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Good afternoon, Chicago. Pope Leo XIV made his most important U.S. appointment to date today, naming a fellow south suburbanite as the next archbishop of New York to lead one of the biggest U.S. archdioceses as it navigates relations with the Trump administration and its immigration crackdown. Ronald Hicks, the bishop of Joliet,
will replace the retiring Cardinal Timothy Dolan, a prominent conservative figure in the U.S. Catholic hierarchy. During a news conference in New York this morning, Hicks noted he grew up in South Holland, which is right next to Dolton in the south suburbs. “South Holland and Dolton might not mean anything to you, but Dolton is
where our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, grew up and is from, and our houses are literally 14 blocks away from each other,” Hicks said. Here’s what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit chicagotribune.com/latest-headlines and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices. Subscribe to more newsletters | Asking Eric | Horoscopes | Puzzles & Games | Today in History news Neal Nuber of South Beloit watches the chemical fire at Chemtool Incorporated factory
in Rockton, Illinois, from the J. Norman Jensen Forest Preserve in South Beloit, Illinois on June 14, 2021. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune) In the past 15 years, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency has faced major budget cuts and a 21% decline in staffing, according to a recent report from the Environmental Integrity Project. More top news stories: business “Trans,” “Pride,” and “Love” are spelled out on the ground during a family field day
hosted by advocacy group Trans Up Front at Madison Meadows Park on Oct. 12, 2025, in Lombard. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune) In a move that could further reduce gender-affirming care for minors in Illinois, the federal government is proposing rules that would strip Medicare and Medicaid funding from hospitals that provide such services. More top business stories: sports Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis warms up for a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at the United Center in Chicago on Dec. 17, 2025. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune) It started out with a bang when the Chicago Bulls won their first five games for the first time since 1996-97. But the season has since turned into a bust, and now the question of who will still be around after February’s trade deadline is being debated ad nauseam. More top sports stories: eat. watch. do. Chicagoan of the Year in Dance is Erin Kilmurray, a choreographer and dancer and the creative force behind the popular “Fly Honey Show,” on Dec. 8, 2025. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune) For the first time in 15 years, Erin Kilmurray’s schedule doesn’t include “The Fly Honey Show.” The boundary-breaking, genre-defying, queer-affirming and femme-forward burlesque show won’t return in 2026. More top Eat. Watch. Do. stories: nation & world President Donald Trump speaks during an address to the nation from the Diplomatic Reception Room at the White House, Dec. 17, 2025, in Washington. (Doug Mills/The New York Times via AP, Pool) President Donald Trump gave an 18-minute speech intended to defend his accomplishments in the first year, and argue that the “Golden Age” he promised in his presidential campaign last year was building steam. More top stories from around the world: |