The SEC on Thursday announced it had filed charges against Anne Pramaggiore, ComEd and its parent company Exelon, alleging they engaged in a “multi-year scheme to corruptly influence and reward” former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.
Stories by matt masterson
CPS Sees Increase in Student Enrollment For the First Time in More Than a Decade
CPS officials on Thursday announced that the district’s 20th day enrollment, which serves as the official tally for the academic year, had risen by about 0.4% up to 323,291 students. That marks the first increase in student population in 12 years.
Lee Harris, Who Spent More Than 30 Years in Prison Before Murder Conviction Vacated, Suing City of Chicago
Lee Harris, 67, who claimed he was framed by police and prosecutors before spending 33 years in prison, filed the federal civil rights lawsuit Thursday — six months after his conviction was vacated and he was released from prison following his conviction in the 1989 murder of 24-year-old Dana Feitler.
Chicago Community Activist, Ex-Board of Education Member Joyce Chapman Dies
“Chicago will miss her fighting spirit and her public service,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said in a statement. “I pray for her family during this trying time and send my deepest condolences to her friends, colleagues and loved ones.”
Chicago Police Board Rejects Union’s Call to Move Some Officer Disciplinary Cases to Arbitration
The board on Tuesday rejected a motion brought by the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7, which sought to move 22 disciplinary cases from the board to an independent arbitrator, following a summer ruling that opened the door for such a shift.
Dick Durbin, Tammy Duckworth Join Calls for New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez to Resign
Illinois Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth this week have added their voices to the growing number of calls seeking the ouster of New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez, who’s now facing federal charges in a wide-ranging corruption case.
Charges Dropped Against Chicago Man Who Spent Decades Behind Bars on Wrongful Murder Conviction
The murder charges were dismissed against 53-year-old Francisco Benitez weeks after he was released from custody following a new bail hearing that came nearly 34 years after he was first imprisoned.
3 People Killed By Gunfire Over Weekend in Chicago: Police
According to Chicago Police Department data, 30 people were shot in 28 separate shooting incidents between 6 p.m. Friday and 11:59 p.m. Sunday.
Ed Burke Co-Defendant Seeking to Sever His Trial From Ex-Alderperson’s
Charles Cui filed a renewed motion to sever Friday in which he claimed that jurors could become “confused” and consider Cui to have been part of a conspiracy that is only alleged to have involved Burke and co-defendant Peter Andrews.
9 Armed Robberies Reported in the Span of an Hour Overnight Across Chicago’s North Side
According to the Chicago Police Department, there were nine separate armed robberies reported between 12:50 a.m. and 2 a.m. Thursday morning. In each incident, victims were approached by multiple armed males who took their belongings and then fled in a dark colored sedan.
Chicago Bears Defensive Coordinator Alan Williams Resigns
The Bears confirmed Williams, 53, submitted his resignation Wednesday morning. He had been with the team since February 2022.
CPS Board Set to Approve Expanded Parental Leave Policy for Educators and Employees
“Many educators have been pushing for this for a long time, particularly adoptive parents, so I’m glad that this is moving forward,” board member Elizabeth Todd-Breland said during Wednesday's agenda review committee meeting.
After Years of Decline, CPS Believes 2023-24 Enrollment Is ‘Relatively Consistent’ With Last Year
Following years and years of declining enrollment, Chicago Public Schools officials believe the number of students currently attending district schools is in line with totals from the same time last year.
Suburban Chicago Man Convicted in 2006 Pipe Bomb Explosion at Hinsdale Train Station
A federal jury in Chicago on Monday found 70-year-old Thomas James Zajac guilty on three charges stemming from the Sept. 1, 2006, bombing that injured one person.
A Look Inside Cook County Courtrooms on the Day Cash Bail Ends in Illinois
Illinois officially became the first state in the country Monday to officially eliminate the pre-trial practice of requiring that some criminal defendants pay a set cash amount in order to secure their release from custody ahead of trial.
24 People Shot, But No Homicides Recorded Over Weekend in Chicago: Police
Chicago Police Department data shows 24 people were shot in 20 separate shooting incidents between 6 p.m. Friday and 11:59 p.m. Sunday.
Cash Bail Officially Ends in Illinois Monday. Here’s What You Need to Know
The long-anticipated elimination of cash bail officially takes effect in Illinois Monday, following extensive delays, legal challenges and pushback from critics who sought to keep the existing system in place.
Senate Judiciary Committee Recommends April Perry to Become Chicago’s First Female U.S. Attorney
The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday voted 12-9 in favor of recommending April Perry to become the next U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. With the committee’s approval, she is now set for a final confirmation vote before the full Senate.
Behavioral Science-Based Police Training Program Led to Drops in Use of Force, Discretionary Arrests in Chicago: Study
A new study from researchers at the University of Chicago Crime Lab has found a training program rooted in behavioral science can dramatically cut the number of use-of-force incidents committed by police while also increasing officer safety.
Trial Date For Alleged Highland Park Parade Gunman Expected to Be Set at December Hearing
During a brief case management hearing Monday morning, Judge Victoria Rossetti said she intends to set a trial date for Robert Crimo III when he next appears in court Dec. 11.
5 People Killed by Gunfire Over Weekend in Chicago: Police
According to Chicago Police Department data, 26 people were shot in 21 separate shootings between 6 p.m. Friday and 11:59 p.m. Sunday.
Staffer Accused of Inappropriate Contact With Minor Student Removed From Elementary School in Portage Park
In a letter sent this week, Reinberg Elementary principal Edwin Loch informed parents and families that a staffer has been pulled from the school following an allegation that they “engaged inappropriately with a student.”
Chicago High School for the Arts Educators Avoid Strike After Reaching Tentative Contract Agreement
The tentative agreement, announced late Wednesday, came just as educators at the city’s only privately managed, public arts high school were set to go on strike.
14 Chicago Public Schools Employees, Officials Connected to PPP Loan Fraud, Watchdog Report Finds
“Pandemic relief fraud by CPS employees causes significant reputational harm to CPS and diminishes trust in the school district,” The Office of Inspector General wrote in the report.
Chicago Has Seen 418 Homicides and 1,988 People Shot This Year, Lowest Numbers Since 2019: Police
Monthly CPD data published Tuesday shows that the city has recorded 418 homicides, 1,677 shootings and 1,988 shooting victims in 2023 through the end of August. Each of those totals is the fewest through the first eight months of a year since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Two 15-Year-Old Boys Among 6 People Killed by Gunfire Over Labor Day Weekend in Chicago: Police
According to preliminary Chicago Police Department data, 39 people were shot in 33 separate shooting incidents between 6 p.m. Friday and 11:59 p.m. Monday. In addition to the six people who were fatally shot, a seventh person died of blunt force trauma.
