A 37-year-old Chicago Heights man was charged after deputies say they found a loaded handgun during a Thursday traffic stop; prosecutors approved felony charges.

Andretti Indoor Karting & Games opens in Schaumburg next week with multi-level karting, VR, laser tag and opening-week giveaways for early visitors.

Federal prosecutors in Chicago have opened an antitrust inquiry into major fertilizer makers amid concerns about concentrated markets and rising input costs. The early-stage probe names CF Industries, Mosaic, Nutrien and others.

A federal judge sentenced Hassan Abdellatif to four years and ordered more than $8.8M in restitution after prosecutors say he siphoned WIC benefits across multiple Chicago stores.

An 11-year-old was taken to Lurie Children’s after an alleged sexual assault by classmates near National Teachers Academy; Chicago police and CPS are investigating.

Police say scammers posed as fundraisers on the Near West and South sides, seized phones and drained mobile payment apps. Belmont detectives are investigating.

Permit filings show Au Cheval has targeted a 4,435‑sq‑ft unit with a 575‑sq‑ft patio inside Ashwood 12 South. A local partner is reportedly involved.

Area 3 detectives flagged an aggravated battery with a firearm in the Loop in a short post. Detectives asked witnesses to preserve video and contact the tip line.

Naperville’s Pho Thien is opening a second location in Aurora near Chicago Premium Outlets, with construction underway and an estimated April 10 opening.

Chicago police say a 16-year-old was charged in the armed robbery of a 15-year-old on West Belmont; Area 3 detectives posted scene details and contact numbers.

A pedestrian was struck and later pronounced dead after an SUV hit them on West Foster Avenue in North Park Tuesday evening. Chicago police say the Major Accidents Investigation Unit is investigating.

A federal judge entered a $500,000 judgment resolving Michael Williams’ federal suit after he spent nearly a year jailed on a 2020 murder charge tied to a ShotSpotter alert. The payout sharpens the debate over the system’s reliability and use in Chicago.

A 35-year-old man was shot in a pre-dawn drive-by on the 400 block of North Cicero Avenue in Austin; Area Four detectives are investigating and no arrests have been reported.