The CSU University Professionals of Illinois announced its membership is taking a strike authorization vote that will last from Wednesday until Friday.

A police officer with Proud Boy ties returns to the job. The likelihood of a deadly train derailment in Illinois. Highlights from tonight’s mayoral debate. And making art from unexpected items.

Unexpected household items are the focus of a local artist creating portraits for her inner child.

“The Warehouse should be protected as a symbol of the rich history of Chicago’s LBGTQ+ African-American community, the incredible story of house music and the groundbreaking impact that Frankie Knuckles had on the sound of modern music today,” Preservation Chicago said.

Federal data show 272 hazardous materials releases involving trains in Illinois in the last decade. Predicting when and where environmental problems will manifest is difficult, but the risk is real.

SEIU Local 1, which represents 45,000 janitors, security officers, airport workers, home care workers and window washers, is the first major labor organization to back a candidate for mayor after the Feb. 28 election. 

Special prosecutor Lawrence Oliver on Wednesday announced a 14-count indictment against former Assistant State’s Attorneys Nicholas Trutenko and Andrew Horvat following the botched prosecution of Wilson, who was facing his third trial for the 1982 murders of police Officers William Fahey and Richard O’Brien.

The deficit reduction goal is significantly higher than the $2 trillion that Biden had promised in his State of the Union address last month. It also is a sharp contrast with House Republicans, who have called for a path to a balanced budget but have yet to offer a blueprint.

Officer Robert Bakker returned to full duty Wednesday, two weeks after members of the City Council’s Public Safety Committee demanded that Chicago Police Department officials do more to weed out extremists from the department’s ranks.

State lawmakers weigh new rideshare restrictions. Local doctors on their mission to Turkey and Syria following the devastating earthquakes. And the latest on the battle between a Rockford airport and natural area.

MedGlobal, a humanitarian organization based in Chicago, is composed of 12 physicians who deploy to disaster-struck countries to help in times of need. Most recently, three physicians traveled to both Syria and Turkey to help those affected by the disaster. 

Uber and Lyft are currently exempt from the so-called “common carrier” standard that applies to other forms of transportation like taxis, railroads and airlines. Some Illinois lawmakers want to change that. 

Mr. Beef, the no-frills sandwich joint in Chicago’s River North, has been a neighborhood staple for decades. But it became a national sensation after it was portrayed by the gritty, fast-paced show released in June 2022. The founder Joseph Zucchero has died at 69.

“I’m grateful to Director Jeffreys for his years of service, ensuring the dignity and safety of the incarcerated people of Illinois,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in a statement. 

At least part of the 300-acre Grant Park – known as Chicago’s front yard – will be closed to Chicagoans for 83 days this summer, including every day except June 2, June 3, June 4 and July 16, according to a schedule released Tuesday by the Chicago Park District.