Japanese left-hander Shōta Imanaga and the Chicago Cubs finalized a $53 million, four-year contract on Thursday, a deal that includes a club option that could make the agreement worth $80 million over five seasons.

Illinois officials said they don’t know when or where migrants will arrive, nor how many — making it difficult to coordinate care, particularly given that many asylum seekers don’t have coats and clothing appropriate for Chicago’s winter weather.

CPS is going a different route to address its bus driver shortage. What a permanent child tax credit could mean for Illinois families. And reaction to the ouster of Harvard University’s first Black woman president.

Claudine Gay resigned after backlash to her testimony at a congressional hearing where she was criticized for not doing enough to tackle antisemitism on campus. She also faced accusations of plagiarism. Gay’s supporters, however, said her ouster reflects a system that wasn’t built for people of color.

Advocates and lawmakers are calling for a permanent child tax credit to help lessen the economic burden on struggling families.

Professional Bull Riders is a sports league based on the most popular event at rodeos: bull riding, the man-versus-beast contest in which a cowboy rides a bull in search of eight seconds of glory and a slice of prize money. A tour is coming to Rosemont Jan. 12-13.

The National Weather Service is still refining its forecast in terms of snow totals, but is certain that a storm system and arctic blast will hit Chicago this weekend.

The court heard two consolidated cases of individuals who were in vehicles that were searched after an officer used the smell of cannabis as probable cause. Lawyers argued the smell of cannabis alone should not be probable cause to search a vehicle given that the substance is no longer illegal in Illinois.

Trees from Brookfield Zoo’s Holiday Magic display were repurposed as enrichment activities for several animals. 

Deshawn Lucas, 33, has been charged with two counts of attempted murder and unlawful use of a weapon, as well as individual counts of aggravated battery and burglary.

The video of that reenactment – which Jessica Logan’s lawyers maintain she was coerced into performing – was used as a key piece of evidence in her 2021 conviction on first-degree murder charges.

Students can usually fill out the FAFSA starting in October, but the 2024-2025 version only became available last week because the Department of Education was still working on the new form.

The February trial date for alleged Highland Park parade gunman Robert Crimo III has been removed, with a new trial date coming either later this year or in early 2025.

The Illinois secretary of state’s office, which oversees a number of library grant programs, said the new law does apply to prison libraries as they are eligible for grants.

A ban on extremist police officers is set to go into effect in Chicago. The dangers facing American democracy in 2024. And the history of dibs, Chicago’s tradition of saving parking spots.