| Good afternoon, Chicago. When Google opens its new Midwest headquarters at the James R. Thompson Center late next year, brokers and developers say it could kick off a wave of redevelopment that finally cures the Central
Loop’s post-pandemic hangover. Other mammoth rehab projects in the works nearby are expected to help fill vacant offices and revive aging skyscrapers with new apartments and hotel rooms. And once Google is established in its new offices, companies that do business with the tech giant could start checking out potential spaces
in the area. 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 Benjamin Garcia, of Benji Landscaping, carries a stump from a fallen tree lying on West Melrose Street following a severe thunderstorm in Chicago’s Lakeview East neighborhood on June 10, 2026. (Josh Boland/Chicago Tribune) National Weather Service officials issued a tornado watch for several Illinois counties after severe thunderstorms tore through the area yesterday. More top news stories: business Regional Transportation Authority Chairman Kirk Dillard speaks during an RTA board meeting in Chicago’s Loop on June, 1, 2026. (Josh Boland/Chicago Tribune) Regional Transportation Authority board Chair Kirk Dillard made it clear in a letter sent to transit officials this week that any changes to executive leadership at the CTA now need the OK of Illinois’ brand-new transit governing body. More top business stories: sports A dog named
"Osito" wears Mexican colors before the opening match of the World Cup between Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City on June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Alejandro Cegarra) The largest World Cup in tournament history kicks off today with co-host Mexico taking on South Africa in the opening match. More top sports stories: eat. watch. do. Singer Corinne Bailey Rae performs at Athenaeum Center for Thought & Culture Theater on June 10, 2026. (Josh Boland/Chicago Tribune) If you know, you know, and those who know Corinne Bailey
Rae’s music know she is more than just her hit singles. Yes, she performed her timeless classic “Put Your Records On” during her lovely two-hour set at the Athenaeum Center for Thought and Culture, but she is more than that as a musician, and this 20th anniversary show was a testament to the enduring strength of her songwriting and lyricism. More top Eat. Watch. Do. stories: nation & world A firefighter monitors flames caused by the Hughes Fire along Castaic Lake in Castaic, Calif., Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) El Nino, Nature’s chaotic climate agent, has formed in a warmed-up Pacific Ocean and is expected to grow to historic strength, meteorologists announced today. More top stories from around the world: | 
