Chicago volunteers say a loose mutual-aid network has shipped more than 150,000 whistles, zines and know-your-rights kits to communities facing ICE enforcement. The effort mixes 3D printing with neighborhood "whistle parties."

A Chesterton High sophomore says he received a racist handwritten note and was suspended after reporting it. His family has filed a federal civil‑rights complaint.

Chicago elementary students celebrated MLK Jr.'s legacy through an oratory contest, with 11-year-old Alanna Atwood winning for her speech on nonviolence.

Chicago celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day with service events, including a DuSable Museum donation drive and a Rainbow PUSH Coalition reception. Meanwhile, various closures occurred, but cultural institutions offered free entry.

Veterans and the Collinsville community are building a community center and hosting a blood donation event on February 9, with support from the local police department. Donors receive a special t-shirt.

Chicago Park District launched a $500,000 citywide participatory budget, giving residents a direct say in park upgrades; ideas are open through March 31.

Dozens marched in the Loop Saturday, lighting candles and calling for an end to Iran’s regime as rights groups and Tehran traded accusations over thousands of deaths. The gatherings were both grieving and political.

Protesters are set to gather near Chicago's ICE facility in response to a fatal ICE shooting and to advocate for democratic values and against ICE practices.

After 151 years in Wicker Park, St. Stanislaus Kostka Academy will close at the end of the 2025–26 school year amid falling enrollment and a projected half‑million‑dollar shortfall.

Arlington Heights officials are pushing for legislation to support the construction of a new Chicago Bears stadium, emphasizing infrastructure improvements and economic benefits without seeking taxpayer funding for the stadium itself.

The Cook County Board approves funding for transportation upgrades, including road, sidewalk, and lighting improvements in Bellwood, Hillside, and Maywood.

Chicago opens its first women's reentry support center, a part of Mayor Johnson’s initiative for community safety and addressing the unique needs of justice-impacted women, including mothers and domestic violence survivors.

A South Korea–founded church has quietly added sites across Chicago suburbs even as ex‑members and court records raise questions about its practices.