Good afternoon, Chicago. ✶
What if we may harness the ability of nature to interrupt down plastics present in waterways?
In right now’s e-newsletter, we’re taking you inside a Northwestern College laboratory the place one professor and her group are exploring this probably groundbreaking improvement.
Plus, we’ve acquired reporting on a uncommon pair of Air Jordans (and the place you may see them in particular person), 5 issues to do that weekend and extra group information you might want to know under. 👇
⏱️: A 7-minute learn
— Matt Moore, e-newsletter reporter (@MattKenMoore)
TODAY’S TOP STORY
At this Northwestern professor’s lab, plastic-eating microbes show promise to gobble up microplastics in nature
Reporting by Brett Chase
Harnessing nature: Ludmilla Aristilde, an affiliate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Northwestern College, leads a group that’s making an attempt to harness nature’s potential to interrupt down plastics in rivers with microbes.
Key query: The 18-person group’s newest discovering has helped science inch nearer to answering a query that’s perplexed them for years: Can the micro organism that cling to plastic bottles in rivers eat up all of that plastic and assist do away with that pollutant? The reply, in response to Aristilde’s group’s not too long ago revealed analysis, is sure.
The analysis: They studied Comamonas testosteroni, a bacterium generally present in wastewater. Within the lab, it chomped on the sorts of plastics utilized in water and pop bottles, breaking them down after which gobbling up the extraordinarily tiny remaining items of microplastics. The research means that sometime, wastewater-treatment operations would possibly have the ability to use these microbes to interrupt down microplastics earlier than water is launched again into the atmosphere.
Backside line: The therapy crops might be key to decreasing the billions of tons of plastic waste that contaminate ecosystems internationally and lead to fish and different aquatic life ingesting tiny particles of air pollution, Aristilde says.
WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?
- Cop faces firing: Chicago Officer Fernando Ruiz, dealing with dismissal for fatally taking pictures an armed man throughout a foot pursuit, can also be underneath hearth for paralyzing one other man in a taking pictures months earlier, the Solar-Occasions has discovered.
- New cops leaving in droves: Considered one of each six Chicago cops employed since 2016 is not on the payroll. About 950 of the greater than 5,750 individuals employed in that interval have left. Their common time with the division? Not even three years. Many moved to suburban police departments.
- Lil Durk arrested: The Chicago rap star was arrested Thursday in Florida and has been charged with homicide for rent, in response to Broward County authorities. Durk allegedly employed hitmen from Chicago to journey to Los Angeles in 2022 to homicide a rival rapper. Earlier than his arrest Thursday, Durk had scheduled three worldwide flights and was arrested close to the airport.
- Sentencing in VA scam: Darren Smith, the proprietor of a Bolingbrook medical provide firm, was sentenced to 5 years in federal jail for overcharging the Chicago Veterans Well being Administration Prosthetics Service whereas paying kickbacks to a Veterans Affairs worker.
- Remembering Dr. Kathryn Anne Altonji: Dr. Altonji, a brand new mom and rising star at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, died Oct. 8 at age 34 of colon most cancers. “She was such a decided particular person and did her greatest to combat this illness that we’re seeing an increasing number of in individuals her age,” her mom mentioned.
- Acero families urge CPS takeover: Households and workers at seven Acero constitution faculties which can be set to shut are demanding their personal administration both maintain the faculties open or let Chicago Public Faculties take over their operations.
- 2.5 stars for ‘Conclave’: Ralph Fiennes and an all-star forged do good work, however the overstuffed plot peppers us with main and melodramatic plot swings, writes Solar-Occasions critic Richard Roeper.
WEEKEND PLANS 🎉
🎭 “Frankenstein”
Friday-Sunday, showtimes differ
📍Studebaker Theater, Fine Arts Building, 410 S. Michigan Ave.
Guide Cinema’s adaptation of the basic Mary Shelley story is crammed with shadow puppetry, cinematic methods, sound results and music.
Admission: $45+
🐶 Dog Halloween Party
Saturday, Sept. 11 a.m.
📍Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Kern Terrace Garden, 220 E. Chicago Ave.
Be part of lots of of pups and their individuals in elaborate costumes for the thirty seventh annual costume occasion and parade. Registration is required.
Admission: $10 steered donation
🤠 Roots and Boots Pumpkin Patch Day
Saturday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
📍It Takes a Village Leadership Academy, 4930 S. Cottage Grove Ave.
This family-friendly celebration of Black cowboy legacy will characteristic dwell music, horseback rides, a mechanical bull, a trackless practice, a petting zoo, line dancing classes, pumpkin adorning and extra.
Admission: Free
👻 Upside Down Halloween Parade
Saturday, 12-2 p.m.
📍Russell Drive in Washington Park
Chicago’s youngsters and their households grow to be the parade, the place they’ll be part of a procession that includes dance groups, acrobats, sports activities mascots and extra.
Admission: Free
🛍️ Ravenswood Makers Market
Saturday, 1-6 p.m.
📍KOVAL Tasting Room, 4241 N. Ravenswood Ave.
Costumes are inspired however not required at this occasion, which incorporates trick-or-treating and a lineup of distributors promoting artwork, dwelling decor, clothes and extra.
Admission: Free
BRIGHT ONE ✨
For costume exhibit, Chicago History Museum pulls a few favorites out of the closet
Reporting by Kyle MacMillan | For the Solar-Occasions
It is smart that the Chicago Historical past Museum’s wide-ranging assortment of all issues Chicago would come with textiles and attire, however many individuals most likely don’t know simply how intensive its holdings on this realm are.
Making that time is a key mission of “Wearing Historical past: A Costume Assortment Retrospective,” which opened Oct. 19 and runs by means of July 27, 2025. It presents a succinct, tantalizing glimpse of the museum’s 50,000 or so costumes, textiles and equipment relationship from the 18th century to the current — one of many nation’s largest and most revered such holdings.
“It’s a style of the whole lot,” mentioned Jessica Pushor, assortment supervisor of costumes and textiles, “as a result of I need individuals to wish to study extra and know extra and have enjoyable with historical past and revel in taking a look at historical past by means of trend.”
On view are greater than 70 highlights, together with some surprises, like a pair of purple, white and black Air Jordans from 1985 — iconic, groundbreaking sneakers related to one in all Chicago’s most well-known athletes: basketball nice Michael Jordan. The museum bought them in 1987 for $34.99, nabbing them on sale as a result of they had been 2 years previous at that time.
“They’re the primary Air Jordans that ever got here out,” Pushor mentioned. “They’re now price most likely greater than I make a 12 months.”
YOUR DAILY QUESTION ☕️
How do you are feeling a few potential plan to merge the Chicago space’s 4 transit businesses?
Email us (please embody your first and final title). To see the solutions to this query, test our Morning Version e-newsletter. Not subscribed to Morning Version? Sign up here so that you received’t miss a factor!
ONE MORE THING🤔
Did you or your neighbors beautify for Halloween this 12 months? Reply right here with a photograph of your favourite spooky setup. Make sure to inform us your neighborhood or dwelling suburb within the Chicago space.
We simply would possibly use your pictures for an upcoming story. 🎃
Thanks for studying the Solar-Occasions Afternoon Version.
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Written by: Matt Moore
Editor: Esther Bergdahl
Copy editor: Angie Myers
