Nine judges have left the Chicago immigration bench since January 2025, leaving a shorthanded court to handle a massive caseload as federal detailees step in.

A 1.5% checkout tax on alcohol bought for home consumption takes effect in Chicago on March 1, 2026. Here’s what shoppers and stores need to know.

Kolossal Group won a city permit to build a three‑flat at 5653 South Prairie — its fourth three‑unit project on the block. The filing shows a $500,000 reported construction cost and names Kathryn Shahbaz Obrien as architect of record.

A pedestrian was struck and killed early Sunday on I‑55 southbound near Weber Road in Romeoville; lanes were closed and traffic diverted while troopers investigated.

A man was fatally shot Feb. 28 in the 7900 block of S. Ingleside in Chatham; police say it was a drive-by and no one was in custody.

A 17-year-old was shot in the thigh during an early-morning armed robbery in Austin. Police are investigating and asking the public for tips.

Two men were wounded in a shootout Friday night on South Ashland Avenue in Brainerd; one is in serious condition at Christ Hospital.

Two House bills — including the Kelvin F. Davis Act — were filed after local reporting showed relatives saying loved ones sat unidentified at the Cook County morgue.

Hyde Park Produce was abruptly closed after the Illinois Department of Revenue posted a notice that its registration expired, shrinking local grocery choices. Neighbors had previously raised funds to help the family-run store.

A federal lawsuit alleges an incarcerated woman was induced against her will at Logan Correctional Center, raising questions about consent policies in Illinois prisons.

A power outage at Millennium Station forced Metra Electric and South Shore trains to reroute to Van Buren Street, blocking outbound departures and causing delays. Agencies say the duration is unknown.

A narrow snow band may graze Chicago Saturday, mainly north of I‑90, with slick bridges and gusty north‑northeast winds. A Small Craft Advisory runs on Lake Michigan into Sunday.

Hawthorne Race Course, the 134-year-old Stickney track, filed for Chapter 11 on Feb. 27, 2026, saying it needs to restructure debt and protect jobs while horsemen seek unpaid purses. The filing leaves the spring meet and owners’ payments uncertain.