Illinois’ Senate president unexpectedly announces his retirement. Mayor Lori Lightfoot comes up empty on a Chicago casino redo. A war of words with Uber. And the Bears prepare for a prime-time matchup with the LA Rams.

Federal monitor Maggie Hickey on Friday released the first semiannual report for the Chicago Police Department’s consent decree, saying that the department is not in compliance with a majority of the reforms.

Former Ukrainian Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch’s impeachment testimony on Friday spotlighted the role of conservative media in her downfall and the chilling reminder that she remains a social media target.

The production, directed by Robert Falls (artistic director of the Goodman Theatre) is the finest work he has done on any stage since “The Iceman Cometh,” and it has been cast with glorious singers who also are exceptional actors.

Jenny Doan wants to break the Guinness World Record for marathon hula-hooping. In addition to “sheer resilience and grit,” it takes a little planning – and a lot of motivation. Here’s how she’s planning to tackle the challenge.

Twitter says its new ban on political ads will cover appeals for votes, solicitations for campaign contributions and any political content. However, it is allowing ads related to social causes such as climate change, gun control and abortion.

The House will hear from a singular witness Friday in the Trump impeachment hearings: Marie Yovanovitch, the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine who was targeted by the president’s allies in a “smear” campaign now central to the inquiry. Watch live.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot failed to beat the odds in Springfield, with legislators on Thursday adjourning for the year without taking up a fix she says is needed before the city can move forward with a casino.

One of the most powerful figures in Illinois politics is giving up his position.

Rosemarie Truglio, the development specialist behind the curriculum of “Sesame Street” is out with a new book for parents to help their children learn.

An apology by The Daily Northwestern for its coverage of two protests caused harsh backlash on social media and in newspapers across the country. We discuss the incident with the associate dean of the university’s Medill School of Journalism.

The layoffs at the retailer’s Hoffman Estates headquarters and at an office in San Francisco come just a week after Sears announced another wave of store closures 

Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson is no stranger to gun violence. The city’s top cop, who will retire at the end of the year, talks about growing up in a Chicago housing project and the importance of officers treating people with respect.

Pop art gets reframed in a museum show that looks closely at the visual culture of the 1960s and ‘70s – and sheds light on an entire hemisphere of artwork that really pops.

The Chicago Bears (4-5) look to get back on track when they face the Los Angeles Rams (5-4) on Sunday Night Football. Former Bears offensive lineman James “Big Cat” Williams gives us a preview.