Walter Burnett, who represented parts of the West Side and the West Loop for 30 years on the Chicago City Council, retired July 31.

President Donald Trump signed the tax increase into law last month as part of his signature spending bill.

Any changes in the conduct of a national census, which is the biggest non-military undertaking by the federal government, would require alterations to the Census Act and approval from Congress, which has oversight responsibilities, and there likely would be a fierce fight.

Kristi Noem, whose office oversees Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), visited suburban Lombard on Friday to criticize Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, whom he claimed have “worked so hard to protect these dangerous criminals” through their refusal to cooperate with ICE officials.

The ruling, which is likely to be appealed to the Illinois Supreme Court, endorses the effort backed by the city’s largest police union to upend the system used for 60 years to punish officers.

Longtime lawmaker Dick Durbin announced plans to retire after five terms in the U.S. Senate. He joined “Chicago Tonight” for a wide-ranging interview.

All transgender members of the Air Force are being separated from the service under the Trump administration’s policies.

Pritzker’s comments came amid escalating tensions over the Texas redistricting drama. Earlier in the day, according to the New York Times, Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, of Texas, said the FBI had agreed to his request to help locate the absent Texas lawmakers.

Police beats that had ShotSpotter sensors saw an approximately 17.8% decrease in violent crime and a 37.5% decrease in homicides during the first six months of 2025, as compared with the first six months of 2024, according to the analysis of Chicago crime data by Rob Vargas, a sociology professor at the University of Chicago.

On Wednesday, Governor JB Pritzker announced the creation of a new endowment for Illinois state parks, with the intention of providing a permanent source of funds that can't be redirected or taken away.

Burnett represented parts of the West Side and the West Loop for 30 years on the Chicago City Council. He retired July 31.

Authorities are investigating after a threat was allegedly made Wednesday against Texas House Democrats who fled to Illinois in an effort to block a Republican redistricting effort in their home state.

More than 50 Democratic lawmakers from Texas fled the state for Illinois, New York and Massachusetts to block an effort by Republicans to redraw congressional districts. The plan, backed by President Donald Trump, would increase the number of Republican-leaning congressional seats by five.

A city analysis warned the bill “would increase the city’s pension liabilities by more than $11 billion” in the two funds that pay pensions to retired police officers and firefighters.

A key split is whether the treaty should require cutting plastic production, with powerful oil-producing nations opposed; most plastic is made from fossil fuels. They say redesign, recycling and reuse can solve the problem, while other countries and some major companies say that’s not enough.

The word “gerrymander" was coined in America more than 200 years ago as an unflattering means of describing political manipulation in legislative map-making. The word has stood the test of time, in part, because American politics has remained fiercely competitive.