Stories by Matt Masterson

Sidi Mohamed Abdallahi, 22, who already faced attempted murder charges will now face additional terrorism and hate crime charges, Chicago and Cook County officials announced on Thursday afternoon.

Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, 82, and his longtime confidant Michael McClain, 77, are charged with racketeering, bribery and wire fraud. They have each pleaded not guilty.

Michael Madigan, 82, and his longtime confidant Michael McClain, 77, are charged with racketeering, bribery and wire fraud. They have each pleaded not guilty.

Testimony resumed Monday in the fourth week of the former Illinois House speaker’s corruption trial inside Chicago’s Dirksen Federal Building. Michael Madigan, 82, and his longtime confidant Michael McClain, 77, are charged with racketeering, bribery and wire fraud.

The seven new board members, appointed by Johnson earlier this month, were sworn in during Thursday’s agenda review committee meeting. CPS CEO Pedro Martinez, who was also present at Thursday’s meeting, has seen questions swirl about his continued employment with the school district.

Devan Flax, 21, faces assault, robbery and firearm charges in the suburban Forest Park incidents from November 2023. He’s also charged in connection with the robbery of a Berwyn pizzeria employee that same month.

Tuesday marked the second day of opening statements in the landmark trial as Michael McClain’s defense team had its opportunity to present its opening statements to jurors inside the Dirksen Federal Building.

The final two alternates were selected Monday, meaning opening statements in the trial of Madigan and his longtime confidant Michael McClain went forth at the Dirksen Federal Building with a 12-person jury and six alternates.

One additional juror was seated Thursday at the Dirksen Federal Building, where Madigan and his longtime confidant Michael McClain stand accused of racketeering, bribery and wire fraud.

The board’s monthly meeting, which had been scheduled for Oct. 24, is no longer set to be held and a makeup date has not yet been announced.

Eleven jurors were picked through the first three days of the selection process last week, but so far no new members have been chosen through two days of questioning this week.

The school district on Wednesday released its 20th-day enrollment figures — which serve as the office CPS tally for the academic year — showing there are currently 325,305 students enrolled.

According to Chicago Police Department figures, there were 34 people shot in 29 separate shootings between Friday and Monday evenings. 

The board’s monthly agenda review committee meeting, which had been scheduled for Wednesday morning, will not be held as planned, Chicago Public Schools announced over the weekend.

The West Side hospital’s ex-CEO George Miller was charged in a superseding indictment Friday after he allegedly received more than $750,000 in bribes.

“This announcement is not made lightly,” Acero said in a statement. “It is made with compassion and an unrelenting commitment to the individuals we serve. We hope to welcome as many transitioning scholars as possible to our other network schools and manage this difficult transition with integrity, mindfulness and clarity of mission.”

In-person jury selection officially began Wednesday morning in the Dirksen Federal Building, where Madigan and his longtime confidant Michael McClain face charges of racketeering, bribery and wire fraud.

Attorneys for the former Illinois House speaker and his longtime confidant met with prosecutors Tuesday afternoon to iron out any final wrinkles before the trial gets into swing.

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and top prosecutors from more than a dozen other states filed a lawsuit against social media app TikTok alleging the platform has deceived the public about the dangers it presents to children and teens.

The mayor announced his new picks for the board amid a tumultuous time between Johnson and CPS CEO Pedro Martinez, who said he rejected the mayor’s request that he resign his position.

Five people were killed by gunfire in shootings across Chicago over the weekend, according to the Chicago Police Department.

The longtime House speaker, along with his longtime confidant and current co-defendant Michael McClain, are finally set to go to trial this week, more than two and a half years after the men were first charged in a bombshell federal indictment that accused them of racketeering, bribery and wire fraud.

Board president Jianan Shi, Vice President Elizabeth Todd-Breland and fellow members Mariela Estrada, Mary Fahey Hughes, Rudy Lozano, Michelle Morales and Tanya Woods plan to step down from their positions this month.

Voters in the Nov. 5 election will pick a member to represent each of 10 new districts as the board triples in size from its current size of seven up to 21 members beginning in January 2025.

According to figures from the Chicago Police Department, there have been 439 homicides and 1,808 shootings recorded through the first nine months of 2024. Those totals are down 8% and 5%, respectively, compared to the same time last year.

The FBI is seeking any information about a man dubbed the “bare-chested bandit” who is believed to be responsible for a trio of bank robberies in the Loop in recent weeks.