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Afternoon Briefing

Monday, February 23, 2026

Good afternoon, Chicago.

A Chicago police officer was about an hour and a half into a deposition Friday morning over one of dozens of misconduct allegations against him as a member of an embattled North Side tactical team when the officer’s attorney requested a break.

The officer, Richard Rodriquez Jr., left the room and did not come back. A few moments later, per a motion filed Saturday, Rodriquez’s attorney told the other lawyers that the deposition would need to continue another time, because a CPD sergeant had taken the officer to CPD headquarters so that Rodriquez could be relieved of his police powers.

“This was — to put it mildly — an unusual development,” the motion states.

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.

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news
Lio Cundriff, 30, of Lincoln Square stands on the pier at Belmont Harbor in Chicago on Feb. 22, 2026. Cundriff saved a drowning baby a few days before, after the stroller was blown off the pier and into the water. (Josh Boland/Chicago Tribune)
Lio Cundriff, 30, of Lincoln Square stands on the pier at Belmont Harbor in Chicago on Feb. 22, 2026. Cundriff saved a drowning baby a few days before, after the stroller was blown off the pier and into the water. (Josh Boland/Chicago Tribune)

A Lincoln Square man saved a baby from Lake Michigan. He may joke about it on stage.

Lio Cundiff sat on a bench at Belmont Harbor Wednesday afternoon, calling his aunt to wish her a happy belated birthday. He had time to kill before his shift as a server and barista at Oak and Honey, and decided to spend the unusually warm and windy day outside in Lincoln Park. That’s when he heard the screams.

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business
AbbVie plans to construct two new pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturing facilities on its campus in North Chicago, investing $380 million and creating 300 new full-time jobs. (AbbVie)
AbbVie plans to construct two new pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturing facilities on its campus in North Chicago, investing $380 million and creating 300 new full-time jobs. (AbbVie)

AbbVie plans to spend $380 million building two new manufacturing facilities in North Chicago

Biopharmaceutical company AbbVie plans to spend $380 million building two new manufacturing facilities in North Chicago – a rare example of a project that’s in line with initiatives by the administrations of Gov. JB Pritzker and President Donald Trump.

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sports
Notre Dame quarterback Sam Hartman (10) passes the ball while pressured by Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods (11) during an NCAA college football game, Nov. 4, 2023, in Clemson, S.C. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)
Notre Dame quarterback Sam Hartman (10) passes the ball while pressured by Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods (11) during an NCAA college football game, Nov. 4, 2023, in Clemson, S.C. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)

NFL combine: Looking at the Chicago Bears’ positions of need — and the prospects who could fill them

The Bears scouting staff travels to Indianapolis for the NFL scouting combine like every team, every year, but this week represents a journey into unfamiliar territory.

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eat. watch. do.
A woman drinks a beer in a packed taproom at Alarmist Brewing, in Chicago’s Sauganash neighborhood on Jan. 31, 2026. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
A woman drinks a beer in a packed taproom at Alarmist Brewing, in Chicago’s Sauganash neighborhood on Jan. 31, 2026. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

Breweries in Chicago adapt to changing drinking and health habits or face closures

In Illinois and across the country, breweries have been struggling as consumers seek healthier drinking habits or have a wider range of options, such as THC-infused drinks, as business costs continue to rise. Many have closed their doors, while others have redefined its meaning as a social space that offers beverage variety and events.

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nation & world
A soldier stands guard by a charred vehicle that was set on fire in Cointzio, Mexico, Feb. 22, 2026, amid reports the Mexican Army killed Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera, known as “El Mencho.” (AP Photo/Armando Solis)
A soldier stands guard by a charred vehicle that was set on fire in Cointzio, Mexico, Feb. 22, 2026, amid reports the Mexican Army killed Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera, known as “El Mencho.” (AP Photo/Armando Solis)

What to know about the killing of the powerful cartel leader ‘El Mencho’ in Mexico

The Mexican army killed the country’s most powerful cartel leader and one of the United States’ most wanted fugitives yesterday, notching a major victory while cartel members responded with a wave violence across the country.

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