History, humility, hope — and a few hugs — mark swearing in of younger, more diverse City Council: ‘We need a fresh start’
May 15, 2023
Some were nervous, a few stumbling over their oaths of office because it was, as Mayor Brandon Johnson acknowledged, “your day, too.”
Other seasoned alderpersons, well used to the pomp and circumstance of Chicago’s inaugural festivities, said they were content to go through the motions and head back to work.
Meet the mayor: Hundreds line up to shake hands with Johnson, who vows ‘the fifth floor belongs to the people’
May 15, 2023
Some wanted to congratulate him. Others to get a look at him. And still others just to wish him well — whether they voted for him or not.
Off-duty Chicago police officer killed in Avalon Park always wanted to be a cop, father says
May 6, 2023
A Chicago police officer described as “trying to make a change on this Earth” and who wanted to show young people that policing “can make a difference in the community” was shot to death early Saturday near her home in Avalon Park on the city’s South Side.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot urges Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to halt transports of migrants to Chicago
April 30, 2023
In a letter sent to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Sunday, Mayor Lori Lightfoot urged his administration to stop plans to bus migrants to Chicago, calling the move “inhumane” and “dangerous.”
2 teens shot, 15 arrested in Loop melee
April 16, 2023
Two teenagers were shot Saturday night as hundreds of youths streamed through downtown streets, prompting a heavy police response that resulted in more than a dozen arrests.
Scandal-plagued Gardiner wins reelection in 45th Ward, but 30th remains undecided — despite declaration of victory
April 4, 2023
Embattled Ald. James Gardiner cruised to victory in Tuesday’s election in the 45th Ward, while a political newcomer declared victory over the daughter of former U.S. Rep. Luis Gutiérrez in another Northwest Side race in the 30th Ward.
Scandal-prone Ald. Gardiner mum about reelection bid against rival who feels ‘great about going into the runoff’
Mar. 24, 2022
Fighting a whirlwind of scandals, embattled Ald. Jim Gardiner failed to win enough votes to secure his reelection in the Northwest Side’s 45th Ward last month, forcing the freshman incumbent into an April 4 runoff against lawyer Megan Mathias.
Northwestern begins transplant trial for stage 4 lung cancer patients who have run out of traditional treatment options
Mar. 15, 2023
Resigned to hospice care with stage 4 lung cancer, Tannaz Ameli was given a second chance at life last year.
“I begged my doctors in Minnesota to consider a lung transplant but they wouldn’t do it,” said Ameli, 64, a retired nurse from Minneapolis, Minn. “Luckily, my husband refused to give up and pushed for a second opinion.”
Gardiner, Villegas headed to runoff as incumbents (mostly) cruise in Northwest Side wards
Feb. 28, 2023
Facing political headwinds from a string of first-term scandals, freshman incumbent Ald. James Gardiner on Tuesday appeared headed for a second round of voting in the April 4 run-off election for the Northwest Side 45th Ward seat.
Open City Council seats in 2 Northwest Side wards spark call for open minds in addressing crime
Feb. 14, 2023
As it is in the rest of Chicago, crime is a key issue in a pair of Northwest Side wards facing new leadership after a pair of veteran members of the City Council announced they would be retiring.
But candidates angling for fresh starts in the 26th and 30th Wards say they are exploring a wide variety of ways to tackle the problem, everything from a greater police presence to addressing violence prevention in schools to providing more affordable housing.
‘Miraculous.’ A quintet of nurses at Berwyn birthing center expecting babies of their own
Jan. 24, 2023
In a heartwarming announcement, a quintet of nurses at the MacNeal Hospital Birthing Center said they’re expecting babies of their own in the coming months, a serendipitous baby boom the Berwyn hospital staff called “miraculous.”
Two south suburban cops charged with extortion, stealing guns, drugs and cash during traffic stops
Jan. 17, 2023
Two south suburban police officers are facing federal charges for allegedly robbing drivers of cash, drugs and guns during traffic stops, and demanding bribes in exchange for not filing criminal charges or impounding their vehicles.
Remains of Downers Grove woman missing since 2017 found, family says
Jan. 16, 2023
The search for Cheyann Klus, a woman who went missing five years ago in Downers Grove, is over after her family announced on social media Monday morning that police have located her remains.
Talking MLK bobblehead commemorates civil rights icon’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech
Jan. 16, 2022
Nearly 60 years ago, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Now, the speech can be heard once again through a limited edition, collectible art piece — a talking bobblehead.
Cardinal Blase Cupich reminds inmates at Cook County Jail that they are not forgotten
Dec. 25, 2022
Inmates at the Cook County Jail attended a special Mass on Sunday morning led by Cardinal Blase Cupich, who reminded the men there is “goodness in each one of us” and that they are “not forgotten” on Christmas Day.
Suburban businessman gets 57-month sentence in PPE scam
Dec. 19, 2022
Dennis W. Haggerty Jr., who swindled more than $2.5 million from hospitals in Chicago and Iowa, was sentenced to 57 months in prison Monday.
In wake of Benito Juarez High School shooting, a reward offer and calls for stricter gun laws
Dec. 18, 2022
Community activists on Sunday called for stronger gun control laws and to offer a reward in Friday’s shooting outside Benito Juarez High School.
With respiratory illnesses on the rise in Chicago, health care providers warn children’s medications may be hard to find
Dec. 11, 2022
With respiratory illnesses on the rise in Chicago, health care providers are warning that children’s medications may be difficult to find these days as worried parents are facing empty shelves and understocked pharmacies across the city.
Salvation Army donation kettle stolen in Loop
Nov. 26, 2022
The Salvation Army is asking for the public’s help after someone stole one of its red kettles, containing about $400 in donations, in the Loop.
Biden says it’s unlikely that missile that struck Poland was fired from Russia
Nov. 15, 2022
President Joe Biden said Wednesday it was “unlikely” that a missile that killed two in NATO-ally Poland was fired from Russia, but he pledged support for Poland’s investigation into what it had called a “Russian-made” missile.
Injured St. Ignatius hockey player recalls ‘crash, bang’ of semi striking team bus in Indiana. ‘We all stayed together and prayed’
Nov. 14, 2022
Colin McGrath was resting on his friend’s shoulder on the St. Ignatius College Prep hockey team’s bus Saturday evening after a tournament in Indiana.
2 Lower West Side shootings that left 3 dead may be connected, Ald. Sigcho-Lopez says
Nov. 14, 2022
In just 45 minutes on Monday afternoon, a man was found shot to death on the Lower West Side and two others gunned down in separate attacks that the local alderperson said were potentially linked to an escalating gang war.
16 St. Ignatius College Prep students injured after truck crashes into hockey team bus in Indiana: police
Nov.13, 2022
Sixteen students from St. Ignatius College Prep were injured when a tractor-trailer rig crashed into their bus Saturday evening in Indiana.
Down-ballot Democrats deliver drubbing: Mendoza reelected state comptroller, Frerichs treasurer
Nov. 9, 2022
Democrats held onto two key statewide races Tuesday night.
Six candidates are fighting for two offices voters know little about — but probably should
Oct. 31, 2022
Illinois is on a path of financial recovery. Or is it hurtling downward in a fiscal free fall?
5 times last weekend, gunmen approached people near Wrigley Field, forced them into cars and robbed them, police say
Oct.19, 2022
Five times last weekend, armed robbers approached people on the street near Wrigley Field, forced them into waiting cars, stole their wallets and phones and then dropped them off, according to a Chicago police alert.
Pot twist: Cannabis firm says federal judge can’t order it pay nearly $1M in back rent because its business isn’t legal under federal law
Oct. 6, 2022
Sued for nearly $1 million in back rent, a national cannabis chain says a federal judge can’t order it to pay up because its business isn’t even allowed to operate under federal law.
Panel convenes at Malcolm X College to look for ways to restore trust between cops, public
Sept. 29, 2022
The Community Commission on Public Safety and Accountability (CCPSA) gathered Thursday night for its first public meeting to discuss the interim commission’s early steps toward tackling police reform in Chicago.
12 cops face discipline for misconduct after George Floyd protests
Sept. 23, 2022
After a leaked surveillance video reached the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, the agency began investigating 23 cops implicated in a “melee” that erupted during violent demonstrations sparked by the police killing of George Floyd.
Gunman shoots off-duty Chicago police officer in Irving Park, hits 2 pursuing squad cars
Sept. 21, 2022
A gunman in an SUV shot an off-duty Chicago police officer Tuesday afternoon in Irving Park, then led officers on a chase, hitting two squad cars as police fired at him.
Zoning change? Lightfoot taps zoning appeals board chair Knudsen to replace retired Ald. Smith in 43rd Ward
Sept. 19, 2022
Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced Monday that she was choosing Timmy Knudsen, her handpicked chair of the city’s Zoning Board of Appeals, to replace retired Ald. Michele Smith in the 43rd Ward.
Lightfoot urges ‘respectful’ celebrations following chaotic night of Mexican Independence Day revelry
Sept. 17, 2022
Mayor Lori Lightfoot urged residents to celebrate safely and responsibly after a raucous night of Mexican Independence Day revelry snarled traffic and provided an opportunity for ne’er-do-wells to commit two shootings downtown and a carjacking on DuSable Lake Shore Drive.
New survey shows Chicago Police Department has far to go to win trust of young Latino and Black men. ‘Not a source of justice.’
Sept. 2, 2022
A follow-up report by the court-appointed monitor of the Chicago Police Department has found that many Black and Latino men still do not trust officers to treat them with “dignity and respect.”
Migrants sent by Texas governor arrive in Chicago. ‘People told us no one is going to help you.’
Sept. 1, 2022
Bused from Texas, a group of migrants shipped out to sanctuary cities arrived in Chicago Wednesday night as part of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s plan to send undocumented immigrants into Democrat-led cities.
13-year-old girl saved by CPR after being struck by lightning in Garfield Park
Aug. 18, 2022
A 13-year-old girl survived a lightning strike in Garfield Park earlier this month after a relative jumped into action, performing life-saving CPR at the scene.
Organizers hope weekend race of electric go-karts will power careers in math and science among young women
Aug. 5, 2022
After a two-year hiatus, the ComEd EV Rally returns this weekend with a power race among young women from across the Chicago area who will go head-to-head — or bumper-to-bumper — in hand-built electric go-karts.
‘I lost all hope.’ Mother demands justice for 7-year-old son Jeremiah Moore, shot to death as he slept in family van blocks from home
July 20, 2022
Ollie Jean Holiness remembers the “constant gunfire” that seemed to come from everywhere, trapping her and her family in a van less than a minute from their home in East Chicago.
June 28, 2022
Mundelein attorney Kathy Salvi on Tuesday won a crowded race for the Republican party’s nod to take on first-term incumbent U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth.
Kathy Salvi Wins GOP Race for U.S. Senate Nomination to Take On Tammy Duckworth
Indicted and Rebuked, Colorado Secretary of State Candidate Pushes Trump's False Election Fraud Claims
June 28, 2022
DENVER -- Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters continues to outraise her opponents in Colorado’s GOP secretary of state primary despite being indicted on seven felony charges related to election fraud, called on by her own party to suspend her campaign and barred by a judge from overseeing her county’s elections this year.
May 15, 2022
Although published in 1788 for the sole purpose of encouraging the ratification of the Constitution, the Federalist Papers almost immediately took on much larger role in American history.
We the People: Federalist Papers Help Courts Understand the Constitution
Mar. 20, 2022
Maryland lawmakers are set to move forward with a new state infrastructure bill, despite concerns that the upcoming state gas tax holiday would affect the funding.
Maryland Lawmakers to Move Forward With Infrastructure Bill Despite Gas Tax Holiday
State Department Calls for More Public Media Funding in Light of Russia-Ukraine Conflict
Mar. 16, 2022
WASHINGTON — In light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, State Department leaders said Tuesday that disinformation plays a large role in the rise of authoritarian governments and called for more investment to help local and independent media around the world.
Mar. 7, 2022
A convoy of truckers from around the country converged on the Capital Beltway outside Washington on Sunday to protest vaccine and mask mandates, continuing to rally behind the movement even as its demands have been undercut by the rollback of COVID-19 restrictions in many states as virus cases and deaths have fallen.
Truckers Rally on D.C. Beltway Amid Rollback of Mandates
Feb. 24, 2022
Shedrick Pelt remembers the endless waves of flags and red hats on Jan. 6, 2021, as a crowd moved along Pennsylvania Avenue after President Donald Trump urged his supporters to stop Congress from certifying the results of the 2020 election.
The Insurrection Through the Lens of a Black Photojournalist
Feb. 22, 2022
When Altimont Mark Wilks returned to Hagerstown after two decades of incarceration, he realized a lifelong dream of becoming a business owner, opening two convenience stores.
Legislation Aims to Support Small Business Owners with Past Criminal Convictions
With a Rise in Reported Cases, Frederick County Leaders Continue Fight Against Human Trafficking
Feb. 7, 2022
Five years after the launch of Frederick County’s first human trafficking task force, local leaders say the increase of reported human trafficking cases during that period means the task force is “working well.”
Jan. 27, 2022
As the world recognizes International Holocaust Remembrance Day Thursday, Maryland remains among 31 states without laws requiring Holocaust education. But several state lawmakers are revisiting legislation that would impose a curriculum mandate in Maryland schools.
Maryland Lawmakers Revisiting Possible Holocaust Education Mandate
Jan. 15, 2022
Frederick, Montgomery and Washington county residents Thursday evening questioned Rep. David Trone (D-Dist. 6) about how the area’s health care systems are handling the recent spike of COVID-19 cases caused by the omicron variant, the availability of higher-protection masks and of at-home testing kits.
As Virus Rages On, Rep. Trone Takes Up Constituent Questions at COVID Town Hall
Dec. 2, 2021
WASHINGTON — The long-held precedent of upholding abortion rights, as established in Roe v. Wade, appeared more vulnerable following oral arguments on Wednesday over the legality of Mississippi’s near total ban on the procedure.
Justices Appear Supportive of Mississippi Abortion Limits
Nov. 23, 2021
WASHINGTON — Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, is running for reelection — but since the beginning of this year, over 98% of individual contributions to his campaign came from outside his home state.
While Crapo’s 2% in-state individual donation figure is by far the lowest percentage among all the senators running for reelection, he is not the only incumbent to eye other states as prospective fundraising goldmines.
GOP Senators in Reelection Race Source More Out-of-State Funds Than Democrats
Nov. 4, 2021
WASHINGTON — When the pandemic struck and schools closed, women stepped into the full-time role of both breadwinner and caregiver. Unable to juggle it all, many were pushed out of their jobs, and so began the nation’s first female recession.
Pandemic Forces Women to Choose Between Employment or Family, Experts Say
Oct. 27, 2021
WASHINGTON — While many have been impoverished, beaten down and made even more vulnerable following a year-long battle with the pandemic, the business of human trafficking has flourished.
Human Traffickers are Thriving as Pandemic Rages On, Experts Warn
Oct. 20, 2021
Washington — Millions of dollars and untold hours of research later, the race to the red planet is delayed as experts reveal the tech needed to support this mission “does not exist.”
Lawmakers Reaching for Mars, Experts Bring Them Back to Earth
Oct. 14, 2021
WASHINGTON — Retaining quality health care for veterans has become an increasingly pressing issue during the pandemic for the Department of Veterans Affairs, lawmakers and VA officials discussed during a House hearing on Wednesday.
VA and Lawmakers Address Health Care Professional Shortage
Oct. 14, 2021
WASHINGTON — Some oil companies have evaded paying for their inactive offshore infrastructures, and American taxpayers could find themselves in hot water if they wind up with the clean-up costs, some lawmakers and experts agreed on Thursday.
Offshore Oil Companies Dodge Cleanup Costs Leaving Taxpayers to Drown, Experts Warn
Sep. 29, 2021
WASHINGTON — Disaster relief organizations voiced their dissatisfaction with what they described as a shortfall of cooperation from the Federal Emergency Management Agency in mitigating climate-driven natural disasters during a Senate hearing on Wednesday. The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee delved into a potential plan for addressing the effects of natural disasters, which are happening with increasing frequency.
Relief Organizations: FEMA Bureaucracy Hampers Climate-Related Efforts
Nov. 2, 2021
ASHBURN, VIRGINIA — Voters who identified as Democrats and Republicans said they were concerned about wages — an issue that both Terry McAuliffe and Glenn Youngkin have said they would address if elected.
Debbie Johnson, 56, voted for Youngkin after the candidate promised to increase pay for teachers. As Johnson’s daughter is a teacher, she said she feels strongly about the issue.
"I think teachers need to get paid more. I think increasing standards is important in schools," she said.
Danny Lopez, 51, voted for McAuliffe as a result of the Democrats' stance on paid family leave. “[It] is something that I’m kind of most interested in. I want him to win," Lopez said."
Another voter, Alex Fleche, 39, tied the issue of wages back to the pandemic and said, “I want to see the middle class built back up and people being able to have an opportunity to have a living wage.”
Fleche said he is a “Democratic supporter across the board,” and remains optimistic about the outcome of today’s election.