Stories by Matt Masterson

The Chicago Board of Education on Wednesday unanimously approved a calendar for the 2022-23 school year that sees students return to classes on Aug. 22, a full week earlier than they did during the current year.

Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications and the Chicago Police Department say they’ve coordinated with Willie Wilson and his staff, and will provide city resources “to mitigate traffic conditions and ensure public safety.”

The Chicago Board of Education will vote this week on that proposed calendar, which includes a start date of Aug. 22, 2022. That’s a week earlier than this year’s start date of Aug. 30 and well before the typical post-Labor Day start time for the district.

“This year’s school budgets prioritize support for core instruction to improve the classroom experience and set a new standard of excellence,” CPS CEO Pedro Martinez said.

Lonesha Strong, 18, and Marshawn Owens, 20, have each been charged in the Feb. 10 murder of 22-year-old Johnae McGowin, who was fatally shot in February. Both defendants were denied bail by a judge during a hearing Thursday.

Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx announced Tuesday that her office will not file criminal charges against the Chicago police officers who shot and killed 13-year-old Adam Toledo and 22-year-old Anthony Alvarez in separate on-duty shootings just days apart last year.

Debra ​​Bannack, 62, has been charged with three counts of wire fraud and one count of mail fraud as part of a widespread scheme at Brennemann Elementary, which was allegedly orchestrated by ex-principal Sarah Jackson Abedelal.

Attorneys for Jussie Smollett are seeking to get the former “Empire” star out of Cook County jail on bond, as his family claims he’s being held in a “psych ward” to begin his five-month jail stay.

The mass shooting occurred at around 3:20 p.m. Sunday outside a pizza restaurant in the 7900 block of South Exchange Avenue.

Andy Wallace, 35, was held without bail during a hearing Friday following his arrest on charges of first-degree murder, aggravated battery and aggravated discharge of a firearm stemming from the Feb. 22 shooting.

“I am innocent,” the former “Empire” star yelled as he left the court in custody. “I could have said I was guilty a long time ago.”

Amid a double-digit uptick in violent crime along Chicago Transit Authority train and bus lines this year, city officials say they’ll be adding additional officers and security guards on trains and buses around the city.

“I don’t anticipate, you know, more serious consequences in terms of work stoppages,” CPS CEO Pedro Martinez said, “but we will continue to work together because we have it in both our best interests to keep our community safe.”

A federal judge last week sentenced Diego Vargas after he pleaded guilty to maliciously attempting to damage and destroy a building by means of an explosive device.

Former state Sen. Tom Cullerton pleaded guilty to embezzlement Tuesday morning, more than two years after he was charged with fraudulently receiving salary and benefits from a labor union despite doing “little or no work.”

The school district said it will move to a mask-optional model for all staff and across all grade levels on March 14.

Crisis Assistance Response and Engagement (CARE) teams — which are comprised of police officers trained in crisis intervention, a mental health professional and a paramedic — fielded 134 separate mental health crisis calls between Sept.13, 2021 and Wednesday, according to new city data.

Two Chicago police officers are in fair condition after being shot outside a West Garfield Park restaurant.

In his first public comments since the bombshell indictment was announced, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he cooperated fully with federal investigators and denied ever having conversations about appointing disgraced former Chicago Ald. Daniel Solis to a state position.

Michael Madigan, who served as speaker of the Illinois House for 36 years, led a criminal enterprise disguised as a political organization that was devoted to enriching himself and his associates, prosecutors alleged Wednesday.

“Another child has become the victim of senseless gun violence and it must stop,” the Chicago Police Department said in a tweet Wednesday.

Dennis Haggerty, 45, of Burr Ridge, pleaded guilty before a federal judge in Chicago to one count each of wire fraud and money laundering after taking millions from an Iowa hospital in exchange for personal protective equipment he never provided.

There were 43 homicides in Chicago last month, bringing the 2022 total up to 92 through the end of February, according to data published Tuesday by the Chicago Police Department.

Fourteen people were shot in 12 separate shooting incidents between 6 p.m. Friday and 11:59 p.m. Sunday, according to the Chicago Police Department.

Though cameras weren’t allowed during Smollett's trial late last year, Cook County Judge James Linn issued an order Friday allowing media organizations to film inside his courtroom during the actor's upcoming March 10 sentencing.

Ricco Carrasco was arrested this week and charged with aggravated battery and two counts of aggravated assault stemming from the Feb. 18 shooting. Cook County prosecutors on Thursday said they’re also charging him with attempted murder.