A wake‑low event produced 60–70 mph gusts across the Chicago area, downing trees and leaving pockets of ComEd customers without power while crews raced to restore service.

Optima converted construction debt into a $60M Freddie Mac refinance for its 100‑unit Optima Verdana in Wilmette, clearing the way for an adjacent 128‑unit phase. The move reflects strong suburban demand for stabilized luxury rentals.

CPS is now projected to finish the fiscal year with a roughly $45 million shortfall as the district contends with dwindling federal relief, short‑term borrowing and rising costs. The numbers emerged in board financial reports and the district’s audited statements.

Green Street's latest mall grades, covered by Crain's on April 29, flag six Chicago-area malls as at risk of a 'death loop.' Investors, cities and shoppers are watching whether reinvention can arrive in time.

Mayor Eddie Melton told residents Tuesday that nearly $3 billion and 2,000 jobs are part of a plan centered on a FedEx facility, a convention center and new hotels.

Seedo’s Levantine Bakery moved from a Sterling Food Hall stall into a Loop storefront, turning Palestinian pastries like pistachio croissants and basbousa into downtown favorites.

McKinsey is relocating its Chicago office to Salesforce Tower at Wolf Point, joining other firms that have taken prime space in the new riverfront tower.

Rush performed the first U.S. thumb joint replacement using the TOUCH CMC 1 prosthesis, a ball‑and‑socket implant designed to restore pinch and speed recovery. The device is beginning to roll out to other U.S. centers.

Chicago representatives unveiled the Living Wage For All Act, a proposal to lift the federal minimum to $25 with a decade‑plus phase‑in and an end to subminimum wages. Sponsors say it’s about affordability; critics warn of costs to small businesses.

State hearings in Springfield exposed monitoring gaps and pushed data‑center water use into the spotlight as drought forces local emergencies and lake closures.

A 28-year-old man was shot and later died Monday night in Austin; Area Four detectives are asking neighbors to share tips or video.

Cedarhurst and Dover moved an 89‑unit, $38M assisted‑living and memory‑care plan forward in Vernon Hills, seeking annexation of about 6.5 acres near Milwaukee Avenue.

ACP now advises biennial mammograms for average‑risk women 50–74, and radiologists — including a Chicago specialist — are warning it could put younger people at risk.