Chicago's history as a self-proclaimed sanctuary city dates back to 1985, when then Mayor Harold Washington issued an executive order prohibiting city employees from enforcing federal immigration laws.

When Martin Luther King Jr. came to Chicago in 1965, his mission was to end the slum housing conditions that many Black residents were forced to live in. For 17 months, he fought with boycotts, rallies and marches — a campaign that ultimately contributed to the passage of the Fair Housing Act in 1968.

The afternoon slate of programming features dog-sledding demonstrations, puppet shows, raptor visits, bonfire storytelling, arts and crafts, and of course, hot cocoa.

In one case involving a former postal employee, the justices will consider what accommodations employers must make for religious employees. The case comes when religious plaintiffs have generally fared well at the court, which is dominated 6-3 by conservative justices.

The apparent mishandling of classified documents and official records from the Obama administration is under investigation by a former U.S. attorney, Robert Hur, who was appointed as a special counsel by Attorney General Merrick Garland.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s campaign under investigation for CPS student recruitment. Assault weapons now banned in Illinois as lawsuits await. And the new Hail Mary plans for Soldier Field as the Bears hire a bigwig as new president.

The preservation community is coming around to considering the 1970s and 1980s to be historic, ushering in a new wave of buildings up for landmark consideration.

Attorneys for 59-year-old Diane Schachner announced the settlement Friday, more than three years after Schachner suffered serious leg injuries when she was dragged nearly 30 feet by the bus.

Mayoral challenger U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García took direct aim at Mayor Lori Lightfoot Friday, blasting her for failing to prevent a tide of crime and violence in the city. 

The Oath Keepers organization is considered by the FBI to be a “large but loosely organized collection of individuals, some who are associated with militias” who have vowed to “not obey unconstitutional (and thus illegal) and immoral orders.” 

Federal prosecutors on Friday announced 56-year-old Michael Maurello has been charged with two counts each of wire fraud and bank fraud. His arraignment in Chicago has not yet been scheduled.

The law expands the number of health practitioners who can provide certain types of abortions; requires Illinois public entities to cover abortion, gender-affirming and HIV-prevention drugs as part of health insurance; and establishes legal criteria for ensuring parental autonomy in reproductive technology.

The long stretch without a Mega Millions jackpot winner is because of the game’s steep odds of 1 in 302.6 million.

Remember the pair of mountain lions (aka cougars, aka pumas, aka panthers) that wandered into Illinois last fall? Scientists say folks east of the Mississippi should expect more of such sightings.

Given the current state of planet Earth, the concept of heading to outer space might not seem altogether out of the question. And leave it to Frank Maugeri to address the possibility of doing just that in his latest production, “The Icicle Picnic: Journey for the Sun.”