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.

The spending plan still calls for a host of other taxes and fees to rise by an additional $165.5 million, including increases in the taxes levied on software licenses, cloud services and other digital goods as well as subscriptions to streaming and cable television services.

Federal agencies are facing intense pressure to give the public more details on unexplained drone sightings in the New York City metropolitan area that have been going on for weeks over residential neighborhoods as well as restricted sites and critical infrastructure.

The Civilian Office of Police Accountability said it is investigating an “off-duty officer involved incident” after a 26-year-old man was struck during an exchange of gunfire in the 1000 block of South Mayfield Avenue.

A federal appeals court left in place a mid-January deadline in a federal law requiring TikTok to be sold or face a ban in the United States, rejecting a request made by the company to halt enforcement until the Supreme Court reviews its challenge of the statute.

Why the mayor called off a budget vote. Pritzker pushes back on mass deportations. And calls for a crackdown on unregulated hemp.

The Cubs are sending third baseman Isaac Paredes, right-hander Hayden Wesneski and Cam Smith, one of their top infield prospects, to the Astros for Tucker, who is eligible for free agency after the 2025 season.

The mayor’s decision to delay the budget vote is an acknowledgment that the spending plan that would hike property taxes by $68.5 million and increase a host of other taxes and fees by an additional $165.5 million does not have enough votes to pass the Chicago City Council.

Cloud cover and moonlight are likely to spoil meteor watching Friday night, when the annual Geminids shower reaches its peak.

The investment could reach tens of millions of dollars, IBM President and CEO Arvind Krishna said, and comes with an initial commitment of 50 permanent jobs that he expects will be paired with fellowships, internships and partnerships with other local firms.

“What we’ve heard from the families is that we should not close these schools,” CPS Chief Portfolio Officer Alfonso Carmona told the Chicago Board of Education during its Thursday meeting.

“This has been a dream of ours for many years,” CEO Courtney Sakai said following a ribbon-cutting ceremony for JASC’s new building. “We’ve always envisioned a community destination where we could serve all and expand our programs.”