Stories by Blake Thor

The rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage surpassed 7% for the first time since January 2025 last week, according to federal lender Freddie Mac. That’s after the Federal Reserve’s first rate hike since 2023, raising rates by a quarter of a percentage point earlier this month.

Chicago businessman and philanthropist Willie Wilson is throwing his hat in the ring for mayor of Chicago — his fourth bid for City Hall’s fifth floor. Wilson also ran for U.S. president in 2016 and for the U.S. Senate in 2020.

Diesel surpassed $6 per gallon for the first time in U.S. history earlier this month, according to data from AAA. Today, diesel sits at $6.51 per gallon, an all-time high. A year ago, it was $3.69. The cost of diesel rose 42 cents last week alone.

Despite gray skies and rain at today’s game, the message among fans — at least before the game’s brutal end — was clear: this is a team on the upswing.

Calls for increased safety regulations on artificial intelligence have reached a boiling point following a post on X from former OpenAI and Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon that warned of a potential doomsday scenario.

A budget forecast released by Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office shows the city faces an estimated $882.4 million budget shortfall for the 2027 fiscal year.

The Chicago Bears will play their first game of the 2026-2027 NFL season this Sunday against the Panthers in Charlotte. The game marks the beginning of head coach Ben Johnson’s sophomore campaign after he led the Bears to an 11-6 record last season.

Canada has announced $20 billion in tariffs on more than 700 U.S. goods, including steel, aluminum and dairy products. The retaliatory tariffs will take effect Sept. 8 and are a response to U.S. tariffs imposed Aug. 22 on Canadian wine, cement and hockey sticks, among other products.

The executive order recommends splitting the measles, mumps and rubella, or MMR, vaccine into three separate shots and reducing the number of vaccines recommended for all children from 18 to 11.

Bally’s is slowing construction on parts of its $1.7 billion casino and entertainment complex in River West, following the Chicago City Council’s approval of video gambling terminals in bars and restaurants.

For only the second time in 18 years, Chicago’s rival baseball teams will face off in a Crosstown Classic with both squads boasting winning records.

At the end of July, several water systems from Minnesota to Georgia suddenly went offline. While officials restored them, cybersecurity experts now say the outages may have been caused by Iranian hackers, raising larger questions about the security of America’s critical resources.

Democrats remain mixed over what ideological direction the party should take. But across a series of closely watched primaries, they are sending a clearer message about the party’s path forward: They want change.

The vaccine, called mFLUSIVA, is expected to be a versatile new option for people seeking protection from influenza and an important step forward for the widespread adoption of mRNA technology. 

Illinois lawmakers will have a new item on their agenda when they convene for the fall veto session in November — finding an extra $150 million for Chicago Public Schools. The Chicago Board of Education approved a budget that assumes additional state funding to avoid layoffs.

A divided Chicago Board of Education last week approved a nearly $10 billion budget that relies on an additional $150 million in state funding. The spending plan comes after weeks of debate among CPS officials, board members and labor unions over how the district should close a $732 million budget gap.

CPS CEO Macquline King joined “Chicago Tonight” to discuss her revised budget and why she thinks board members should pass it. 

The Illinois Tollway board is considering a 15-year, $26.5 billion construction plan to address deteriorating roads and reduce congestion across the state’s tollway system.

CPS CEO Macquline King unveiled a proposed $9.88 billion budget to close the district’s funding gap. The plan calls for $200 million in TIF funding, the layoff of 760 teachers and 801 support staff, and five unpaid furlough days for CPS employees.

City officials said last week Chicago is grappling with an $89 million shortfall — revised down from the $130 million figure the mayor announced earlier this month.

While DOJ opinions don’t change the law, disability rights advocates worry the memo could be the first step toward the department backing away from enforcing the integration mandate.

According to the Illinois Department of Human Services, more than 12 million monthly SNAP payments are made to more than 1.9 million people in Illinois.

A report from the Presidential Religious Liberty Commission calls for a clawback of the separation of church and state, a fundamental American legal principle for more than two centuries. President Donald Trump created the commission via executive order last May.

Northwest Side congressman Mike Quigley is officially running for Chicago mayor. The nine-term U.S. representative from Illinois’ 5th District launched his campaign at the historic Uptown Theatre.

Alexander Iniguez Mercado, 20, is accused of participating in a group chat on the messaging app Signal with others who appeared to discuss plans for the attack.

The U.S. Supreme Court’s annual “June boom” is about to begin, bringing an end to months of speculation. Their rulings could have sweeping implications for birthright citizenship, presidential power, transgender athletes and more.