🌱 New Proposed Tax On Bears Tickets + R. Kelly Transferred Prisons

Good morning, neighbors. It's me, Kaytlyn Mroz, your host of the Chicago Patch newsletter — here to explain all the most important things happening in town.

But first, today's weather:

A couple of showers. High: 45 Low: 37.

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Here are the top three stories in Chicago today:

1. As uncertainty surrounds the Chicago Bears' move to the Arlington Heights Stadium, one proposal for paying back the $631 million dollar debt is a $3 tax on every ticket sold in the stadium. The Bears are attempting to leave Soldier's Field after 20 years and legislators in Chicago believe it is only right to give something back to the city. This has been a back-and-forth discussion since the organization closed on the property back in February but conversations and finalizing information and building have been put on a halt. The mayor of Arlington Heights said the village was not consulted on this and the team has said the purchase does not guarantee development on the site. (NBC Chicago)
2. Francine Matchitelli passed away Sunday in Belmont Heights from a house fire that consumed her at her home on the 3800 block of North Odell Avenue. Matchitelli's caretaker left the home briefly to run an errand and returned to see the house on fire. It has been reported that smoke detectors were present in the home but were not working. The fire reportedly started in the bedroom around 11 a.m.; it is believed the fire may have started from smoking materials and oxygen devices that were present, though investigators are still looking into the details. Members of the Chicago Fire Department gave out smoke detectors as well as safety information on Sunday following the incident. (Yahoo News)
3. On Apr. 19, Grammy Award Winning R&B singer Robert Sylvester Kelly, 'R. Kelly' was transferred from a Chicago correctional center to a medium-security prison in North Carolina. The reasons for the transfer were not disclosed to the public, but the artist will continue to serve his 20-year sentence at the North Carolina prison until told otherwise. R. Kelly rose from poverty in the streets of Chicago to become one of the world's biggest stars at the time in the 90s. In addition to completing his 20-year sentence, he also must serve a separate 30-year sentence for convictions in New York. (Beloit Daily News)

Today in Chicago:

• Career Readiness & Financial Empowerment - Breakthrough Men’s Center (9:00 AM)
• Jane Addams Book Award Celebration - Harold Washington Library Center (10:00 AM)
• Chicago's 23rd Annual Diversity Employment Day Career Fair - Courtyard By Marriott Chicago Downtown/Magnificent Mile (11:00 AM)
• Industry Nights - Tree House (7:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• The highlight of the offseason is finally here: the NFL draft will be taking place this Thursday and your Chicago Bears are excited to welcome in their new rookies. The Bears have 10 picks currently in this year's draft with their first coming in at nine. (Chicago Bears via Instagram)
• Chicago Sky's head coach and general manager James Wade helped out Rockford Park District host their "Coach and the Kids" camp this past Saturday. This is the fourth annual edition of the elite girl's basketball camp and the community is thankful for the coach giving back. (Chicago Sky via Instagram)
• The first-ever Chicago Cubs Girls Fast Pitch Softball Classic is coming to Humboldt Park next month running into June. With support from Cubs Charities, you can register your youth team of girls 11-14 to participate in this amazing showcase and have fun competing against other talents. (Chicago Park District via Facebook)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

• Improovy Painters Chicago — (Visit website)

Featured events:

• Chicago's 23rd Annual Diversity Employment Day Career Fair (April 25)
• Splinter: A Romantic Comedy (April 29)
• Splinter: A Romantic Comedy (April 30)
• Maker’s Market • May 7, 2023 (May 7)

Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Tuesday off right! I'll see you around.

— Kaytlyn Mroz

About me: Kaytlyn Mroz is a copywriter at Lightning Media Partners – a content creation agency. She is a Rowan University graduate where she earned a bachelor's degree in journalism and a master's degree in writing. Outside of work, Kaytlyn is a dog mom to a boglen terrier named Finn and a golden retriever named Willow.