Stories by Matt Masterson

Superintendent David Brown said the charges came as part of “Operation Split Corners,” a three-month Chicago Police Department undertaking in the 15th (Austin) and 25th (Grand Central) Districts.

“Would I do it again? Yes I’d do it again,” said Adam Hollingsworth, also known as the “Dreadhead Cowboy,” when asked about his protest ride on the expressway Monday. He now faces criminal charges and prosecutors say his horse may not survive.

The horse ridden on the Dan Ryan Expressway during an impromptu protest Monday by a man known as the “Dreadhead Cowboy” would not have survived without immediate treatment and may still be euthanized, according to prosecutors.

With Dorothy Brown deciding not to run for a fifth term, Cook County will have a new circuit court clerk this fall for the first time in 20 years. And legal advocates have some recommendations for whoever wins that seat in November.

Despite an overall drop this spring in felony charges like assault and narcotics possession, Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon said his jurisdiction saw a 139% increase in the number of child abuse and neglect cases.

Chicago Teachers Union leadership and members said CPS needs to better tailor student schedules to reduce screen time and allow clinicians to do more work from home to limit the number of people who are in school buildings on a daily basis.

On the same day a funeral was held for the 8-year-old girl who was shot and killed last week while riding in a vehicle with her family, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said the city must do more to protect its juveniles during a historic uptick in violence.

Restaurants and bars in Will and Kankakee counties — Region 7 of the state, as outlined in Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s Restore Illinois Plan — can once again offer indoor dining and service beginning Friday evening.

Jeremiah “Jerry” Harris, known for his role on Netflix’s cheerleading reality show “Cheer,” has been charged in federal court with producing child pornography after he allegedly enticed underage children to send him sexually explicit photos and videos.

The CPD launched a series of public surveys, with the goal of hearing what Chicagoans have to say about several policing policies and making adjustments based on those responses. 

Citing a lack of widespread safety protocols and limited COVID-19 testing capacity, the governor on Wednesday doubled down on his stance that it’s not yet safe for youth athletes to begin playing football or other fall sports.

Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown again criticized a perceived lack of consequences for gun offenders after a weekend in which 53 people were shot in the city, 10 fatally.

Chicago Public Schools said 84.2% of its students attended remote learning classes Tuesday, the first day of the new year. That figure is down about 10% over each of the past four school years.

“We need help,” CPD Area One Commander Jarrod Smith said Friday. “So whatever you can do … if you have information, give us a call. There’s no such thing as too much information in a criminal investigation.”

Police Superintendent David Brown said the so-called “tabletop exercises” involved officers responding to hypothetical looting reports to test the effectiveness and quickness of their response.

U.S. Attorney General William Barr said 500 arrests have been made and 124 defendants charged in federal court in connection with Operation Legend, a partnership between federal and local law enforcement agencies aimed at combating violent crime.

A Cook County judge has denied bond for the 18-year-old high school student who is accused of calmly and methodically stabbing a Walgreens employee to death Sunday inside the Wicker Park store where she worked.

Chicago police have charged Sincere Williams, 18, with first-degree murder in the fatal stabbing of a Walgreens employee as she was stocking shelves inside a Northwest Side store Sunday.

Beyond first-day jitters, Chicago educators expressed concerns over stable internet connections and checking in with students about COVID-19 as classes in Chicago Public Schools resumed Tuesday for a fall unlike any other.

CPS CEO Janice Jackson said 82.5% of students earned a diploma within five years, an increase from 80.9% in 2019 using revised methodology, despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The federal Bureau of Prisons announced it will resume visits for inmates at its 122 facilities beginning Oct. 3, though these meetings will include several safety precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Illinois health officials are stressing the need to wear masks properly, covering the mouth and nose, and social distance during gatherings this weekend as positivity rates continue to rise throughout the state.

Genove Martin was charged Tuesday with first-degree murder and has been ordered held on $300,000 bond. Prosecutors allege he accidentally shot Reed on July 31 after he opened fire on a passing vehicle.

Police recorded 63 homicides in August, bringing the yearly total in Chicago up to 506, surpassing last year’s total with a full quarter of the year to go, according to data released Tuesday by the Chicago Police Department.

The Chicago Police Department announced the charges Monday against 19-year-old Jeffon Williams, who was also shot and wounded during the incident in the Homan Square neighborhood early Sunday.

A judge has denied a request to make public an investigatory report into the handling of the high-profile case by the Cook County State’s Attorney and her office, days after the special prosecutor released the findings of that investigation.