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State revenues once again reached a record high in the fiscal year that ended June 30, creating what Gov. J.B. Pritzker called a “one-time” budget surplus of over $700 million.

Earth’s average temperature set a new unofficial record high Thursday, the third such milestone in a week that prominent scientist says could be the hottest in 120,000 years. But it’s also a record with some legitimate scientific questions and caveats.

The family’s ordeal started in April, when Heather was nearly five months pregnant and they found out their daughter was missing a major part of the brain, a condition called anencephaly. They say their doctors told them she would either be stillborn or die very quickly after birth.

The latest sign of economic strength — a gain of 209,000 jobs last month — makes it all but certain that the Federal Reserve will resume its interest rate hikes later this month after having ended a streak of 10 rate increases that were intended to curb high inflation.

A vintage market, craft beer and rugby usher in the weekend. Here are five things to do in and around Chicago.

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s vision for Chicago becomes clearer in a new report. More questions about the practices of a well-connected suburban business owner. And “Tommy” takes the stage at the Goodman Theatre.

Back in 1993, the musical version of “Tommy” won five Tony Awards. Now, that director is re-imaging the stage production at the Goodman Theatre with input from Pete Townshend.

Two former employees of Laura Ayala-Clarke, the girlfriend of Mayor Richard Irvin of west suburban Aurora, claim she failed to pay them for several weeks of work and isn’t running her business on the up-and-up. She recently was approved for a city grant. 

As much as 8 inches fell in certain areas over the weekend, followed by major flooding. Areas on the city’s West Side and western suburbs saw over 8 inches on Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.

“I think this might be the first time in CPS history … that you have a board that’s made up of almost every one of us has some experience with CPS — either we’re parents, we’ve served on (Local School Councils), we were students or we were educators,” new board appointee Mariela Morales said

Jose Alvarez, 67, was held without Thursday following his arrest on two counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted first-degree murder and one count of aggravated battery. Those charges come days after prosecutors say he fatally shot 48-year-old Karina Gonzalez and 15-year-old Daniela Alvarez, and wounded his 18-year-old son.

The 223-page report memorializes the work of 11 subcommittees that began meeting in mid-April, and dovetails with much of progressive agenda laid out by Johnson and echoes his call for new investment on Chicago’s South and West sides. 

Chicago’s pension problem getting worse. How roller-coaster weather is affecting crops. And reviewing the one-two punch of the Fourth of July and NASCAR in Spotlight Politics.

In the pantheon of Chicago disc jockeys, Dick Biondi was a superstar. In a 2003 appearance on “Chicago Tonight,” he recounts his meeting with The Beatles.  

June is expected to go down as one of the 10 driest months in the state’s history. Farmers are already seeing an impact on their crops and consumers are likely to see an impact soon.

Brandon Johnson announced that Jianan Shi, the executive director of Raise Your Hand for Illinois Public Education since 2019, will serve as the board’s president after former president Miguel del Valle stepped down after his term expired last week.

In all, Chicago owes $35.4 billion to its four employee pension funds representing police officers, firefighters, municipal employees and laborers, according to the 2022 Certified Annual Financial Report. 

According to police figures, there were nine people killed across Chicago between Friday at 6 p.m. and Tuesday at 11:59 p.m. during a busy holiday weekend. In total, 57 people were shot in 45 separate shooting incidents during that time.

The Fourth of July holiday has accounted for the most mass shootings of any other days of the year in nearly a decade, according to a CNN analysis of the Gun Violence Archive’s mass shooting data since 2014.

Federalism — allowing each state to chart its own course within boundaries set by Congress and the Constitution — is at the core of the U.S. system. Now, some wonder whether that’s driving Americans apart.

Cities across the U.S. from Medford, Oregon to Tampa, Florida have been hovering at all-time highs, said Zack Taylor, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. Beijing reported nine straight days last week when the temperature exceeded 95 F.

This July 4 in Highland Park, one year after seven people were killed and dozens more wounded in a mass shooting, the sounds of marching bands and cheers were replaced by a much more solemn gathering.

Since the mass shooting at last year’s Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois has moved swiftly on gun control measures. The most controversial has been the ban on so-called assault weapons.

We launch WTTW News: A Safer City. The new series will examine the region’s struggle with crime and violence. Today, a live report from Highland Park on the mass shooting’s impact a year later.

Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering was marching in last year’s Fourth of July parade when gun shots began to ring out. In the year since, she has seen the town come together in its time of need.

Highland Park’s community emergency response team, or CERT, made up of residents from all walks of life — doctors, businesspeople, scientists — had a vital role to play in response to the mass shooting.