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Chicago TribuneSunday, 17 May 2026
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1 mysterious company, 603 abandoned oil wells
Tribune investigation shows Fireball was able to evade responsibility, exposing communities to contaminants and saddling Illinois with millions in cleanup costs
The paper frames this as a classic civic investigation, focusing on corporate negligence and the resulting financial and environmental burden placed on state taxpayers.
A newspaper investigation has revealed that a defunct corporation avoided its legal obligations to clean up hundreds of aging oil wells in Illinois, transferring an estimated $24 million cleanup cost to the state government.
“saddling Illinois with millions in cleanup costs”
“Investigative civic accountability”
‘Our friend in Burr Ridge’
Restaurant owner in Indiana gambling case once featured in Outfit beating plot
Connects a current local gambling case to historical organized crime figures and a past assault plot, highlighting local mob history.
Little light shed on who runs nonprofits
Almost none comply with law meant to expose diversity gaps
Reports on the widespread failure of local non-profit organizations to comply with a new state law requiring disclosure of diversity metrics.
Remembering Sianis and love of baseball
As the City Series between the Cubs and White Sox plays out on the South Side, Sam Sianis and the Curse of the Billy Goat remind Chicago fans why we love baseball and its myths, writes Paul Sullivan.
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