Good morning, Chicago.

After passing a series of landmark environmental bills in Illinois over the last few years, advocates and legislators are hoping to use that momentum to push through a new law that would regulate the growing data center industry in the state, ensuring efficient energy and water use and protections for ratepayers from rising utility bills.

“We cannot afford to be complacent now. As new industries emerge, we must continue strengthening regulations,” Lucy Contreras, Illinois state program director for GreenLatinos, said at a news conference.

The growing use of artificial intelligence has drawn water-intensive data centers to regions where the resource is abundant, such as the Great Lakes, where experts say not all communities have the capacity to sustainably support the industry. The facilities also use massive amounts of energy that are driving electricity rates up for neighbors and nearby residents.

Read the full story from the Tribune’s Adriana Pérez.

Here are the top stories you need to know to start your day, including a Chicago police workforce study calling for hundreds of cops and civilians to be hired, a conversation with the UIC professor who heads up sports sciences for US Figure Skating and what to do in Chicago for Valentine’s Day.

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Attorney General Pam Bondi testifies before a House Judiciary Committee oversight hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Feb. 11, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

AG Pam Bondi clashes with Democrats as she struggles to turn the page on Epstein files furor

Attorney General Pam Bondi launched into a passionate defense of President Donald Trump yesterday as she tried to turn the page from relentless criticism of the Justice Department’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files, repeatedly shouting at Democrats during a combative hearing in which she postured herself as the Republican president’s chief protector.

Juan Espinoza Martinez with his three U.S.-born children. Espinoza Martinez is facing deportation despite a jury finding him not guilty of putting a bounty on Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino during Operation Midway Blitz. (Family photo)

Immigration judge denies bond for Chicago man acquitted in Bovino murder-for-hire plot

His wife, who met Juan Espinoza Martinez when they were in high school, said she found it “absurd” that the judge chose to favor the government’s claims that Espinoza Martinez was a gang member or that he tried to put a hit on a federal agent.

“He was initially detained based on false information. Homeland Security is still labeling him as a high-ranking gang member, even though it has been proven that he has no gang ties,” Bianca Hernandez said.

Mayor Brandon Johnson greets Hilario Dominguez, of Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood, during a City Club of Chicago event at Maggiano’s Banquets on Feb. 11, 2026. (Josh Boland/Chicago Tribune)

Aldermen opposed to Mayor Brandon Johnson on budget announce ‘accountability commission’

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s fight with aldermen about the 2026 budget continued yesterday as a City Council majority said they are organizing themselves to monitor his administration’s execution of the spending plan that passed over his objections.

Chicago Police Department recruits take the oath of office during a Chicago Police Department Graduation and Promotion Ceremony on July 22, 2025 at Navy Pier. The ceremony recognized graduates from three recruit classes as well as recently promoted captains, lieutenants, sergeants, detectives and field training officers. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune)

Chicago police workforce study calls for hundreds of cops, civilians to be hired

A long-awaited analysis of the Chicago Police Department’s staffing and deployment calls for the hiring of hundreds more officers while urging scores of other positions be shifted to civilians.

Lorena Gualan makes Chicago dogs at Portillo’s on Sept. 24, 2024. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)

Portillo’s taps new CEO, an industry veteran who held executive roles at Outback Steakhouse and Ruby Tuesday 

Industry veteran Brett Patterson, whose resume includes executive roles at Outback Steakhouse, Ruby Tuesday and Olive Garden, will take the reins of Portillo’s on Feb. 23, the company announced yesterday.

Alysa Liu of Team United States competes in the Women’s Short Program on day zero of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Ice Skating Arena on February 06, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

A conversation with the UIC professor who heads up sports sciences for US Figure Skating

Among TV viewers, figure skating is consistently one of the most anticipated events at the Winter Olympics. But for Lindsay Slater Hannigan, who is director of the human and sport performance laboratory at the University of Illinois at Chicago, it’s more than a spectator sport.

She is the sports sciences manager for U.S. Figure Skating —  the national governing body for figure skating — and she is currently in Stamford, Connecticut, helping NBC produce its coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Dozens of baseballs fill a bin before being used for infield grounders during White Sox spring training, Feb. 10, 2026, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Column: Spring training renews optimism for the Cubs and White Sox — no matter where you’re watching

Nothing brings joy to baseball fans like the start of spring training, when the possibilities are endless and opening day is suddenly within view, writes Paul Sullivan.

The Cubs and White Sox are off and running, with differing expectations but the same basic plan of selling hope to fans starving for bigger and (relatively) better things in 2026.

Erick Fedde, back with the Chicago White Sox, aims to return ‘brick by brick’ to his 2024 form
‘There’s unfinished business’: Chicago Cubs open camp with high expectations — and embrace the challenge

Actor Bud Cort poses at the premiere of the film “Masterminds” at the TCL Chinese Theatre on Sept. 26, 2016, in Los Angeles. (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

‘Harold and Maude’ star Bud Cort dies at 77

Bud Cort, who personified the role of Harold in the 1971 Hal Ashby classic “Harold and Maude,” died yesterday in Connecticut after a long illness. He was 77.

His longtime friend Dorian Hannaway reported his death.

Felipe Carrasco and Aurora Real de Asua in “Hedda Gabler” by Remy Bumppo Theatre Co. at Theater Wit. (Michael Brosilow)

Review: Unhappy lust and uneasy friendship in Remy Bumppo’s ‘Hedda Gabler’

Shortly after Mrs. Hedda Tesman, née Hedda Gabler, returns from her honeymoon, she complains that every room in her new marital home “reeks of lavender and roses,” carrying an inescapable whiff of death, writes Emily McClanathan. In Remy Bumppo Theatre Company’s new production of Henrik Ibsen’s 1891 play, directed by Marti Lyons, the design team takes this line to heart.

There will be a special Valentine’s Day edition of the Navy Pier Fireworks on Saturday night, Feb. 14. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

What to do in Chicago for Valentine’s Day, from a Taylor Swift party to fireworks

Here are our picks for events in and around Chicago this Valentine’s Day weekend.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/12/daywatch-bill-would-hold-data-centers-responsible-for-energy-costs-environmental-protections/ 

NJ Benson scored 23 points on 10-of-11 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds, and Brandon Maclin hit the game-winning layup with seven seconds remaining to give DePaul a 72-71 victory over Creighton on Wednesday night at Wintrust Arena.

It was the Blue Demons’ first win over the Bluejays since 2015, according to DePaul.

Maclin scored 17 points, shooting 6 of 10 from the field and 5 of 6 from the line to go with five assists. Layden Blocker added 11 points, including a pair of 3-pointers, for the Blue Demons (13-12, 5-9 Big East), who already have more conference wins than last season.

The Bluejays (13-12, 7-7) were led by Austin Swartz’s 15 points. Josh Dix and Jasen Green added 13 apiece.

Benson scored 10 points in the first half, and DePaul went into the break trailing 42-40.

Benson’s 90.9% field-goal percentage was DePaul’s highest since 1996-97 with at least 10 makes, the school said.

The Associated Press created portions of this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/12/depaul-beats-creighton-ends-streak/ 

EU Seeks To Close Russia Crypto Loopholes In New Sanctions

Tyler Durden
Thu, 02/12/2026 – 07:20

https://www.zerohedge.com/crypto/eu-seeks-close-russia-crypto-loopholes-new-sanctions 

WASHINGTON — About 6 in 10 U.S. adults say President Donald Trump has “gone too far” in sending federal immigration agents into American cities, according to a new AP-NORC poll that suggests political independents are increasingly uncomfortable with his tactics.

Views of Trump’s handling of immigration — which fell over the course of his first year — remained steady over the past month, with about 4 in 10 saying they approve of the president’s approach. But the poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research also found that the Republican Party’s advantage on Trump’s signature political issue has shrunk since October.

About 3 in 10 U.S. adults trust Republicans to do a better job handling immigration, while a similar share say the same of Democrats. An additional 3 in 10, roughly, don’t think either party would do a better job handling the issue, and about 1 in 10 say both parties would handle it equally well.

The Republican president’s core supporters remain overwhelmingly supportive of Trump’s immigration tactics. But there are signs that more independents think he’s going too far.

“I am glad that immigrants aren’t just flooding across the border, but what he’s doing now in our cities, pitting the military against our people, these are gestapo tactics,” said independent Brenda Shaw, a 65-year-old human resources manager from South Haven, Michigan. “They’re shooting U.S. citizens in the face and in the back.”

The new polling comes as the nation watches the human impact of Trump’s crackdown in Minneapolis, where thousands of heavily armed masked agents have descended upon the city to find and remove immigrants in the country illegally.

There have also been numerous violent clashes with protesters, including two U.S. citizens killed by federal agents in recent weeks. About 6 in 10 Americans believe that Trump has “gone too far” when using federal law enforcement at public protests in U.S. cities, the poll found.

Republicans stay behind Trump on immigration

While about 9 in 10 Democrats and about 7 in 10 independents say Trump has “gone too far” in sending federal immigration agents into U.S. cities and using federal law enforcement at public protests, only about one-quarter of Republicans agree.

According to the new survey, about half of Republicans say that Trump’s actions have been “about right,” while about one-quarter of Republicans say he hasn’t gone far enough. Their support for the president hasn’t wavered despite the chaos in Minneapolis.

Teviss Crawford, a 20-year-old student from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, said he’s pleased with Trump’s leadership on immigration, although he wishes the president could find a way to deport more immigrants who are in the country illegally.

“I don’t think the deportations have been enough, to be honest. I think it’s much too lax,” he said of Trump’s crackdown. “If you crossed into our country illegally, it’s just not right. You’re taking things away from people who were born here.”

Crawford added that Trump “should be focusing on violent criminals, but the violent criminals are probably harder to find.”

Independents largely disapprove of the current immigration enforcement approach

Despite their strong support for Trump, Republicans are increasingly alone in supporting Trump on his immigration enforcement tactics.

Related Articles

Trump’s approval on immigration appears to have fallen among independents since last spring, from 37% in March 2025 to 23% in the new poll. There is greater variability in surveying small groups, like independents, which creates more uncertainty about the magnitude of changes. About 6 in 10 independents now say Trump has “gone too far” in deporting immigrants living in the U.S. illegally, an apparent increase from 46% in an AP-NORC poll in April.

Most U.S. adults, including independents, have an unfavorable view of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, commonly referred to as ICE. Overall, only about 3 in 10 U.S. adults have a favorable view of the agency, the AP-NORC poll found.

There is an large partisan gap, with independents much closer to Democrats than Republicans. Only about 1 in 10 Democrats and roughly 2 in 10 independents have a favorable view of ICE, compared to about 7 in 10 Republicans.

“Having the border shut, that’s OK. But what Trump is doing with ICE and Homeland Security? You don’t go yanking people out of cars. You don’t go shooting people,” said independent Rick Kinnett, a 60-year-old Navy veteran from Crawfordsville, Indiana.

“I spent eight years in the military. This is not what I signed up for,” he said. “This is not what we’re supposed to do. This is not constitutional.”

Trump’s weak numbers hold steady

Trump’s approval on immigration has not moved since January despite a month of immigration-related turmoil.

About 38% of U.S. adults approve of Trump’s handling of immigration more broadly, in line with an January AP-NORC poll conducted just after the death of Renee Good, the first U.S. citizen in Minnesota killed by federal agents.

The president’s overall approval rating has declined slightly since the beginning of his second term and remains low.

Overall, 36% of U.S. adults say they approve of the way Trump is handling the presidency. His approval ratings on the economy and foreign policy are similar to his overall approval and functionally unchanged from January.

Historically, such numbers would push members of a president’s party to distance themselves from him — especially heading into a midterm election season. However, Trump’s allies in Washington and in state capitals across the nation remain overwhelmingly united behind him, reflecting consistently strong support from Republicans in the polls.

But Trump’s immigration approach seems to be a particularly sore spot for independents. While he appears to have slid with independents on immigration, Trump’s approval on the economy — the other signature issue where he’s recently been criticized for failing to deliver on campaign promises — is similar to where it was last spring.

And the narrowing of Republicans’ advantage on immigration is a warning sign for Trump’s party. In October, 39% of U.S. adults said they trusted the Republicans to better handle immigration, while 26% said that about the Democrats, giving the GOP a 13-point edge. In the new poll, the difference between the parties is only 4 points.

“What he’s doing with ICE is the worst thing right now. I would say the economy is the second worst thing,” said Shaw, the human resources manager from Michigan. “I’m getting ready to retire and I’m wondering how I’m going to make it.”

“But I’m blessed,” she added. “I don’t have to hide in the basement because my skin is brown.”

The AP-NORC poll of 1,156 adults was conducted Feb. 5-8 using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 3.9 percentage points.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/12/republicans-immigration-trump-ap-norc-poll/ 

Nothing brings joy to baseball fans like the start of spring training, when the possibilities are endless and opening day is suddenly within view.

The players are all “hungry,” management talks about “unfinished business,” and the idea of a “spring phenom” lurks in every camp from Florida to Arizona. The names change over the years, but the cliches remain the same. That’s why you always hear that hope springs eternal in February, but seldom hear that hope fades away come June.

The Cubs and White Sox are off and running, with differing expectations but the same basic plan of selling hope to fans starving for bigger and (relatively) better things in 2026.

I’ll be reporting late to Arizona this spring due to load-management issues after 30 spring trainings under my belt but staying in close contact with Tribune beat writers Megan Montermurro and LaMond Pope and observing the goings on from afar.

We’re coming off one of the greatest World Series in history and heading into a season that could be the last one for a while, thanks to a likely lockout in December. The final straw, many experts have theorized, was the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers’ signing of former Cubs outfielder Kyle Tucker to a four-year, $240 million deal.

The rich get richer. PECOTA projects the Dodgers to win 104 games, while Fangraphs has their payroll at an astonishing $396 million. Tucker’s annual average salary of $60 million is $20 million higher than Aaron Judge’s AAV of $40 million from the New York Yankees star’s nine-year, $360 million deal signed in 2022. By today’s standards, Judge is already severely underpaid.

“It’s crazy, the numbers,” said former Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo, now a pregame analyst for NBC’s “Sunday Night Baseball.”

“But you know what? The game is thriving and the owners have a lot of money, right? They keep paying them because they keep making money. It’s really good to see in the game. Whenever anyone wants to say anything about (players) making too much money, it’s not their money, so keep paying these guys.”

Some random thoughts on the rites of spring.

White Sox shortstop Colson Montgomery is introduced during SoxFest Live at the Ramova Theatre on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Bridgeport. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

Sox shortstop Colson Montgomery was sent down to minor-league camp early last spring and didn’t get much of a chance to make the team. But he managed to prove his doubters wrong after being called up on the Fourth of July and enters 2026 as the new face of the White Sox. It’s a role he does not mind playing.

“As a kid, that’s what you always want,” Montgomery told me at SoxFest. “You want to be a guy that the fans look at and when you think of a team, they think of that person. It just shows who you are not just as a player, but as a person. So I’m happy to be a part of that. I don’t mind talking to people. The media is just giving insight into what the fans want to know. That’s awesome.”

Craig Counsell is already in midseason form. The Cubs manager was asked by ESPN’s Jesse Rogers whether Daniel Palencia would be the closer if the season were to begin tomorrow. “Yes,” he replied, then paused and jokingly added: “Nice scoop, Jesse.”

It was a legitimate question since Palencia was not used as the closer in the playoffs, pitching in the sixth inning or earlier in all six appearances after missing most of September with a right shoulder strain. If Palencia, who will pitch for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic, doesn’t have a good spring, Counsell will have to answer that question again. Stay tuned.

Former Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner and his wife, Diana, speak after the installation of the Norman Rockwell painting “The Dugout” on Feb. 10, 2026, at the Art Institute of Chicago. The Rauners gifted it to the museum after hanging it in their home for the past 19 years. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)

The Art Institute of Chicago garnered a lot of publicity Tuesday for installing Norman Rockwell’s “The Dugout,” a 1948 illustration of slumping players and manager Charlie Grimm in the Cubs dugout and heckling Boston Red Sox fans behind them. No offense to Rockwell or his many fans, but this would be like chef Grant Achatz adding a Big Mac to the menu at Alinea.

It’s a kitschy piece of Americana, but not a great work of art befitting a museum with the reputation of the Art Institute. A better venue for “The Dugout” would be at Wrigley Field, where Cubs fans could take selfies in front of it.

My annual plea to baseball: Bring back pitchers running in the outfield during spring training games. Modern spring training facilities have all but made this classic workout obsolete, in which a pitcher would leave the game and return to jog in the outfield during play.

Why would anyone work out on the field now when they have so many treadmills and exercise bikes in their facilities? It’s the ambience, stupid. The sight of a player running in the outfield during a game is soothing to fans and reminds us the exhibition game is just a meaningless marketing tool to get everyone excited for the upcoming season. Some things never get old.

New third baseman Alex Bregman attends a discussion during the Cubs Convention on Jan. 17, 2026, at the Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)

The addition of free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman, who signed a five-year, $175 million deal, has made the Cubs prohibitive division favorites.

“Bregman’s expectation of himself is going to elevate everyone around him,” Rizzo said. “He’s played a lot of meaningful baseball games and knows what it takes to win. They got the taste last year. Wrigley looked like it was absolutely electric. I’d imagine coming into (Wrigley) now, the Cubs are going to have to be ready for everyone’s best stuff, because Wrigley is going to be elevated and the visiting teams are going to be elevated as well.”

PECOTA pegs the Cubs for 90 wins and a National League Central title, while the Milwaukee Brewers sink to 80 wins and second place. This plays right into the Brewers’ hands and feeds into their annual narrative of being disrespected.

White Sox infielder Munetaka Murakami takes a swing during batting practice at spring training Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

PECOTA also projects the Sox to win 69 games and finish last again in the American League Central, with the Kansas City Royals shockingly winning the division over the Detroit Tigers. Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami has given Sox fans faith that the rebuild will be put on fast-forward.

New Sox starter Anthony Kay, who faced Murakami in Japan, gave a scouting report: “The numbers say he’s going to hit a lot of homers,” he said. “He didn’t have any problem with the velocity I had, and I was throwing 98 (mph) there. I don’t understand why he can’t have a lot of success over here.”

It’s a shame Marquee Sports Network is televising only 11 of the Cubs’ Cactus League games after originally boasting of its plan to cover the team 365 days a year. “Our dedicated ‘Cubs-centric’ network will carry all available Cubs games and feature uncompromising, in-depth and behind-the-scenes coverage,” Cubs president of business operations Crane Kenney said in a 2019 press release.

Marquee moved to the Xfinity Ultimate TV tier after the 2025 season, which adds $20 to your cable bill, on top of the $20.25 regional sports network fee Comcast already charged Chicago-area subscribers. The least Marquee could do is not reduce the content.

This spring marks the 30th anniversary of Tony Phillips’s 48-hour retirement from the White Sox. Phillips left camp in Sarasota, Fla., because he was in the wrong “frame of mind” and had to be convinced by old friends Dusty Baker and Dave Stewart to return.

“I wouldn’t call it a comeback,” Phillips told me upon his return. “Actually what really happened is I retired and went home, and my wife said, ‘No, no.’”

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/12/spring-training-cubs-white-sox-optimism/ 

MILAN — A dozen people outside a Milan metro station on Wednesday stared intently at their phones until 8 a.m., when an Instagram post provided a location.

“Run, don’t walk: we’re in the Castello area,” said the post. “Pins are available while supplies last.”

It sent the group sprinting.

Early each morning in Milan, eager collectors have been gathering to await word of the exact spot where they can score highly prized, limited-edition Olympics pins that — if they’re fast enough — are free.

Ilaria Pasqua has gotten up and out early every day since Saturday to snag the coveted pins from YesMilano, the city’s promotional agency, and she plans to complete the collection of seven neighborhoods — including Isola and Porta Venezia — and five iconic landmarks, such as the Duomo. She teamed with three collectors she met on the first day, and they have developed a system to be among the first in line.

“I know it can sound like it’s a bit extreme, and (like) it’s a waste of time,’’ said Pasqua, an English teacher in Milan. “But actually, I’ve met these people that I am doing this with, so it’s nice. It’s a way to get to know the city that you live in or are visiting. It’s also social. I’m really enjoying it, to be honest. And you take a little treasure with you home every day, so it’s fun.’’

Each day after receiving her pins, Pasqua says she stuffs them deep in her coat pocket — out of view from latecomers looking for a trade that she doesn’t want to make.

Pin pecking order

Pin collecting is an essential part of the Olympic subculture, with people traveling far and wide to the Games just to add to what is often a very substantial array of enameled pins at home.

For those with little patience for treasure hunting who want to get right down to business, Milan is the first Olympics to offer an official pin trading center since Pyongyang in 2018.

Sponsored by Warner Brothers, it features an area where children can interact with costumed Looney Toons characters, creating the next generation of pin-traders, along with a dozen tables where die-hard traders from as far away as the United States and Japan up boards with their wares.

Eddie Schneider, of Lindenhurst, N.Y., has been trading pins since the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles. Among his 25,000 pins is one from the 1948 London Games, which his mother attended.

“I consider it like going to a World’s Fair every two years,” he said at the center. “You get to go different places and experience different cultures and have fun.”

The king pins

Patrick Shannon, a coach for the Chinese skeleton team, displays China’s three pin designs at the Milan Cortina Olympic Village, during the 2026 Winter Olympics on Feb. 5, 2026, in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. (Jennifer McDermott/AP)

Elite collectors know the intrinsic value of each category, including retail, delegation, team, sponsor, media and national Olympic committees. Japanese media pins are among the most coveted by die-hard collectors, for their rarity, while in Cortina athletes were keen to get an Iran pin and in Paris Snoop Dogg’s pins were the buzziest.

Official pins incorporate the Milan Cortina ’26 logo and the Olympic rings, which are produced exclusively by the Los Angeles-based pin maker Honav, the rights-holder for the Milan Cortina Winter Games and the upcoming 2028 Los Angeles Summer Games.

Honav’s owner Mario Simonson said his company designed hundreds of pins and produced millions for these Games — each bearing the Honav backstamp for authenticity. The International Olympics Committee collects royalties for the use of the logo and rings.

Pins without those official features have “zero value’’ for serious traders, he said.

Pindemonium

London resident Josh Waller, 21, collected his first pin at the 2012 Summer Games, when he was 8 years old. He now has over 10,000 stashed in his room, and brought 1,500 to Milan to trade. “Pindemonium,” he calls it.

His collection of London Olympic pins, including vintage issues, is award-winning. He belongs to a group of online traders that exploded after the Tokyo Games, when the pandemic kept spectators at home, and he has developed software to authenticate high-value pins.

Waller is a volunteer at the pin trading center, where he said thousands of people, including athletes and families with children, lined up over the weekend to buy and trade.

“The whole pin trading community is very tight,” Mark Gabriel, a Warner Brothers consumer products executive, told the AP. He expects trading “to reach a fever pitch” on the Games’ second weekend.

Pin hunting

Meantime, pin enthusiasts are criss-crossing the city in the early morning, in pursuit of the full YesMilano set.

They have been successful beyond the organizers’ imaginings. While city pins have long been part of the Games, YesMilano’s campaign goes further by promoting under-visited parts of the city and encouraging people to visit landmarks.

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On the first day, more than 1,000 people showed up in the North of Piazza Loreto (NOLO) neighborhood. The second day at the architectural landmark, Torre Velasca, that number was 600 — as word circulated of the daily 250 limit.

Latecomers receive stickers as consolation prizes, but can purchase the YesMilano pins at official souvenir vendors $24 — up from an initial 12 euros due to demand.

Beatrice Biondi got up at 6:30 a.m. to travel into Milan from Varese, an hour away, to be first in line at the Sforza Castle. It was her first shot at collecting Olympic memorabilia, after wrapping up university exams the day before.

“We had to run a bit, but we made it so we are very happy,’’ she said.

After collecting her Sforza Castle pin, she planned to add the little focaccia bag charm from the Esselunga supermarket chain, and a Coca-Cola pin from the Olympic sponsor.

‘’All the pins I can find, I will take,” Biondi said.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/12/winter-olympics-pin-mania/ 

Republican Dale Fowler has represented this far southern district since 2017 but decided not to run for reelection. State Rep. Paul Jacobs, 77, hopes to move over to the Senate by winning the Republican primary over Stephen Vercellino, 71. As a member of Springfield’s minority party, Jacobs has long fought for fiscal responsibility and pushed back against tax hikes, two issues that need champions in the Statehouse. We’ve endorsed Jacobs before, and endorse him again.

Read all of the Tribune Editorial Board’s endorsements for the 2026 Illinois primary election here. 

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

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/12/editorial-paul-jacobs-illinois-59th-senate-district-republican-primary/ 

MESA, Ariz. — Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell tends to be coy when it comes to publicly declaring specific bullpen roles.

As Counsell often notes, he just wants “out-getters.” Counsell, though, did not hesitate Wednesday after being asked whether Daniel Palencia would get the ninth inning in a save situation if the season started tomorrow. He confirmed the 26-year-old will be their closer to start the season. Palencia smiled before Cubs pitchers’ and catchers’ first workout Wednesday when told the news.

‘There’s unfinished business’: Chicago Cubs open camp with high expectations — and embrace the challenge

“It’s just awesome for me,” Palencia said. “I worked a lot this offseason too, just trying to be ready to help the team. Like I said before last season, I’m just trying to be ready for any inning. If he needs me in the fifth, then I’ll be there. My job is making outs. That’s what I want to do.

“In those situations, you’ve got the game on the line, just trying to be you and trust in your stuff and attack the hitters. It’s a tough situation, so you have to relax.”

Palencia’s journey over the last year has taken him from starting the 2025 season at Triple A to being a key piece in the Cubs bullpen. A disappointing 2024, when he posted a 6.14 ERA, 66 ERA+ and 1.773 WHIP in only 10 big-league appearances (14 2/3 innings), created uncertainty of how, or if, he could help the Cubs last season. The organization now is counting on him to build off a season in which he owned a 2.91 ERA with 22 saves spanning 52 2/3 innings leading to a vital role during the postseason.

“No one sitting here a year ago would have thought he was me pitching as a closer last year, pitching huge innings in the middle of the game in the playoffs the way he did and so he did an amazing job,” president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said Wednesday. “His maturation was obvious to everyone. We’re super excited about him.”

An attractive destination

Veteran reliever Hunter Harvey considered his decision to sign with the Cubs to be an easy one.

During his offseason meeting with the team, the organization highlighted how pitchers have experienced career years after signing with the Cubs. They had plenty of examples to choose from over the last few years, including the performances of reliever Brad Keller and lefty Matthew Boyd last season. It left an impression on Harvey, 31, who dealt with injuries the previous two seasons. That, coupled with the Cubs looking to make a deep run in October, made them appealing.

“That’s kind of what I’m looking for so to be able to get involved with the guys that have been helping make that happen, it made it a very easy decision,” Hunter told the Tribune on Wednesday. “All the coaches, all the pitching coaches, the strength coaches, the trainers, everybody, they just caught my eye a little bit more than everybody else I talked to.”

3 Chicago Cubs storylines to watch in spring training, including how they will optimize their bench

The Cubs’ success last year created a similar appeal to reliever Hoby Milner. They had attempted to sign the 35-year-old lefty in previous offseasons, finally coming to fruition this time.

“Everyone that’s in this clubhouse wants to help get this team to a World Series, and that’s why we’re all here, and I think it’s nice to join a team that’s proven to be successful — that was one of my goals this offseason,” Milner said. “It’s definitely a privilege to be wanted by a team that’s a contender and expected to win the (National League) Central, so I’m excited.”

Spring training broadcast schedule announced

The Cubs announced Wednesday that 11 of their 32-game spring schedule will air on Marquee Sports Network while 10 will be broadcast on WSCR-AM 670 and FM 104.3.

Only four of those games on the radio are stand-alone broadcasts, leaving 18 Cubs Cactus League games that will not be on Marquee or the Score. Plus, only seven of the Cubs’ 18 home exhibition games are slated for Marquee, with one of those being the spring breakout game featuring prospects. Marquee will air the Cubs’ first two Cactus League games Feb. 20 and 21, then none until March 1.

President of business operations Crane Kenney told the Tribune in January that the Cubs made “a really hard decision” to air fewer spring training games this year.

“But it seemed like it made the most sense to us in terms of, like any budget, where do you want to cut and what do you want to emphasize?” Kenney said last month. “So we’re going to emphasize the pre, the post and the games with the same technology, same talent, to give our fans the very best games. And we made that decision on spring training, we’re going to do fewer.”

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/12/chicago-cubs-daniel-palencia-marquee/ 

These Are The Countries That Earn The Most From Tourism

Tyler Durden
Thu, 02/12/2026 – 06:55

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/these-are-countries-earn-most-tourism