)

“We also have American-style Chinese dishes,” Chen said. “We have a broad community. You don’t have to eat Chinese food you do not know. We have a second option for you as well.”

The Shanghai style is a different way of making soup dumplings, she said. Chicken broth is infused inside the dumpling with a customer’s choice of meat, Chen said.

“So when you bite it, the soup actually comes out,” she said. “It’s not what you expect with a dumpling.”

Sanji is “Shanghai-style street food,” Chen said. Dumplings are steamed and then pan-fried for three minutes to make the bottom side crispy, she said.

Sarah Fish of Glencoe said during her visit last month that the pork soup dumpling was “delicious.”

Sarah Fish of Glencoe visited Serious Sanji restaurant in Northbrook last month and said the pork soup dumpling was “delicious.” (Phil Rockrohr/for Pioneer Press)

“It was fabulous, very flavorful and a very good size,” Fish said. “It’s very hard to find soup dumplings and dim sum style restaurants around here.”

Fish, who operates an Instagram account reviewing North Shore dining, predicted the restaurant will “do great.”

“There is really nothing like this place,” she said. “I’m going to come regularly. I tried to come on a Sunday, but it was so crowded. We really needed a dim sum and dumpling place around here. It’s a good family restaurant.”

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/25/northbrook-eatery-serious-sanji-says-demand-for-asian-soup-dumplings-is-growing/ 

In the opening scene of the Goodman Theatre’s “A Christmas Carol,” newly directed by Malkia Stampley this year, an adult and child appear on the foggy bank of the River Thames, clutching all their worldly belongings in a few modest pieces of luggage. While it’s unclear where these new arrivals hail from, it seems likely they will find their place in the vibrant, polyglot London depicted here. As various ensemble members begin to narrate the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge and his ghosts at an impromptu gathering around a coal fire, the communal nature of this production is established from the start.

As a repeat attendee, I find this show lands differently each year, depending in part on my own level of optimism or cynicism about the state of the world. In 2025, it’s a mixed bag. On the heels of a difficult autumn for many communities in Chicago, I see the spirit of generosity and inclusion that I’ve observed in my own neighbors reflected in the kindhearted people of this play. Yet, during a period of extreme wealth disparity, with a social safety net more threadbare than Tiny Tim’s jacket, the overnight transformation of a miserly moneylender into the picture of avuncular goodwill feels a bit quaint. I can’t help but wonder: is this perennial favorite simply a soothing tonic we imbibe each December?

Regardless of my conflicted response, Christopher Donahue continues to charm as Scrooge, a role he reprises for a second season. With his droll mannerisms, bemused facial expressions and tic-like delivery of “humbug,” he’s almost more misfit than monster: a figure to be pitied, as his niece, Frida (Amira Danan), astutely recognizes. Of course, for those over whom he holds power — such as his overworked and underpaid clerk, Bob Cratchit (Jon Hudson Odom), and the recipients of his predatory loans — there’s real menace in his mercurial ways.

Danan and Odom, by the way, are two highlights of this year’s casting changes. After playing Belle, young Scrooge’s fiancée, in previous seasons, Danan graduates to the role of Frida, a married woman with a strong sense of familial loyalty and patient compassion (within limits) for her prickly uncle. Already a gender-swapped role from the original, Frida’s sexuality also gets an update this year; her spouse is a woman named Abigail (Jazzlyn Luckett Aderele). Given that same-sex marriage wasn’t legalized in the UK until 2014, this detail seemed anachronistic until I recalled that at least one unofficial lesbian marriage predates Dickens’ novella: the 1834 union of Anne Lister and Ann Walker, not legally binding but sealed over the sacrament of communion at Holy Trinity Church in Goodramgate, York.

Odom, also a returning cast member, debuts as the patriarch of the Cratchit family, joined by Helen Joo Lee as Mrs. Cratchit and Viva Boresi, Sól Fuller, A’mia Imani, Carmelo Kelly, Henry Lombardo and Ella Boparai as their children. His warmth and playfulness set the tone for the harmonious Cratchit household, which melts Scrooge’s icy heart as he looks on with the Ghost of Christmas Present (Bethany Thomas). In a futuristic scene set at the grave of Tiny Tim (Boparai), Odom’s portrayal of a father’s grief is understated yet affecting.

on Hudson Odom, Ella Boparai, Carmelo Kelly, Viva Boresi, Bethany Thomas, A’mia Imani, Henry Lombardo, Sól Fuller and Helen Joo Lee in the Goodman Theatre’s 2025 holiday production of “A Christmas Carol.” (Brett Beiner)

The production design, still anchored by Todd Rosenthal’s familiar set, offers several new elements. Gregory Hirte, an actor-musician in his 25th year with the production, steps into the role of music director for the first time. While the pre-recorded score by composer Andy Hansen maintains its cinematic quality, the onstage musical performances lean into multicultural influences more than ever.

As in former director Jessica Thebus’ production, the Christmas party hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Fezziwig (Robert Schleifer and Christiana Clark) includes a song-and-dance interlude of multilingual greetings. This year’s iteration — featuring Italian, Assyrian, Farsi, Spanish and Yoruba — is enhanced by culturally inspired choreography from Tor Campbell and nods to international styles in Heidi Sue McMath’s Victorian costumes. The cast’s wide range of accents (vocal and dialect coaching by Michelle Lopez-Rios) and subtle details like the Cratchits’ use of chopsticks at the dinner table complement these choices.

Helen Joo Lee, Brian Goodwin, Sól Fuller, Austin Tichenor, Viva Boresi, Chris Khoshaba, Anthony Irons and Elleon Dobias in the Goodman Theatre’s 2025 holiday production of “A Christmas Carol.” (Brett Beiner)

So, what to make of “A Christmas Carol” on my fifth viewing at the Goodman? I can’t say that I came away with an unalloyed sense of hope, but rather a sober appreciation for the moral clarity of the Ghost of Christmas Present. In her horror-infused final scene, Thomas reveals two gaunt children (Kelly and Boparai) who represent the societal ills of Ignorance and Want. When Scrooge asks if they are hers, the ghost responds, “They are yours; they belong to all of you.” This collective indictment is a reminder that, though we can’t count on the Scrooges of our own world to change for the better, the rest of us can and should do our parts to banish these scourges from our midst.

Emily McClanathan is a freelance critic.

Review: “A Christmas Carol” (3 stars)

When: Through Dec. 31

Where: Goodman Theatre, 170 N Dearborn St.

Running time: 2 hours, 20 minutes

Tickets: $34-$173 at 312-443-3800 and goodmantheatre.org

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/25/review-goodman-theatres-christmas-carol-finds-the-darkness-and-light-every-holiday-season/ 

Editor’s note: In the spirit of Thanksgiving, our readers wrote to us to share what they’re thankful for. Here is a selection of those letters. We will publish the remainder on Wednesday and Thursday.

Value of the news

More than ever, I am thankful for publications and news media that have been willing to print and share the truth in spite of a growing effort of some media sources to kowtow to a fully biased agenda.

The need to enshrine and protect reliable media services has become increasingly more important with the popularity of such social media platforms as X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.

Just when we thought the country was beginning to understand the need to bring some regulation to these platforms, we were hit with the full-blown debut of artificial intelligence.

Research tells of that any information on social media platforms should be viewed with a high level of skepticism. This is scary because the respected Pew Research Center reports that approximately 53% of adults rely on social media for a portion of their daily news.

I am so thankful that we still have the Bible and such long established news services in our area as the Chicago Tribune, the Sun-Times and, on a more national level, The Associated Press, NPR and PBS.

I understand, however, that just being thankful is not enough. We must fight like David did against Goliath to maintain these critical news services.

— George Comer, Crown Point, Indiana

Neighbors’ kindness

While walking along Broadway on Sunday afternoon, my face encountered the sidewalk, and lots of blood was produced. A young couple helped me up, provided a chair and some tissues for the blood, and offered help as needed.

I walked to nearby Maison Marcel to check out the damage in a mirror. The staff gave me ice and offered to get an ambulance or medical care. Francine walked me home, and the manager promised to check on my healing progress.

I am thankful for kindness and assistance from unknown neighbors! So much to be thankful for.

— Dorothy C. Keating, Chicago

Our ‘Mother Teresa’

As I begin to bake cookies to take to Cleveland for Thanksgiving, my thoughts are on my mother-in-law, Rosette Bagley, as many of the recipes that I use came from her. Rose passed away this past spring, and though tiny in stature, she was huge in virtue and compassion.

Rose exemplified the meaning of the word “Christian,” living her life in the service to others. So much so, that she was nicknamed “the Mother Teresa of Naperville”!

From starting a food pantry and volunteering with PADS to protesting for equality for all and marching for peace and social justice. Rose, along with her husband, John, was always on the front line.

Though my heart is heavy as we face this first holiday season without her, I choose to focus on gratitude for having had her in my life these last 26 years.

“Grief is the bill come due for having loved.”

— Nancy Knurek Bagley, Naperville

My friend’s blessings

This Thanksgiving, I am grateful for many blessings. But it’s a dear friend who passed away recently at the young age of 50 who causes me to reflect on the importance of humility, our relationships and spending time together.

My friend Betsy graciously and joyously served those in need in the city — those who are hungry, those who are homeless, the people in most need of support, resources and just general acknowledgement of their humanity. She also served us, her friends and family, just by being in our lives, by spending quality time with us, laughing and traveling and hiking with us.

C.S. Lewis wrote that humility is “not thinking of less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.” Betsy embodied that sentiment the fullest, giving of her time, talent and treasure to those in need and to those who loved her. She quietly and humbly, yet boldly, lifted us all up. She never sought wealth or places of honor; she would be much more pleased if you just shared a cup of coffee and opened your heart to her.

While losing a friend at the young age of 50 is devastating, it is in these heavy feelings that I am reminded of how blessed I am to have beautiful memories of time spent with my friend and the many friends with whom I will make more memories.

May we all take humility to heart as we give thanks this Thanksgiving for the blessings of family and friends.

— Debbie Buczkiewicz, Clarendon Hills

Road to recovery

Well, it has been a very rough and challenging past eight months, specifically for my husband. He went to urgent care in mid-March due to breathing and swallowing problems. In April/May, Bob fell and broke his shoulder (it required two surgeries and six weeks of physical therapy to repair). In June after various doctors’ visits, he was sent to the emergency room by Dr. Nadkarni, a neurologist, due to severe myasthenia gravis symptoms. This resulted in an 11-day hospital stay and five plasma treatments.

The reason I mentioned the doctor’s name is because he was the angel in disguise who got the ball rolling and Bob on the road to recovery. And, to top it off, in October, my husband was diagnosed with prostate cancer! I am happy to be able to say he is on the road to recovery and doing much better.

In addition, I am thankful for my good health and the good health and support of our two sons, two grandsons and extended family. Other problems that happened during the year were nothing in comparison to all that my husband has gone through. Even then, we have been truly blessed, and we are looking forward to a healthier 2026.

— Sandra Paszczyk, Tinley Park

Just love is needed

I am thankful this year for the happiness I feel from the love of three children and seven grandchildren as I age (I’m 75) and also from my beloved fiancé. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday as no gifts are necessary — just the love and laughter of family.

It is never too soon or too late to tell those you love how much thankfulness is so important in our lives. It is a national treasure!

— Barry Carlson, Schaumburg

The joys of walking

At 85 and 75, we are eternally grateful for our mobility. We can still walk, sometimes for two hours, occasionally sitting. Thank you to Brookfield Zoo for a terrific place to walk!

Unfortunately, so many people we know who are our ages cannot walk easily, and several are in constant pain. It makes us realize all the more how fortunate we are and not to take it for granted.

We try to get out and walk every day, and it makes us happy to be able to do so. Now one of our main goals is: Don’t fall!

— Karen and Bob Roseler, LaGrange

Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/25/letters-112525-thankful/ 

Over the weekend, hundreds of curious Chicagoans ventured to Lake Michigan beachfronts to witness a birding marvel: the early arrival of snowy owls.

Two snowy owls have been spotted at Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary and a third briefly at Rainbow Beach, according to the Chicago Ornithological Society.

These are earlier than usual in the season, said Edward Warden, president of the Chicago Ornithological Society.

The Arctic bird typically arrives in Chicago mid- to late December, Warden said. An unusually early arrival may signal an “irruption year,” a migratory boom when large numbers of snowy owls migrate south during the winter months.

“A lot of people are certainly speculating if this is going to be a big year or not based on how early (the snowy owls) are here,” Warden said.

But predicting an irruption year can be difficult, said Warden. The phenomenon can be caused by many ecological factors, including a successful breeding season in the Arctic tundra.

“(Irruptions) are one of those sort of mysteries of science we’re still trying to untangle,” Warden said. “It’s pretty much a case of, you know it when you’re in it.”

The last migratory boom of snowy owls in Chicago happened in winter 2017-2018, Warden recalled.

“That was a year where you could basically trip over snowy owls, they were so common,” he said. “People have been chasing that high ever since then. And so there’s a lot of questions about whether or not this is going to be a similar year.”

During the last irruption year, Chicago birder Tamima Itani witnessed a snowy owl for the first time at Montrose Beach.

“I was there for the entire day, and people kept coming and photographing it, and I kept thinking, ‘oh, my god, this is the most photographed owl in the world,” she said.

Itani, who is now a lead piping plover monitor at Montrose and bird conservationist, said the same effect is happening again this year, with onlookers flooding the birding sanctuary to see the Arctic birds.

She said the fact that there’s two snowy owls at Montrose this year also makes the sighting unusual. Snowy owls are a nomadic bird species, so seeing a pair together outside their breeding season is uncommon.

A snowy owl lands near Montrose Beach on Nov. 24, 2025, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)

Chicago native and lifelong birder Maggie Warren has been frequenting Montrose since last week when she saw a posting about the snowy owls on a birding chat forum. Having never seen a snowy owl, Warren ran to Montrose and has been coming daily to observe the pair.

“Snowy owls are so magical,” Warren said. “It’s so much a part of the zeitgeist when you’re like, ‘I’m going to be a birder and I’m going to see a snowy owl.’ It’s such a quintessential type of bird.”

But with the snowy owl excitement drawing large numbers to Montrose, Itani is concerned by the effect crowds are having on the birds’ habitat and safety.

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“These birds have traveled a long distance and are in a foreign environment to them,” Itani said. “Concrete, steel, glass, lots of people, that’s not something that they’re familiar with.”

Initially, the owls were staying at the protected beach, but due to the high volume of people and dogs, Itani said the owls have since moved out to the pier at Montrose.

“A lot of people may not understand that these birds need to rest and need to be able to be in a safe environment,” Itani said.

Itani’s also concerned about two peregrine falcons in the area that have been a threat to the snowy owls. She said crowd control is vital to ensuring these snowy owls can focus on their avian threats instead of humans and dogs.

As of Monday afternoon, the Chicago Park District had closed off a small section of the Montrose pier near the owls’ perch to guarantee a safe distance from humans. The Park District advised Chicagoans to stay at least 300 feet from the owls.

A snowy owl sits next to Lake Michigan near Montrose Beach on Nov. 24, 2025, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)

Itani agreed that this early visit could be a sign of an irruption year for snowy owls, as well as for other bird species that are generally only seen every three to four years. These include the common redpolls, evening grosbeaks and pine siskins.

“From a birding standpoint, this is all very exciting, but we always like to make sure that the birds that come and visit us and stay in our midst are also safe,” Itani said.

With the rise in popularity of birding, more people will be coming out to witness birds such as the snowy owl. As of a 2024 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service report, nearly 1 of every 3 U.S. adults engages in birding as a pastime.

But Warden said that unlike other bird species, snowy owls attract interest beyond just birding enthusiasts.

“Owls definitely transcend the birding community lines every year,” Warden said. “It doesn’t matter whether you were a birder or just a regular person, when snowy owls show up, people get super excited.”

Warden said it’s hard to predict where they’ll go next.

“Snowy owls are basically wanderers by nature, that’s what they do,” Warden said. “It’s very much wherever the wind takes them.”

Christiana Freitag is a freelancer.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/25/snowy-owls-chicago-irruption/