Good morning, Chicago.

As lawyers on both sides of the “ComEd Four” case gear up for Monday’s closing arguments, the difference between conviction and acquittal depends on the jury determining whether the utility’s efforts to woo then-House Speaker Michael Madigan were legitimate lobbying or illegal bribes.

In the pantheon of Illinois public corruption cases, prosecutors have famously used the federal bribery statute to convict an ever-growing list of governors, aldermen and state legislators caught on the take.

The outcome in this trial, however, is far from certain.

Madigan, who turned 81 last week, did not become the longest-serving speaker in American history by openly and recklessly breaking the law.

His acolytes spent decades swearing — sometimes rather loudly on telephone calls, inside saloons and in Capitol hallways — that the speaker, who also led the state Democratic Party, was extraordinarily careful to stay within ethical and legal boundaries.

Even though Madigan is not on trial, lawyers for the ComEd Four defendants have tried fervently over the past six weeks to cast doubt in the minds of jurors by challenging the bedrock allegation built into the case that Madigan could be bought.

Read the full story from Jason Meisner and Ray Long.

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LGBTQ residents moving to Illinois from states with conservative agendas: ‘I don’t want to be ashamed of where I live’

Mark Niehaus-Rincon, 67, has lived in Omaha, Nebraska, for 12 years but says “life is too short” to stay there. He and his husband, Alex, a native of Omaha, have faced the silent treatment from others at their gym for 10 years. They’ve also dealt with uncomfortable and hostile workplace environments and homophobic slurs.

That treatment, combined with Nebraska’s current legislative agenda — which includes restricting women’s access to reproductive health care and limiting the rights of the LGBTQ community — helped push Niehaus-Rincon and his husband to relocate to Chicago. He said they are done compromising and hiding their true identities.

Brandon Johnson’s win as mayor furthers Democratic leftward tilt as party examines big tent philosophy

Brandon Johnson’s election as Chicago’s next mayor represented a further leftward movement of the state’s Democratic-led politics, fueled by generational and ideological changes that are stretching and sometimes straining the fabric of the party’s big tent.

“In my view, the state of Illinois, led by Gov. (J.B.) Pritzker and this legislative body, has become the vanguard for progressive policy all over this country,” Johnson told lawmakers Wednesday to resounding applause while making his first visit to Springfield as mayor-elect. “You’ve done it.”

• Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson’s campaign promise to help steer youth from crime

• What to know as Brandon Johnson prepares to become Chicago’s next mayor

Unreliable CTA service is a frustration for riders. It’s also costing Chicago.

The CTA’s struggles with service, rider concerns about safety and behaviors like smoking on buses and trains have meant time and money out of the pockets of riders. Employees have been late to work. They have switched jobs to ease commutes, and they’ve had to abandon plans to travel downtown for a day in the office because of transit delays.

It’s a frustration and inconvenience for riders trying to get to jobs, appointments or social outings around “The City That Works.”

Therapy helped Chicago Bulls’ Andre Drummond regain his peace — and purpose: ‘I felt myself crying for help. But I didn’t know how to ask for it.’

When Chicago Bulls center Andre Drummond stepped back from social media and sat out a second game against the Lakers, this time March 29 in Chicago, to focus on his mental health, it came as a surprise to fans, competitors and even his coaches and teammates. For the entirety of his 11-year NBA career, the 6-foot-11, 29-year-old center had projected an image of stoicism on and off the court.

But none of this was new for Drummond.

Review: Chef Jonathon Sawyer strikes back with Kindling in the Willis Tower

If you’re looking for some of the finest pastrami in Chicago, make sure to stop here, writes Nick Kindelsperger.

If he sounds surprised, it’s because, by all typical measures, Kindling really shouldn’t work. First, there’s the location inside the Willis Tower, one of Chicago’s busiest attractions. Not that you can’t have a good restaurant near an area cramped with tourists, but it’s especially hard when it has 17,000 square feet of space spread over two floors. The equally sprawling menu includes both chicken wings, and spaghetti with lobster and a cognac cream sauce.