Air travelers in the U.S. without a REAL ID or another acceptable document, such as a passport, will be charged a $45 fee beginning in February, TSA announced earlier this week.

Many of Chicago’s street vendors say they’re being pushed out of business amid concerns over federal immigration enforcement. A number of vendors have stopped selling altogether.

Most big U.S. retailers are closed on Thanksgiving Day. However, many will open early the following day, Black Friday, the unofficial start of the holiday gift-buying season and the biggest shopping day of the year.

O’Hare is likely to see its busiest Thanksgiving travel week in the airport’s 70-year history, according to the city’s aviation department. In Illinois, more than 4.1 million residents are expected to travel during the Thanksgiving holiday period, setting a new record for Thanksgiving travel in the state, according to AAA.

Instead of approving the full $314 million requested by Nicor and $129 million requested by Ameren, the ICC cut 47% and 43% from the requests, respectively.

Starting Wednesday, Illinois residents will be able to add their Illinois-issued driver’s license or state ID to Apple Wallet. The Mobile ID program will also “soon” expand to Google and Samsung wallets, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.

The Chicago Fire has committed to enhanced bird protections for its proposed new stadium. Does this represent a tipping point for bird-friendly design in Chicago?

Most first-time homebuyers in the United States take out 30-year mortgages. Under a new proposal from the Trump administration, they may soon have an even longer loan option.

While the study has its fair share of critics, it has raised alarms when it comes to the business benefits around a multi-billion-dollar advancement in the tech industry. 

Since the start of a federal immigration crackdown that has led to more than 3,200 arrests in the Chicago metropolitan area, streets and storefronts in the city’s Latino neighborhoods have emptied out.

The 2026 budget makes permanent the regional day pass allowing a single, discounted 24-hour fare across CTA, Metra and Pace, as well as a program allowing paratransit users to ride for free on fixed routes.

Mayor Brandon Johnson is calling for more taxes on big companies in his 2026 budget proposal. Under the mayor’s plan, businesses in Chicago with more than 100 employees would have to pay $21 for each employee every month.

“I thought after COVID, like, alright, we’re in the clear,” said Adrian Zamudio, owner of Angelo’s Stuffed Pizza in Archer Heights. “We don’t have to think of anything spontaneous or something to survive anymore. A couple years later, here we are again.”

Nearly 300 public radio stations and more than 100 public television stations in the U.S. are producing local reporting, researchers found. In nine counties, public radio is the sole news source.

Wednesday’s decision brings the Fed’s key rate down to about 3.9%, from about 4.1%. The central bank had cranked its rate to roughly 5.3% in 2023 and 2024 to combat the biggest inflation spike in four decades.

No elevated trains will run in the Loop from 4 a.m. Saturday through 2 a.m. Monday due to track maintenance.