Executive clemency is designed to extend mercy and restore opportunity for people who were convicted of crimes and have demonstrated successful rehabilitation. But in Illinois, advocates say that grace has been slow to come for people with criminal records, some of whom are still in prison.

Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, who is charged alongside his longtime right-hand man Michael McClain, is alleged to have orchestrated multiple corruption schemes, wielding his political power to reward loyal allies and enrich himself.

Express lanes are set to reopen Jan. 13 pending successful completion of testing, which will begin Jan. 2, weather permitting, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation. 

Here’s what to know about how the Earth’s march around the sun splits up the year.

Joseph Corcoran, 49, has been on death row since 1999, the year he was convicted in the shootings of his brother, James Corcoran, 30; his sister’s fiancé, Robert Scott Turner, 32; and two other men: Timothy G. Bricker, 30, and Douglas A. Stillwell, 30.

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s picks, which include a mix of well-known community activists and candidates who lost their bids to win a seat on the board, will join the 10 people who won in November.

We’re live from City Hall with the latest on the budget battle. Efforts to regulate the state’s hemp industry. And a look at Chicago food insecurity.

A student opened fire at a private Christian school Monday morning in Wisconsin, killing two people in the final week before Christmas break. The shooter also died, police said.

Public health officials are encouraging residents to get vaccinated as soon as possible so they can get some protection ahead of holiday gatherings.

Illinois lawmakers passed legislation in 2018 to allow the commercial production of hemp, the same year Congress legalized hemp nationwide through the 2018 Farm Bill.

The budget passed 27-23, with just 18 days to spare, averting an unprecedented shutdown of city government.

After more than a few false IDs and several tantalizing random hints of an otter-like shoulder or tail, one of the zoo’s cameras finally clicked at the right moment and, for the first time in nearly 15 years, caught an otter in full view.

Reliance on school buses has been waning for years as districts struggle to find drivers and more students attend schools far outside their neighborhoods.

Submissions are due by Jan. 4 or whenever entries hit 20,000, whichever comes first.

With one in five Chicagoans facing food insecurity, residents are working to feed their own with grassroots efforts led by community nonprofits.