Stories by Shelby Hawkins

Democrat Pat Hynes beat out Libertarian Nico Tsatsoulis in Tuesday’s election to become the next Cook County assessor. The office is tasked with delivering accurate and transparent assessments to all residential and commercial properties.

Jessica Biggs claimed victory Tuesday as the Chicago Board of Education’s president-elect in a historic election that allowed voters to choose all 21 board members for the first time.

Northeastern Illinois is facing mounting challenges as the region sees an uptick in severe weather, an aging population and evolving technological needs.

For the last 200 years, Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” — and all of the novel’s subsequent adaptations — has resonated with vast audiences. Now, Shelley’s own life story gets to be front and center alongside the monster of a story she created.

A rate hike proposed by Peoples Gas is sparking debate over affordable energy and the necessity of replacing century-old iron pipes in Chicago.

Actor John C. Reilly has had a storied career — from pulling at people’s heart strings in the film adaptation of the musical “Chicago” to making comedy classics like “Step Brothers.” Now, he’s touring with his own vaudeville show aptly named “Mister Romantic.”

Pope Leo XIV’s cancer diagnosis has been met with an outpouring of support from Catholics around the globe, praying for a quick and painless recovery.

The Illinois Commerce Commission this week recommended a 54% cut to the proposed $144 million increase, which would bring the number down to $66 million. Peoples Gas says the rate hike is necessary to replace old iron pipes and modernize its system.

“It’s an invisible harm a lot of times,” said Melissa Schuch, senior director of development at Chicago Children’s Advocacy Center. “You may not see bruises or physical signs of abuse. It can fly under the radar and a lot of people just aren’t aware that it’s happening around them.”

Changes to Medicaid eligibility take effect Thursday, impacting about 9,300 lawfully present immigrants in Illinois. Refugees, survivors of human trafficking and people who have been granted asylum are among those no longer covered.

This marks the first time since 2020 that both Chicago teams made the postseason. Both teams will play their best-of-three Wild Card Series on the road starting Tuesday with the Cubs taking on the Padres in San Diego and the White Sox facing the Astros in Houston.

Insight Health Systems reached a deal last week to purchase both Weiss Memorial Hospital in Uptown and West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park after both shuttered following years of reported mismanagement and poor structural conditions.

A proposed $200 million transformation would convert the former commercial shopping site into a warehouse and distribution facility; there would be a new CTA bus terminal, reconstructed streets and sidewalks and a publicly accessible plaza.

Three new Illinois laws seek to remedy some of the longstanding problems in women’s health care and education by shifting the topic of menopause out of the shadows and making it a main point of conversation.

A Chicago-based team is working to get the so-called O’Hare Flyer off the ground in the next five years. The proposed express train would run from downtown Chicago to Terminal 2 at O’Hare International Airport in just 15 minutes.

Dr. Garth Walker assumed the role of Chicago Department of Public Health commissioner this month after he was appointed by Mayor Brandon Johnson and unanimously confirmed by the Chicago City Council in July.

“Refugees and immigrants don’t get that much of a chance to share their stories,” said Ali Tarokh, the director of development and communications at the Syrian Community Network. “It’s all about reminding each other that we are human. We need to take care of each other.”

Oak Park’s West Suburban Medical Center and Uptown’s Weiss Hospital both closed this year following federal funding cuts and reports of poor infrastructure and working conditions.

The Chicago Board of Education passes a nearly $10 billion budget — with a big assumption. And calls for Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch to resign over his handling of a sexual harassment case.

Illinois is added to the CDC’s investigation of the cyclosporiasis outbreak. And two congressional candidates are tossed off the ballot in Illinois’ 4th District.

The competition to take over U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García’s seat was thinned out this week after Chicago Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th Ward) and Mayra Macías were removed from the ballot for failing to secure enough valid petition signatures.

In a recent speech, President Donald Trump discussed foreign interference, noncitizen voting and vulnerabilities in the American election system — reiterating some widely disproven charges. The administration released a trove of heavily redacted documents.

Chicago Supt. Larry Snelling’s retirement began Wednesday after a nearly three-year tenure leading the nation’s second largest police department. He leaves behind a city that’s seen significant declines in violent crime but has not completed federally mandated reforms.

Cook County and the city of Chicago launched the Violence Against Women Task Force at the start of 2026. The task force recently released its first report with recommendations to better unify the court and law enforcement systems.

The South Side native is not a career politician but comes with a diverse resume. He’s a co-owner of the iconic Wiener’s Circle and co-owns the city’s first Black-owned marijuana dispensary alongside his brother and mom.

President Donald Trump has so far declined to sign the measure, calling it a “big yawn.” The housing bill will automatically become law on July 10 unless the president decides to veto it.