A vintage 17‑story office tower at 70 E. Lake Street has been sold and is set to be converted into apartments, adding to downtown Chicago's wave of office‑to‑residential reuse.

Evanston's council advanced a five‑story, 30‑unit development at 1103–1105 Emerson despite objections from century‑old Ebenezer A.M.E. Church; city conditions were added. Neighbors remain unconvinced.

The Cook County inspector general says a report found Commissioner Samantha Steele offered a job to her primary opponent and recommends ethics retraining. Steele denies the claim.

A developer is pitching a data center on part of a 31.4‑acre South Elgin farm owned by former county board member Mike Kenyon, raising questions about water, noise and tax revenue.

Cushman & Wakefield reports Chicago logged 21.8M SF of industrial leases through mid‑2026, driven by big‑box deals and steady rent growth. Vacancy remained around 4.8%.

Illinois Tech won a UGC Letter of Approval to open a Mumbai campus and will enroll students for fall 2026, becoming the first U.S. university to offer U.S. degrees in India.

A multi-vehicle crash on the Eisenhower Expressway near Ashland injured four people early Thursday; at least one vehicle caught fire and lanes were later reopened.

A federal judge handed former Summit police chief John Kosmowski three years after jurors found he accepted cash tied to a liquor-license transfer and tried to cover it up.

Smoke from out-of-state fires has triggered an Air Quality Alert in Chicago on July 16, 2026. Expect hazy skies and limited outdoor activity today.

Two 15‑year‑old girls were injured when an SUV struck their e‑bike in Libertyville; one was transferred to Lurie Children’s with life‑threatening injuries.

Cook County prosecutors declined to charge a North Riverside officer who shot a knife‑wielding man in January 2025, saying the evidence was insufficient. The family is calling for body‑camera footage and transparency.

An inspector general report says a teen in a CPD program marched in Nazi‑style garb at a high school and resigned. The watchdog recommended discipline and ineligible‑for‑rehire designations.

Videos show riders descending Wrath of Rakshasa after a stall at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee. Park says guests were escorted off and the coaster reopened after a systems check.