An overnight house fire in Crete, Illinois, destroyed a home and killed three children who were students in the Crete‑Monee school district. Officials say details remain limited as investigators follow up.

Land surveyors found what appeared to be a human skull in a Mokena field; deputies uncovered more bones and the Will County coroner will examine them.

A K–8 Alpha School campus will open in Lakeshore East this fall, compressing core academics into a two‑hour AI block while adults serve as "guides." The posted tuition is $55,000 a year.

Vista Medical Center East pledged roughly $2 million to redeem past-due property taxes after a tax buyer threatened foreclosure. The payment would pause a legal fight that could affect local services and taxing districts.

Mars will invest $100M and add roughly 600 jobs in Chicago, expanding its local operations as the company reorganizes after recent deals. Local officials called it a boost for the food sector.

A freight train robbery in Lawndale stopped a BNSF freight and left Metra riders facing delays as police investigated. Initial reports say trains were halted, then moved with long delays.

North Shore School District 112's finance chief Jeremy Davis will resign June 30 amid fallout from a state‑ordered reversal of a Quest meal contract. The district has posted a new RFP as the process continues.

A Chicago man, Devon Frazier, was sentenced to 190 months in federal prison after fentanyl‑laced pills were tied to a 19‑year‑old's overdose in Cedar Rapids.

Illinois Central School Bus filed a WARN notice saying 55 positions at its Wilmington facility will be eliminated May 29; the filing did not list a reason. Local layoff resources are available for affected workers.

Ann Sather’s Belmont flagship will relocate this summer as redevelopment reshapes the Lakeview block. The restaurant says a June or July move is planned while it seeks a new spot.

Chicago police have opened a hate‑crime probe after “Murder Black Women” was written on the front window of Definition Theatre during the run of a play by Black women. The theater condemned the act and asked witnesses to contact police.

An 18-year-old was shot early Tuesday in South Shore and is in serious condition at the University of Chicago Hospital; Area Two detectives are investigating.

The Cubs are reported to be finalizing a long‑term extension with Pete Crow‑Armstrong after his breakout 2025 season. The deal would keep the young Gold Glove center fielder in Chicago for years.