What F’nHappened This Week October 16, 2026? Sox heartbreak, Bears whiplash, Chicago politics and a busy paper trail
What F’nHappened This Week? Sox heartbreak, Bears whiplash, Chicago politics and a busy paper trail
Week of October 16, 2026
Chicago got one of those weeks where the sports page and the legal page both came with plot twists. The White Sox took a 2–0 lead in the ALDS and still watched Cleveland take the series. The Bears went to Lambeau and got run over, then lost Montez Sweat for two games. The governor’s race put the Bears stadium and data centers on the debate stage, while Chicago’s courts and City Council dealt with immigration enforcement, a major police misconduct settlement and a frightening alleged attack plot in the suburbs.
Nationally, the week served up a Jan. 6 rioter asking for a refund, an FBI campaign-style video drawing Hatch Act complaints, a $100,000 request described by its recipient as “quid pro quo,” a Pentagon tally that makes the Iran war’s equipment bill harder to ignore, and a federal cannabis-rescheduling proceeding still on hold. Mike’s links also brought a cocaine-smuggling submarine forecast and a David Byrne song built from Elon Musk’s own words. It was a lot.
Chicago sports: the Sox comeback ended in Cleveland, and the Bears need a response
The White Sox’s surprising postseason run ended Saturday night. Cleveland beat Chicago 2–0 in Game 5 to complete a comeback from an 0–2 deficit, becoming the fourth team to win a best-of-five postseason series after losing the first two games at home and the 11th to rally from an 0–2 hole in a best-of-five postseason series. José Ramírez supplied the game’s only runs with a two-run homer, and Gavin Williams struck out 12 while the Guardians’ staff set a postseason record with 21 strikeouts in a nine-inning game. After three straight 100-loss seasons from 2023 through 2025, the Sox gave Chicago a real October ride—even if the last stop came one round before the ALCS. Reuters game report · MLB recap
The run also brought fans back to the television. Axios reported that White Sox viewership rose 168% over last season, with average game viewership reaching 84,800—the team’s highest average since 2022. A winning team can still move the needle in a city that has been asked to stay patient for a while. Axios Chicago
The Bears had a very different kind of Sunday. Green Bay beat Chicago 31–7 at Lambeau, turning a close game into a blowout with two early touchdowns and a string of turnovers. Caleb Williams missed the game with a hamstring injury, and backup Tyson Bagent struggled as the Packers took control. Williams confirmed this week that the injury is a tear; he returned to full practice Thursday and could be back for Sunday’s game against Atlanta. That is encouraging, though “could play” is not the same as “is definitely back.” Bears recap· Reuters on Williams
The Bears will also be without defensive end Montez Sweat for two games. The NFL suspended him without pay for violating its performance-enhancing substances policy; he is set to miss the Atlanta and New England games and is eligible to return in Week 8. The league did not identify the substance. Reuters
The Chicago Marathon made the whole city part of the course
On Sunday, October 11, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon turned the city into one enormous, 26.2-mile neighborhood party. More than 55,000 runners took on the course, with spectators lining the streets in costumes, cheering, handing out encouragement and creating the kind of atmosphere that makes Chicago’s marathon feel like a citywide event, not just a race. We were on Taylor Street across from Little Joe’s, ready to cheer runners through Little Italy. The crowd’s energy, the signs, the costumes and the small acts of support along the route are part of the story as much as the elite finishers.
Ethiopia’s Hawi Feysa defended her women’s title in 2:13:33, holding off Sharon Lokedi in the final stretch. Kenya’s Amos Kipruto won the men’s race in 2:01:09. In the wheelchair divisions, Switzerland’s Catherine Debrunner clocked 1:33:16, an unofficial women’s world-record time, and Marcel Hug won his seventh Chicago title in a course-record 1:21:34. Chicago’s fast course delivered world-class racing; Chicago’s spectators supplied the soundtrack. Reuters race report · NBC Chicago on Debrunner’s unofficial record · Official Chicago Marathon results page
Illinois politics: Pritzker, Bailey and the stadium question
Gov. JB Pritzker and Republican challenger Darren Bailey faced off Tuesday in a debate that ranged from taxes and education to President Trump, data centers and the future of the Chicago Bears. The stadium question quickly turned into a competition over who can keep the team in Illinois. Pritzker has revived the possibility of a Chicago site while supporting a state incentive framework; Bailey said Indiana has already made its move toward Hammond. The Bears have not announced a final location, and taxpayer protections remain central to the debate. WTTW debate recap · Axios on stadium talks
On Thursday, Pritzker also cast doubt on whether his housing package can pass during the short fall session but said data-center and Bears stadium bills remain alive. Those are consequential questions for Illinois: how to attract investment and jobs, how much public support to offer, and who pays for the infrastructure and energy demand that comes with large data centers. Chicago Tribune report
Chicago law and public safety: settlement, immigration litigation and an alleged plot
The City Council approved a $260.8 million settlement involving 16 lawsuits from 17 people who say former Chicago Police detective Reynaldo Guevara framed them for murder. The plaintiffs’ lawyers describe the $260.8 million agreement as the largest single police-misconduct settlement in U.S. history. It resolves 16 lawsuits brought by 17 men who spent a combined 383 years in prison before their convictions were vacated. It does not erase the decades of harm alleged by the plaintiffs, but it closes a significant set of claims at a substantial cost to taxpayers. Plaintiffs’ lawyers describe it as the largest police-misconduct settlement in U.S. history · WTTW on total Guevara-related city costs · Axios Chicago
A federal judge also warned the Trump administration that Homeland Security personnel who worked on Operation Midway Blitz could be ordered to turn over personal phones if the related litigation advances. The warning followed a dispute over whether agents had preserved relevant records. It is a procedural development in ongoing litigation, not a ruling on the underlying claims. Separately, Marimar Martinez, who was shot by a Border Patrol agent during the 2025 operation, filed a lawsuit alleging the agent fired from behind her vehicle. Those allegations will be tested in court. Chicago Sun-Times on the phone dispute · AP on Martinez’s lawsuit
Suburban police say they arrested a 19-year-old man accused of planning a mass shooting at a Hindu temple in Aurora. Investigators say he may have visited the temple’s parking lot on October 11 and had written a document outlining a plan to kill people, including racial and religious targets. Authorities say a co-worker’s tip helped lead to the arrest. The case remains an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. Associated Press · Reuters
Federal cannabis policy: the DEA rescheduling case remains stayed
A new order from Chief Administrative Law Judge Derek Julius keeps the federal marijuana-rescheduling proceeding on hold. On October 14, Julius directed the DEA to respond by October 21 to opponents’ request for limited discovery and additional testimony related to a recent Government Accountability Office report. He also reserved a ruling on whether the GAO report should be admitted to the record until he receives further responses. The order does not decide the report’s admissibility or reopen testimony; the next immediate deadline is the DEA’s response. Marijuana Moment, including the order
Washington: a Jan. 6 “refund,” an FBI video and a $100,000 request
A woman convicted for taking part in the January 6 attack on the Capitol told The Daily Show she wanted a “refund” for her prison time and said she would participate again. The remark is a headline-grabber because it strips away the usual language of regret: she was sentenced to 30 months and still described the consequences as something she should get back. The interview is also a reminder that some participants continue to defend the attack rather than acknowledge what it was. The Independent
The FBI drew criticism after posting a video that attacked Democrats including Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed as part of a “defund the police” crowd. Ethics experts said the video could violate the Hatch Act because it used an official government account to criticize a named candidate close to an election. The FBI later deleted the post, and the watchdog group CREW filed a complaint. That is a complaint and expert assessment; it is not a final ruling that the law was violated. The Hill via AOL
Businessman Eric Deters told CBS News that Kimberly Guilfoyle’s alleged request for $100,000 to pay an American Express bill was “quid pro quo,” saying he understood it as a request for money in exchange for help ahead of her ambassador confirmation. Deters said he did not send the money. CBS reported that the texts were authenticated by people familiar with the matter; Guilfoyle’s conduct has drawn scrutiny, but the account remains an allegation and no payment was made, according to Deters. CBS News
Another FBI story from Mike’s list is about the bureau’s Ten Most Wanted list. Current and former officials questioned whether recent quick captures reflect better policing or a change in when fugitives are added to the list. The FBI says its selection process has not changed and credits larger rewards and international cooperation. The reporting raises a fair question about how the bureau measures success; it does not prove the list was manipulated. The Daily Beast
The administration also reversed course on a plan to livestream the execution of former Army psychiatrist Nidal Hasan. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had proposed broadcasting the firing-squad execution, but President Trump said the public livestream would not happen after bipartisan criticism. The execution remains scheduled for December 3; immediate family members of the victims may attend in person. So the spectacle was called off, but the execution itself was not. Associated Press
The Iran war’s equipment bill and a solar reversal in Texas
A Congressional Research Service report counted 81 U.S. aircraft fixed-wing planes, helicopters and drones lost or damaged during operations against Iran since February. That figure includes aircraft that may have returned to service, so “81 lost” is not an accurate shorthand. The Congressional Budget Office has estimated equipment replacement costs of roughly $1.9 billion to $3.3 billion, depending on what the Pentagon replaces. The report gives Congress a detailed inventory and raises questions about readiness, repair capacity and the strain on equipment stocks. U.S. Naval Institute report and CRS document
The political irony of the week: Trump, who has called solar a “scam of the century,” sent an administration representative to celebrate a new solar manufacturing facility in Texas. One factory appearance does not mean federal policy has fully turned around, but it shows how manufacturing jobs can complicate the usual partisan script around energy. CleanTechnica
Oil and security: Russian diesel, South Korea and the Strait of Hormuz
Trump announced that Russia would release diesel into U.S. and global markets, presenting the arrangement as a way to ease fuel prices. The product matters: this is a diesel deal, not a general agreement to buy Russian crude. Moscow says exports have restarted for global markets, and shipping data showed cargoes moving again. That does not establish that a shipment has reached the United States; the timing and scale of any direct U.S. deliveries remain unclear. The arrangement has also drawn criticism that lifting restrictions could send revenue to the Kremlin while Russia continues its war against Ukraine. Associated Press on the announcement and U.S. license · Reuters on exports resuming
South Korea is weighing whether to extend the operating area of its Cheonghae anti-piracy naval unit toward the Gulf of Oman, which connects to the Strait of Hormuz. The discussion comes amid U.S. pressure for support during the Iran conflict and concerns about protecting Korean-flagged ships, fuel shipments and citizens in the region. Seoul has not made a final decision, and President Lee has said South Korean forces should not be deployed in a way that draws the country into the war. For now, this is a review of a possible shipping-protection mission—not an agreement to join U.S. combat operations. Reuters · Korea Times
International: NAZA and the politics of a counter-documentary
Israeli embassies in the United States and United Kingdom promoted an online film called NAZA: The Real Story, which adopts visual elements of NAZA, the Venice award-winning documentary about Israeli military systems and the war in Gaza. Israel’s Foreign Ministry said it did not produce the new film, while the embassy said it was amplifying the creators’ arguments. The original film’s executive producer, Jonathan Glazer, called the government’s response more “venal” than he expected. The dispute is a striking case of narrative competition: a documentary makes allegations, officials contest them, and a rival production borrows the original’s format to answer it. F’nAround’s take: if the goal is credibility, addressing the underlying claims is a stronger strategy than making a lookalike film to fight over search results. The Guardian on the promoted film · Glazer’s response
A report about cocaine-smuggling submarines sounds like a plot device, but the forecast needs context. A Colombian naval intelligence report warns that future drone submarines could be rigged with explosives and detonated if authorities try to intercept them; it projects this kind of capability as a possibility as far out as 2035. That is a warning about a potential future threat, not evidence that police are currently facing operational, explosive narco-subs. Still, it shows how trafficking technology and law-enforcement risks keep evolving. AOL summary of the report
One for the group chat: David Byrne turns Musk’s words into a song
Talking Heads frontman David Byrne wrote a song for Alex Gibney’s documentary about Elon Musk, using Musk’s own public words as lyrics. It is a clever concept: no invented insult needed when the subject has supplied a searchable archive of quotes. And yes, it is easier to laugh at a rock legend’s Musk song than to explain why another week’s political debate was dominated by bathroom panic while the larger issues kept piling up. The Daily Beast
Taylor Street openings and a press invitation from across the Pacific
The new neighborhood-watch list has two Taylor Street openings we have already been following. Han Ramyun, the instant-ramyun café we wrote about at 1137 West Taylor Street, has finally reached its soft opening. It is satisfying to see a story we first covered months ago move from an empty storefront and plans to an actual place serving customers. And ALDILÀ, the coffee shop coming to 1040 West Taylor Street across from Little Joe’s, is still one to watch. We spotted the coming-soon signs while standing nearby for the marathon, which made the location and timing feel especially perfect. Our ALDILÀ preview
F’nAround also received a press invitation to a major South Korean expo focused on beauty and user generated content products. That is an exciting international invitation and the timing was the catch: it arrived on the day of the event. South Korea is a long trip to make without meaningful notice, so we had to pass this year. We would love to plan for next year with enough lead time to do the event justice. It is a good problem to have, and a reminder that press access can come from well beyond the local circuit.
One shop closing hits closer to home: Lora Zombie Studio is finally set to close up shop. Lora Zombie has been a favorite for us, and we have a lot of her work in our collection. It feels like the end of a chapter for an artist whose pieces have been part of our lives for years. We are glad we got to collect and live with the work and we will be watching for what she does next.
F’nAround on screen: one bomb, one magic trick we saw coming, and Lanterns
Our watch list delivered three very different reactions. We watched Unabomber and, well, it bombed. The premise had potential, but the finished experience did not land for us.
Then there was Now You See Me 3. The franchise usually knows how to make the audience question what it has seen. This time, the story was so predictable that it broke the series’ usual rhythm: the fun of a magic trick is getting fooled, and we could see this one coming.
Our Lanterns review is up too. We found a darker take on the DC universe, with a strong new perspective on John Stewart, but felt the series gave him so much character-building space that Hal Jordan’s legacy came out diminished. The show’s take on Sinestro had a tough comparison to live up to, while Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner was a welcome fit for the larger DC story. And the burned-face effects prompted an unexpected comparison with Michael Jai White’s Spawn makeup. More F’nAround stories
F’nAround this week: recognition without the handout
Moka & Co. featured F’nAround on its homepage. That kind of recognition matters because we are building the work by showing up, making the content and earning attention not asking businesses to give us free things. And after years of being told that independent media did not count unless legacy outlets recognized it, seeing NBC identify F’nAround as a source on air felt like another meaningful milestone. The credit does not define us, but it is satisfying to see the work acknowledged.
We also turned a familiar retail pattern into a new case study: food fads from frozen yogurt and doughnut crazes to sushi burritos and today’s cookie boom can grow quickly, saturate a market and cool as customers move on. The question is not whether a trend can sell; it is what happens when every block has a version of it and novelty stops doing the work.
Oversight: ARDC filings and civil-rights reviews remain open
F’nAround reports that none of its filings with the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission have been rejected or closed. The questions include how ARDC will assess allegations of quid pro quo involving lawyers and what it will do with a recording in our possession. Those are allegations and evidence for the Commission to assess not findings of professional or criminal misconduct.
ARDC’s published process says it opens a file and assigns a number when a complaint arrives; a Commission lawyer then reviews whether there is a basis to investigate, and ARDC generally notifies the complainant of that decision in writing within two weeks. As of this edition, we have received no rejection or closure notice. We therefore describe the matters as still open in ARDC’s intake and review process; ARDC has not confirmed to us that a formal investigation has begun but based on their protocols unless they are violating their rules there is one. ARDC’s complaint process
Separately, the Illinois Attorney General’s Civil Rights Bureau has told F’nAround that it opened civil rights investigations tied to complaints naming IDFPR, IDOA, CPD and ARDC, and has not denied those complaints. An investigation means the allegations are being reviewed. It does not establish that a law or rule was violated.
The wider question is how many licensing, reporting and professional responsibility rules may have been ignored or left unenforced over the past three years while agencies were asked to examine allegations of conduct that, if substantiated, could amount to serious federal crimes. F’nAround’s concern is that the systems meant to enforce those rules failed to protect witnesses and the public. That is our reporting thesis; it is not an official finding that an agency or individual committed or concealed a crime.
The records trail: timeline entries 452–458
The Illinois records story kept moving this week. Here is what the new timeline entries say, with the procedural status kept separate from the allegations behind the requests:
October 9, 4:11 p.m. Entry 452: A Public Access Counselor filing challenged IDFPR’s denial of records requests seeking to identify who made or handled post-verdict good-standing and licensing decisions. The filing argues that the agency’s exemptions should not shield the decision chain and describes the underlying wire records and sworn testimony. The filing’s allegations are not findings by the PAC or a court.
October 13, 11:20 a.m. Entry 453: The PAC responded to the request concerning IDOA’s lack of response to the September 4 FOIA request about whether the agency referred ownership and transfer issues to the Attorney General after the verdict.
October 13, 11:29 a.m. Entry 454: A response was filed telling the PAC that IDOA had replied after its deadline.
October 14, 3:01 p.m. Entry 455: IDOA issued a full exemption denial after the PAC filing. The timeline notes that a state-affiliated IP address checked FOIA logs that day; that sequence is recorded as an observation, not proof of who viewed the filing or why.
October 14, 3:16 p.m. Entry 456: A new PAC filing challenged IDOA’s use of the “unduly burdensome” exemption in a late response.
October 14, 4:52 p.m. Entry 457: The PAC said IDOA had responded and closed that matter without finding a violation for the late reply.
October 15, 1:05 p.m. Entry 458: The Attorney General’s Office sent another extension on the narrowed request for files 181–220 from the larger record request that has been pending since February.
The practical takeaway is that the requests are producing procedural responses, denials, extensions and PAC decisions. The PAC closed the IDOA matter without a violation despite the late response. IDFPR’s decision chain remains disputed, and the new PAC filing asks for review. None of these filings, delays or exemptions by themselves prove that an agency committed or covered up a crime. The next factual step is what the agencies disclose, what the PAC determines, and what the underlying records show.
That’s what F’nHappened this week
The Sox reminded us that a 2–0 lead is not a guarantee. The Bears reminded us that Green Bay remains Green Bay. Chicago’s legal and political stories brought real consequences, from a huge police settlement to an ongoing fight over the conduct and records of federal immigration agents. The ARDC filings and civil-rights reviews add another unresolved question: what the oversight agencies will do with the records and allegations now before them. Nationally, we got an FBI ethics complaint, a lot of questions about government messaging, and the latest reminder that wartime costs include more than the first headline number.
More headlines from the week
A few more stories rounded out the week. The Savannah Bananas announced they’ll bring Banana Ball to Soldier Field on July 10 and 11, 2027. In Aurora, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi said he and his family were inside the Hindu temple when the alleged mass-shooting plot was attempted; community leaders are calling for the case to be investigated as a hate crime.
The White House asked Kimberly Guilfoyle to resign as ambassador to Greece after reports about texts seeking a donor’s help with a $100,000 American Express bill. A federal judge also found that Elon Musk, Kristi Noem and other Trump administration officials took part in a coordinated effort to spread false claims about former FEMA CFO Mary Comans. Musk and America PAC agreed to settle two proposed class actions over the 2024 election lottery; that settles the cases without establishing that the allegations were true.
Internationally, Ukraine resumed strikes on Russian oil refineries after the proposed energy truce collapsed, while the dispute over reported limits on Ukraine’s Starshield access raised questions in Congress about U.S. support. Somaliland’s offer of mineral access as it seeks U.S. recognition also drew attention, though Trump’s comments did not amount to recognition. Separately, a report on U.S.–Ecuador anti-drug operations at sea raised questions about evidence and the destruction of seized vessels.
The lighter headlines: Luna, a dog missing for more than a month in Yellowstone, was found alive; Wingstop and Sour Patch Kids announced a candy-topped chicken-wing flavor for Halloween; and a reported Trump Mobile data leak put thousands of customers’ personal details in the spotlight.
And for the week’s most absurd visual: somewhere in the future, a remotely operated cocaine submarine may blow itself up rather than get boarded. Until then, maybe let’s stick to the ordinary news cycle where every headline already sounds like somebody pitched it after one too many meetings.
F’nAround Media reports on public records, court filings, public statements and allegations supplied by the authors. Claims in pending matters remain allegations unless identified as findings in an official record. A FOIA denial, PAC filing, extension or investigation does not establish criminal liability, motive or misconduct but in Illinois the gravity tells the story.