Cook County is placing a nonbinding "Millionaire's Tax" question on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot asking whether Illinois should add a 3% surcharge on incomes over $1M to fund schools and property-tax relief.

Multi-agency crews searched Lake Michigan after a vessel sent a mayday call near Indiana Dunes; authorities asked anyone with information to contact DNR dispatch.

SB 3164 lets Illinois revoke licenses when a Move Over violation causes serious injury or death, a change pushed after repeated roadside strikes.

A 27-year-old woman was arrested after a man was shot during an argument in a North Lawndale home; the victim was taken to Mount Sinai in serious condition.

Smoky skies and an Air Quality Alert meet scattered storms and heat across Chicago on Friday, July 17. Expect reduced visibility, highs near 90F, and afternoon storm chances.

Danielle Carter‑Walters, co‑founder of Chicago Flips Red, has launched a mayoral bid centered on public safety, sanctuary‑policy rollbacks and forensic audits. Her insurgent run pits a conservative grassroots group against unions and county officials in a crowded field.

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.

A 13-year-old in Jefferson Park was approached on a front porch by a man posing as a delivery driver; police describe a suspect and are asking for tips.

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.

Bank of America withdrew from Chicago’s plan to sell roughly $1 billion in vehicle fines, stalling a controversial budget move and leaving questions for people who owe tickets.

Sheriff’s police say a smoke‑shop worker was arrested after a July 8 search at a South Damen gas‑station storefront recovered large amounts of cannabis, psilocybin and a loaded firearm.

Neighbors in Bronzeville say the Nat King Cole mural at 43rd and King Drive was taken down during exterior repairs, and residents are demanding a transparent plan for restoration.