Mexican Americans didn't let the pandemic stop their celebrations. Was there a better way?

A U.S. judge on Thursday blocked controversial Postal Service changes that have slowed mail nationwide, calling them “a politically motivated attack on the efficiency of the Postal Service” before the November election.

Mayor Lightfoot called the life expectancy gap between Black and White residents “unacceptable,” as the Chicago Department of Public Health issued a new report that found systemic racism pervades nearly every aspect of civic life.

The office designed to help aldermen keep tabs on how the city spends tax dollars detailed a proposal on Thursday that finds savings by cutting “perks” and things that are “nice to have, but need not have.”

“This is an opportunity to get this right,” said Ald. Byron Sigcho Lopez (25th Ward), who vowed not to allow developers to dominate the discussion.

Another Illinois politician pleads guilty. The Cook County Democratic Party turns its back on a long-serving judge. Our politics team weighs in on those stories and more.

Previous plans have largely targeted Chicago’s North and Northwest sides. However, officials say this plan will focus on bringing equitable transit-oriented developments to the South and West sides.

According to census numbers, Chicago is currently performing at a 59% response rate. But the city risks an undercount, especially in predominantly African American and Latino neighborhoods.

“State and municipal budgets across the nation and here in Illinois are being decimated,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Wednesday. “It’s not a blue state problem or a red state problem.”

Pritzker has extended the ban on evictions three times since he lifted the stay-at-home order at the end of May, when the state began to make significant progress in slowing the spread of the coronavirus.

In a report to Congress and an accompanying “playbook” for states and localities, federal health agencies sketched out complex plans for a vaccination campaign to begin gradually in January or even late this year.

While initial demand is lower than last year’s pilot program, city officials say they are encouraged by data and anecdotal accounts that the lock-to-cable requirement has reduced the number of instances of scooters blocking sidewalks. 

Citing a lack of widespread safety protocols and limited COVID-19 testing capacity, the governor on Wednesday doubled down on his stance that it’s not yet safe for youth athletes to begin playing football or other fall sports.

In the November election, Illinoisans will be asked whether or not to change the state’s income tax system to a graduated tax — but there’s still a lot of confusion about the proposal.

For thousands of Illinois renters who are out of work during the pandemic, the threat of eviction is getting closer to reality.

The agency charged with investigating allegations of police misconduct has failed to promptly release video and audio recordings of use-of-force incidents, as required by city law, according to a new audit by Chicago’s watchdog.