Christmas tree supplies are tight again this year across the U.S., depending upon location and seller. The industry is still bouncing back from the Great Recession and trying to win people back from a shift toward artificial trees when times were especially tough.
In three weeks, Illinois will become the 11th state with legalized marijuana sales. On Wednesday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker joined Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx as she began the process of vacating thousands of low-level cannabis convictions.
Legal marijuana sales are coming to Illinois in January. But where exactly can you smoke pot in Chicago? City officials are trying to shed light on the issue – are they ready for the rollout?
Sales of recreational marijuana will begin in Chicago – and across the state – on Jan. 1. Or will they? A group of aldermen on Wednesday explained why they want to put the brakes on pot in Chicago.
Holiday Money-Saving Strategies That Can Backfire
Dec 14, 2019 |Holiday marketers have your number, and they know how to entice you to spend. However, you can position yourself to recognize – and overcome – overspending triggers.
The Week in Review: Trump Lashes Out After House Panel Vote
Dec 13, 2019 |The House moves forward on Trump impeachment. Interim top cop Charlie Beck makes a big change. Is Chicago equipped to weather a recession? And the Bears head to Lambeau for a rematch with the Packers.
Durbin, Krishnamoorthi Propose Vaping Fee to Fund Prevention Program
Dec 13, 2019 |As part of an effort to steer youth away from vaping, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi are proposing a new fee on e-cigarette manufacturers and importers to fund prevention programs.
Report: Patients Misdiagnosed in Catholic Hospitals to Get Contraception
Dec 13, 2019 |Medical providers at Catholic hospitals face multiple barriers to providing contraceptive care to women, and such restrictions have prompted workarounds that can be harmful to patients, a new report from the University of Chicago finds.
House Gets 2 Trump Impeachment Charges After Judiciary Vote
Dec 13, 2019 |Democrats propelled President Donald Trump’s impeachment toward a historic vote by the full U.S. House on Friday, as the Judiciary Committee approved charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
Dorothy Brown Associate Convicted of Lying Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison
Dec 13, 2019 |Federal prosecutors said that by lying to a grand jury, 58-year-old Beena Patel “threw a wrench in the wheels of justice and ground them to a halt.”
US Labor Board Rules for McDonald’s in Unionization Case
Dec 13, 2019 |The National Labor Relations Board has ruled in McDonald’s favor in a long-running case filed by 20 workers who were fired or faced retaliation for trying to unionize.
House Panel Delays Historic Trump Impeachment Vote
Dec 12, 2019 |The House Judiciary Committee abruptly postponed a historic vote late Thursday on articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, shutting down a 14-hour session that dragged with partisanship.
New Year, New Taxes: What Will Cost More in 2020
Dec 12, 2019 |Illinois’ income tax will hold steady in 2020 and despite warnings from Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Chicago’s new budget avoids a major property tax hike. But before you go on a holiday shopping spree, a word of caution.
‘Labor of Love’ Drives Meticulous Stivers Coffee Operation in Pilsen
Dec 12, 2019 |For more than 30 years, Stivers Coffee has used a large, gas-driven machine to roast coffee beans from all over the world for Chicago’s restaurants, offices, farmers markets and more. We go for a look.
Behind the Scenes of ‘The Light in the Piazza’ with Renée Fleming
Dec 12, 2019 |Following a run on London’s West End and at LA Opera, the Tony Award-winning musical “The Light in the Piazza” now comes to Chicago. We visited the cast during a recent rehearsal.
Crain’s Headlines: 4 South Side Hospitals in Consolidation Talks
Dec 12, 2019 |Plans are afoot to consolidate financially struggling hospitals that serve Chicago’s poorest residents on the South Side.
Bears, Packers Meet for 200th Time as Both Teams Eye the Playoffs
Dec 12, 2019 |It may be the best rivalry in all of sports. Former Bears offensive lineman James “Big Cat” Williams joins us to preview the 200th meeting of the Bears and Packers.
Illinois Attorney General Files Lawsuit Against E-Cigarette Maker Juul
Dec 12, 2019 |Juul Labs, the largest manufacturer of e-cigarettes in the nation, intentionally marketed its products to minors and misrepresented the potency of nicotine in its products, according to a lawsuit filed by Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul.
Major Red Line Closures on Far North Side This Weekend
Dec 12, 2019 |Northbound Red Line trains will run express between Wilson and Howard from 10 p.m. Friday until 4 a.m. Monday as part of the CTA’s Red and Purple Line modernization project.
Teen Charged with Murder in Slaying of Nurse in Little Village
Dec 12, 2019 |Armando Lopez, 19, was charged with first-degree murder in connection with the killing of registered nurse Frank Aguilar, 32, on Nov. 12. Detectives believe they’ve also identified the shooter, who is not yet in custody.
FCC Votes to Set Up 3-Digit Suicide Hotline Number Like 911
Dec 12, 2019 |Once it’s implemented, people will just need to dial 988 to seek help, similar to calling 911 for emergencies or 311 for city services. Currently, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline uses a 10-digit number.
Judiciary Panel Debates Trump Impeachment, Moves Toward Vote
Dec 12, 2019 |The House Judiciary Committee opened a marathon session Thursday as the sharply partisan panel took the first steps toward voting on articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump. Watch live.
New Book Traces ‘The Rise and Fall of Chicago’s First Black Banker’
Dec 11, 2019 |Over its long history, Chicago has seen plenty of firsts, but those stories aren’t always well-known today. Entrepreneur Jesse Binga is at the center of one of those stories. Longtime journalist Don Hayner tells us more.
Police Board Holds 2nd Public Meeting on Top Cop Replacement
Dec 11, 2019 |At the Muslim Community Center on the city’s Northwest Side, roughly four dozen residents weighed in on the qualities they’d like to see in the next police superintendent. Paris Schutz has this report.
NASA’s Mission to ‘Touch the Sun’ Begins to Unravel Mysteries of Solar Wind
Dec 11, 2019 |An update on the mission and findings of NASA’s Parker Solar Probe, named after pioneering University of Chicago astrophysicist Eugene Parker, who first proposed the existence of the solar wind in 1958.
Irony? Chicago Salt Truck Slides on Ice Into Lake Michigan
Dec 11, 2019 |Two Chicago Park District workers escaped without serious injury after the salt truck they were navigating along an icy lakefront bike path slid into Lake Michigan on Wednesday morning.
Crain’s Headlines: FAA Chief Says 737 Max Won’t Be Cleared Before 2020
Dec 11, 2019 |Federal aviation regulators won’t clear Boeing’s troubled 737 Max airplanes for flight until sometime in 2020. That’s according to an interview that Federal Aviation Administration chief Steve Dickson gave to CNBC on Wednesday.
10 Things to Do This Weekend: Dec. 12-15
Dec 11, 2019 |Millions of holiday lights, a seasonal double feature, art fairs and carols usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.
Kim Foxx Vacates 1,000 Pot Convictions as Clock Ticks Toward Legalization
Foxx: “We must now own our role in the harm these convictions have caused.”
In three weeks, Illinois will become the 11th state with legalized marijuana sales. On Wednesday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker joined Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx as she began the process of vacating thousands of low-level cannabis convictions.
House Votes, Senate Trial: What’s Next in Impeachment
Dec 11, 2019 |The House Judiciary Committee is expected to vote on two articles of impeachment by the end of the week, sending them to the House floor for a vote by Christmas. Next would come a Senate trial, likely in 2020.
Flooded Farmers Face Growing Dilemma in Warming World
Dec 11, 2019 |This year’s devastating losses are forcing tough decisions about the future of farming in America’s flood plains, even among those skeptical of climate change and humans’ role in it.
‘Merry, Merry Chicago!’ Returns to Symphony Center. Here’s a Preview
Dec 10, 2019 |For the fifth year, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra presents “Merry, Merry Chicago!” a celebration of holiday music that features members of the orchestra and the Chicago Symphony Chorus.
Secretary of State Jesse White Talks Tumblers, Real ID and More
Dec 10, 2019 |This month marks the 60th anniversary of one of Chicago’s most popular performance groups: the Jesse White Tumblers. Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White joins in conversation to discuss that group, the Real ID rollout and more.
Commercial Photographer’s Archive Shows Passion for People
Dec 10, 2019 |When he died in 2011, Chicago photographer Dorrell Creightney left behind half a million photos. His work is not well known, but his daughters are on a mission to change that.
The Surprising Power of 2 Plays Captured on National Theatre Live
Dec 10, 2019 |A fervent believer in the unique power of live theater, I have become quite a convert to broadcasts of live performances after seeing two superb National Theatre Live productions this past weekend.