Stories by Shelby Hawkins

“I’m a perfectionist that doesn’t believe you can reach perfection,” chef Norman Fenton said. “A dish is never finished. It’s always evolving. It’s always taking a new form, so it’s never perfect. Never perfect. Always working on it.”

Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton was victorious in the March 17 primary election, making her the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate and pushing her closer to possibly taking over longtime U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin’s seat. Stratton faces former Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy in the Nov. 3 general election.

Former Illinois Republican Party Chair Don Tracy won the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate in last month’s primary election, pushing him closer to his goal of taking over longtime U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin’s seat. Tracy is facing Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton in the Nov. 3 general election.

Last week Chicago saw its first so-called teen takeover of the year. Hundreds of young people gathered in the Loop on packed sidewalks and streets, resulting in eight arrests and 24 curfew violations.

Gov. JB Pritzker delivered his annual budget address Wednesday, proposing a $56 billion spending plan as the state faces a $2.2 billion budget gap and near-weekly threats of losing federal funding.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson’s Chicago ties run deep, dating back to the 1960s when he was appointed by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. to direct Chicago’s Operation Breadbasket program.

There are efforts from the federal government to reshape how history is taught and examined by institutions.

The Trump administration is pushing states to hand over their full voter rolls, or list of actively registered voters. The administration has sued more than 20 states and Washington, D.C., in an attempt to secure the sensitive information.

Ben and Sam Luhmann, two teenagers from the Chicago area, have been documenting federal agents’ actions in Illinois and Minnesota.

Another government shutdown looms as Democrats demand an immigration enforcement cool-down. And changes are coming to SNAP, affecting hundreds of thousands of Illinois residents.

The Chicago alderperson is running as an independent vying for the seat of outgoing U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García in Illinois’ 4th Congressional District.

The final season of “Stranger Things” introduced us to a new character who quickly became a fan favorite — Derek Turnbow, the comic relief-turned-protagonist.

Illinois is locked in a series of legal battles with the Trump administration, challenging everything from federal funding freezes to what the state calls aggressive and unconstitutional immigration enforcement tactics.

Illinois lawmakers are back in Springfield for the spring legislative session. They’re facing some tough realities: a budget gap in the billions, growing pressure to deliver affordability relief, and a widening financial rift with Washington, D.C.

The Trump administration announced Tuesday its decision to withhold billions of federal dollars from five Democrat-led states, including Illinois, intended to provide child care and support for low-income families.

Gov. JB Pritzker signs a bill to allow terminally ill adults to die on their own terms. And residents of a troubled South Shore building are being evicted.

Cook County has its first new chief judge in more than two decades after Charles Beach was sworn in to the position earlier this month.

An advisory committee overseen by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s vaccine advisory board will meet Thursday to discuss the medical guidance of the hepatitis B vaccine, which is currently given at birth.

Started by the World Health Organization as a way to honor individuals who died in the epidemic, World AIDS Day raises international awareness about the ongoing public health crisis.

Many Chicagoans impacted by the new rules live in divested neighborhoods already suffering from a lack of access to nutritious food.

The Cook County Board of Review, the office tasked with settling appeals, announced that everyone who lives in a Cook County township that’s already closed its 2025 property tax appeal window will have another shot to file.

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s $16.6 billion budget proposal faces a major setback. And Dexter Reed’s family is asking a judge to reinstate a lawsuit against the city.

“The military is not the method we use for law enforcement,” said retired Maj. Gen. Randy Manner. “They are not trained for this, and we don’t want to put these young men and women in situations they are not trained for.”

Jon Martin started his coin collection 20 years ago and has amassed about 600 pieces. In a bid to connect with his community and perhaps get more people interested in numismatics, the Rogers Park resident recently decided to give away some of his collection.

Illinois lawmakers last week signed off on a sweeping $1.5 billion transit funding package that reshapes how the CTA, Metra and Pace are run and funded. The plan also creates what’s called the Northern Illinois Transit Authority to oversee the transit agencies.

The museum is celebrating its own history as the first planetarium in the Western Hemisphere by preparing for its centennial celebration in 2030.