The Democratic National Convention doesn’t get underway until Aug. 19, but the traffic headaches have already started with first of many street closures and parking restrictions.

Chicago officials had planned to open a new L station near the United Center more than four years ago, but numerous delays left some neighbors wondering if it ever would happen. Construction crews scrambled to finish work this month ahead of the DNC.

Both candidates unveiled their plans in Nevada, a state with one of the highest concentrations of tipped service workers in the country. 

Vice President Kamala Harris had a whirlwind week in which she formally secured the Democratic nomination and announced Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate. For Illinois members of the U.S. Congress, that shift will change the tenor of the convention set to hit Chicago.

Here’s a look at the challenge facing the Chicago Police Department during the Democratic National Convention and the rules officers will have to follow during the protests that the gathering is sure to trigger.

The report, which concluded a three-year investigation, uncovered that at least 973 children died while under the care of these institutions, with many more expected to have suffered similar fates. These schools were established to forcibly assimilate Native American children — often through violent tactics.

Chicago routinely ranks among the most segregated big cities in America when measured by the dissimilarity index, a tool used to gauge how evenly distributed demographic groups are throughout a distinct geographic area.

In addition to the politicians, delegates, protesters and attendees come significant security risks Chicago police and other law enforcement entities must tackle to keep people safe during the Democratic National Convention.

Cases that involved at least one officer with repeated claims of misconduct accounted for nearly 43% of the $384.2 million paid by taxpayers to resolve police misconduct cases between 2019 and 2023, according to the analysis.

The Ohio senator, in a series of taped interviews, said there was merit to Trump’s suggestion that presidents have more control of U.S. monetary policy and kept up the GOP line that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the Democrats’ vice presidential candidate, had exaggerated his military record.

These were common themes during the first big campaign swing for Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, as the new Democratic ticket barnstormed through five battleground states this past week on a get-to-know-us tour.

“Mass Deportation Now!” declared the signs at the Republican National Convention, giving a full embrace to Donald Trump’s pledge to expel millions of migrants in the largest deportation program in American history.

Tensions run high during former President Donald Trump’s brief Chicago visit. Kamala Harris clinches the presidential nomination — who will be her running mate? And CTU pushes for more education funding. 

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has made threats to ramp up his efforts to send asylum-seekers to Chicago while the city is in the national spotlight. Local organizations and officials say they’re preparing for that possibility as the city approaches two years since the arrival of the first bus in Chicago.

Chicago is preparing to host the major event — and most importantly — keep everyone safe. Local and federal law enforcement agencies have been organizing their security details since April 2023. 

City and state transportation officials showed off their recommended plan to overhaul North DuSable Lake Shore Drive on Thursday, touting its expected benefits for all modes of travel. But the “Redefine the Drive” project got a chilly reception from some transportation advocates and lawmakers.