Picture Chicago: 27 must-see photos from Sun-Times photographers
![Spectators watch as NASCAR drivers race around the turn at West Roosevelt Road and South Columbus Drive in The Loop 110 NASCAR Xfinity Series race in Grant Park, Saturday, July 6, 2024. | Timothy Hiatt/For the Sun-Times](https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/95e8ce4/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4128x2317+0+218/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fa7%2Ff4%2F0b4fe66549a4aa038212da84b1ee%2Fnascar1-070724-15.jpg)
Spectators watch as NASCAR drivers race in The Loop 110 NASCAR Xfinity Series race in Grant Park, Saturday, July 6, 2024.
Timothy Hiatt/For the Sun-Times
![Pit crews stretch before the NASCAR Cup Series Grant Park 165 on the second day of NASCAR at Grant Park, Sunday, July 7, 2024. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times](https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/0fd33b2/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6096x3421+0+513/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F42%2Fc3%2F323c356244a197f44f76be8c629e%2Fnascar2-070824-81.jpg)
Pit crews stretch before the NASCAR Cup Series Grant Park 165 on the second day of NASCAR at Grant Park, Sunday, July 7, 2024. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times
Pat Nabong/Sun-Times
![NASCAR2-070724-27.jpg](https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/da405ff/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F73%2F06%2Fa9ae0b90470fbb59384de2356d3b%2Fnascar2-070724-27.jpg)
Erik Jones (43) races past turn 1 during the NASCAR Cup Series Grant Park 165 Chicago street race in Grant Park, Sunday, July 7, 2024.
Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times
![BLOCKPARTY-070624-9.jpg](https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/76e88d3/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fef%2F5e%2Fd1f704594dd884a48e86186f15b0%2Fblockparty-070624-9.jpg)
Young boys wearing cardboard race helmets attend the Bubba Wallace block party in Douglass Park, Friday, July 5, 2024.
Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times
![A piping plover chick at Montrose Beach on the North Side, Wednesday, July 10, 2024. Four chicks hatched in the last two weeks, but one was reported missing. | Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times](https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9a571aa/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F32%2Ff9%2Fd91ea5f4407a97f142c6d90826bb%2Fmissingplover-071124-13.jpg)
A piping plover chick at Montrose Beach on the North Side, Wednesday, July 10, 2024. Four chicks hatched in the last two weeks, but one was reported missing.
Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times
![Piping Plover chicks nestle with an adult Piping Plover at Montrose Beach, Wednesday, July 10, 2024. | Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times](https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7eb0da7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F7c%2Ff3%2Fd628a65745c791ffa4805393c9f7%2Fmissingplover-071124-21.jpg)
Chicks nestle with an adult piping plover at Montrose Beach, Wednesday, July 10, 2024. One of the four recent hatchlings is presumed dead.
Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times
![Raquell Bussell (who requested that her face be partially concealed in the photo), mother of Phillip Mitchell, holds her son’s diploma in her home in the Garfield Park neighborhood, Thursday, June 12, 2024. Mitchell, 15, was shot and killed in the 7100 block of South King Drive in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood Wednesday afternoon when two people approached him, according to a police report. Bussell said her son loved to rap and was a member of a Double Dutch club.](https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/3e11dd2/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7008x3933+0+369/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F24%2F92%2Fd301d2cb469e8b1a673eb75fb251%2Fgrandcrossing-071224-3.jpg)
Raquell Bussell (who requested that her face be partially concealed in the photo), mother of Phillip Mitchell, holds her son’s diploma in her home in the Garfield Park neighborhood, Thursday, June 12, 2024. Mitchell, 15, was shot and killed in the 7100 block of South King Drive in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood Wednesday afternoon when two people approached him, according to a police report. Bussell said her son loved to rap and was a member of a Double Dutch club.
Pat Nabong/Sun-Times
![Mayadet Cruz, a friend of Taylor Casey, hugs a friend while operating a bubble machine during a news conference outside City Hall in the Loop on Casey’s 42nd birthday, where friends and family of Casey gathered to call on state, city officials and the FBI to help find Casey, Thursday, July 11, 2024. Casey was reported missing during a yoga retreat in the Bahamas on June 19. “She’s just a beautiful and amazing person who deserves to be found. Her community loves her and we want her back home,” Cruz said. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times](https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e54459c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5380x3019+0+366/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fb8%2Fd2%2Feb38d41849f2a1af6edc966a3a55%2Ftaylorcasey-071224-23.jpg)
Mayadet Cruz, a friend of Taylor Casey, hugs a friend while operating a bubble machine during a news conference outside City Hall in the Loop on Casey’s 42nd birthday, where friends and family of Casey gathered to call on state, city officials and the FBI to help find Casey, Thursday, July 11, 2024. Casey was reported missing during a yoga retreat in the Bahamas on June 19. “She’s just a beautiful and amazing person who deserves to be found. Her community loves her and we want her back home,” Cruz said.
Pat Nabong/Sun-Times
![Alex Bowman (48) toasts with a fan before the NASCAR Cup Series Grant Park 165 on the second day of NASCAR at Grant Park, Sunday, July 7, 2024. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times](https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c4b561e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4004x2247+0+0/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Faf%2Fb5%2Ffa46442045bb858c3a7bdb53410f%2Fnascar2-070824-76.jpg)
Alex Bowman (48) toasts with a fan before the NASCAR Cup Series Grant Park 165 on the second day of NASCAR at Grant Park, Sunday, July 7, 2024. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times
Pat Nabong/Sun-Times
![NASCAR1-070724-33.jpg](https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e5fb647/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F60%2Ffd%2Fa1f458c34138b7bcf259daf13cb0%2Fnascar1-070724-33.jpg)
NASCAR fans cheer on Jesse Love (2) as he leads in the final laps during the NASCAR Xfinity Series The Loop 110 Chicago street race in Grant Park, Saturday, July 6, 2024.
Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times
![NASCAR1-070724-46.jpg](https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/03625c5/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F60%2F4e%2F3431f0514b698a892d49edb14a68%2Fnascar1-070724-46.jpg)
Shane Van Gisbergen (97) is showered in water after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series The Loop 110 Chicago street race in Grant Park, Saturday, July 6, 2024.
Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times
![Motorcyclists perform during the Monster FMX show on the second day of NASCAR at Grant Park, Sunday, July 7, 2024. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times](https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/4a92996/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7008x3933+0+0/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F8c%2F77%2Fabf73ff048fbafb83236e2ad13e8%2Fnascar2-070824-23.jpg)
Motorcyclists perform during the Monster FMX show on the second day of NASCAR at Grant Park, Sunday, July 7, 2024.
Pat Nabong/Sun-Times
![Spectators watch as NASCAR drivers race around the turn at West Roosevelt Road and South Columbus Drive in The Loop 110 NASCAR Xfinity Series race in Grant Park, Saturday, July 6, 2024. | Timothy Hiatt/For the Sun-Times](https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/dbccfee/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4128x2317+0+218/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Ffd%2Fda%2F53378a8940a8b6b4db91a91e5afa%2Fnascar1-070724-07.jpg)
Spectators watch as a NASCAR driver races around the turn at West Roosevelt Road and South Columbus Drive in The Loop 110 NASCAR Xfinity Series race in Grant Park, Saturday, July 6, 2024.
Timothy Hiatt/For the Sun-Times
![Edith Renfrow Smith, who will celebrate her 110th birthday on July 14, bakes a cherry pie at her North Side home, Friday, July 5, 2024. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times](https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f2826ec/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5498x3086+0+291/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F40%2F4a%2F241885c04e1cbad8d435b1982e7f%2Fsteinberg-07xx24-04.jpg)
Edith Renfrow Smith, who will celebrate her 110th birthday on July 14, bakes a cherry pie at her North Side home, Friday, July 5, 2024.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
![Edith Renfrow Smith, who will celebrate her 110th birthday on July 14, bakes a cherry pie at her North Side home, Friday, July 5, 2024. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times](https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/cf17cae/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7420x4164+0+392/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F57%2Fcd%2Fc59577a34a05b8dd71b47afbd7f6%2Fsteinberg-07xx24-12.jpg)
Edith Renfrow Smith, who will celebrate her 110th birthday on July 14, bakes a cherry pie at her North Side home, Friday, July 5, 2024.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
![Eight-time Grammy Award winner and one of Rolling Stone’s “Greatest Guitarists of All Time,” Buddy Guy performs at NASCAR Chicago Street Race Weekend as part of his “Damn Right Farewell” tour on Saturday, July 6, 2024, in the festival field in Grant Park. | Peyton Reich/Sun-Times](https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c6d2742/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2581x1449+0+136/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F2b%2F73%2Ffac6228f4defb4d80ff677e69c80%2Fnascarfest-070724-3.jpg)
Eight-time Grammy Award winner and one of Rolling Stone’s “Greatest Guitarists of All Time,” Buddy Guy performs at NASCAR Chicago Street Race Weekend as part of his “Damn Right Farewell” tour on Saturday, July 6, 2024, in the festival field in Grant Park.
Peyton Reich/Sun-Times
![WEATHER-071024-4.jpg](https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ede55a2/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fee%2F7e%2Fe63eb7694f398921872f91a6c1c3%2Fweather-071024-4.jpg)
A semi navigates a flooded portion of East 130th Street near Stony Island Avenue during a let up in the rain, Tuesday, July 9, 2024.
Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times
![NASCAR2-070724-45.jpg](https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/2cd6906/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x1684+0+158/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fdf%2Fe4%2Fdf9530ac4c8e871e7a5f4871888a%2Fnascar2-070724-45.jpg)
Two NASCAR fans attempt to shield themselves from the rain during the NASCAR Cup Series Grant Park 165.
Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times
![Yowanda Beals hugs a supporter after speaking during a news conference at New Israelite Missionary Baptist Church on the South Side to discuss the search for her husband, Rev. Warren Beard, Monday, July 8, 2024. Beard, 53, was last seen July 2 in Joliet. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times](https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7a9fc86/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7363x4132+0+389/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F83%2F59%2Febc955184d239eeafacdcea9afc9%2Fmissingrev-070924-12.jpg)
Yowanda Beals hugs a supporter after speaking during a news conference at New Israelite Missionary Baptist Church on the South Side to discuss the search for her husband, Rev. Warren Beard, Monday, July 8, 2024. Beard, 53, was last seen July 2 in Joliet.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
![A homeless encampment at 1100 S Desplaines St. can be seen next to the 90/94 expressway in West Loop, Monday, July 8, 2024. | Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times](https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/77e2230/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5088x2856+0+268/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F28%2F07%2Fbbce844b4efdba644d8d84905687%2Fdnchomeless-07xx24-09.jpg)
A homeless encampment at 1100 S. Desplaines St.. can be seen next to the Dan Ryan Expressway in the West Loop, Monday, July 8, 2024. As Chicago rolls out the red carpet for the Democratic National Convention next month, the encampment — one of the city’s largest and most visible — is about to be shut down and fenced off for good.
Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
![Water management employees hand out cases of bottled water to residents in a drive through at Ridge Park in Beverly, Wednesday, July 10, 2024. Residents in the far southwest side the city are under a boil order after concerns of a bacterial contamination in the water. | Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times](https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/bf27a5e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4087x2294+0+216/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fde%2F45%2F25e9a8b7428cb0983599c2b04559%2Fboilorder-071124-23.jpg)
Workers with the city’s Department of Water Management hand out cases of bottled water to residents in a drive-through at Ridge Park in Beverly, Wednesday, July 10, 2024. Thousands of residents were told not to drink tap water in the Southwest Side communities of Auburn Gresham, Beverly and Morgan Park unless they boil it first due to concern about bacterial contamination.
Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
![D’Andre Carter sprays down ribs in the smoker at Soul and Smoke at Windy City Smokeout at the United Center, Thursday, July 11, 2024. | Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times](https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9ca2463/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5088x2856+0+268/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F46%2Fed%2F8434455b4c06ae2964d4eb366423%2Fsmokeout-071224-11.jpg)
D’Andre Carter, of Soul and Smoke, sprays ribs in the smoker at Windy City Smokeout outside the United Center, Thursday, July 11, 2024.
Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
![Peter Gerousis, co-owner of the Oak Park diner Cozy Corner, speaks to a reporter at the restaurant at 138 N. Marion St. on Thursday, July 11, 2024. | Zubaer Khan/Sun-Times](https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8ff525c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4982x2796+0+262/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fce%2F8d%2F4a9ef7b246f9bd0759f9e39a6e3d%2Fdiner-071224-7.jpg)
Peter Gerousis, co-owner of the Oak Park diner Cozy Corner, speaks to a reporter at the restaurant at 138 N. Marion St. on Thursday, July 11, 2024. The restaurant will close after 65 years in business.
Zubaer Khan/Sun-Times
![Crown Fountain in Millennium Park, on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, in downtown Chicago. | Peyton Reich/Sun-Times](https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7bf4c2a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5857x3287+0+309/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Faa%2Fbb%2F19d3e4a24f3a9e291a7a2f1eac5d%2Fcrownfountain-07xx24-13.jpg)
Crown Fountain in Millennium Park, on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, in downtown Chicago.
Peyton Reich/Sun-Times
![Keith Urban performs during the NASCAR Chicago Street Race weekend, on Sunday, July 7, 2024. | Zubaer Khan/Sun-Times](https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/43d72dc/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3279x1840+0+173/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F7f%2F14%2F0b87352247a395e9d4aa2bb07dc6%2Fnascarmusic2-070824-7.jpg)
Keith Urban performs during the NASCAR Chicago Street Race weekend, on Sunday, July 7, 2024.
Zubaer Khan/Sun-Times