Chicago Tribune Opinion Friday, January 9, 2026 | | |
| | | | | Happy Friday, Chicago. Back when I was a blushing, soon-to-be bride, I experienced firsthand the wonder of Jewelers Row, a pocket of the Loop built on diamonds and dreams and (often) sticker shock. Today, the district is at a crossroads, as Parin Moradiya understands better than most. She’s the founder and CEO of Diamond Soirée and writes that this storied block’s survival depends upon choosing to “meet the city where it is, rather than asking it to step back in time.” Meanwhile, less than a week after President Donald Trump captured Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro, columnist Elizabeth Shackelford writes that the United States is better off as a global power than a global bully. Writer John Schmidt says Chicago should put police where they can do the most good, urging politicians not to meddle with Superintendent Larry Snelling as he prepares to implement a plan designed to improve resource allocation. The editorial board weighs in on “The New Pyramid,” an updated take on the 1992 food pyramid that taught us to eat our Wheaties. The old advice has been flipped on its head, and we think that’s a good thing. We also reflect on a needless death in Minneapolis. Don’t forget to check out our reader letters. — Hilary Gowins, editorial board member Submit an op-ed | Submit a letter to the editor | Meet the Tribune Editorial Board | Subscribe to this newsletter | | | | The way the challenge facing Jewelers Row is often framed misses the point. | | | | | The Trump administration has consistently denounced this international order. We are not going to like what replaces it. | | | | | Getting police officers into the right jobs at the places where they can do most to stop crime is essential to bringing Chicago violence down. | | | | | Gone is the grain-heavy emphasis that defined earlier guidance, and in its place is guidance to prioritize “whole, nutrient dense foods.” | | | | | Look at the beginning of the Minneapolis killing footage, not the end. | | | | | What makes winter wandering so fascinating is not necessarily the wildlife you see. Rather it’s the evidence of animals’ presence left behind. | | | |
