Illinois is preparing to join WHO’s Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network to get direct outbreak intelligence and expert guidance after the U.S. withdrew.

Hundreds of North Side students marched to River Park in a two-hour, student-led anti-ICE rally that organizers said will be paired with civic action.

An Environment committee will vote Feb. 3 on resolutions recognizing a rat‑contraceptive pilot and supporting a Chicago Area Waterway System reclamation study. The items cross public‑health and environmental lines.

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced a new partnership with Ring and the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence to deliver technology and safety tools to survivors.

Yorkville School District 115 is asking voters to approve a $275 million bond on March 17 to build two new schools and expand Yorkville High; the median homeowner impact is estimated at about $577 a year.

Chicago aldermen approved a broad ban on intoxicating hemp products while carving out a beverage exception that business groups say will hurt neighborhood shops.

Attorney General Kwame Raoul and 20 other attorneys general filed an amicus brief with the 9th Circuit Court to protect the Flores Settlement, opposing the Trump administration's move to prolong child detention in immigration custody.

A Cook County judge found $243 million in transportation‑tax revenue was used improperly, forcing the county to set money aside and raising the prospect of more appeals. The ruling touches reserves and planned projects across the county budget.

The Community Commission nominated LaKenya White to lead COPA after a nationwide search. Her record reversing some disciplinary recommendations has drawn scrutiny from advocates and experts.

Ald. Byron Sigcho‑Lopez announced an independent bid for Illinois’ 4th District, pitching his run as a rebuke to last‑minute succession moves. The entry raises steep signature requirements and reshapes the Southwest Side contest.

Longtime lobbyist John Kelly is weighing a Chicago mayoral bid, and his ties to Bally’s, the White Sox and outside counsel are already drawing scrutiny.

Geneva will host three February open houses to explain a $59.4M bond to build a new police station and answer questions ahead of the March primary.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker announced a $50 million grant program, under the Rebuild Illinois Capital Program, to enhance healthcare infrastructure, aiding community health centers with construction and renovation projects.