Stories by Matt Masterson

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland on Wednesday announced his department’s plan to spend $78 million to support community violence intervention programs and research in Chicago and across the country.

Members of Theaster Gates’ Rebuild Foundation have been working to restore Frankie Knuckles’ vinyl record collection for the last eight years.

Get to the airport early and do your research ahead of time about what you can pack, TSA officials said.

The lawsuit is the latest effort to force the government to ban menthols, which are disproportionately used by Black smokers and young people. It comes amid growing concerns from advocates that the federal plan could be derailed by election-year politics.

“Like many cities, we are in the process of recovering from the impact of the pandemic, resulting in vacancies, particularly our storefronts and offices,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said. “We have to respond to these changes. As a city, we have to do it in a creative and collaborative way.”

In an unusual order, U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon had asked prosecutors and defense lawyers to formulate proposed jury instructions for most of the charges even though it remains unclear when the case might reach trial.

Sixteen tornadoes were reported Tuesday and Wednesday morning across Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia, along with dozens of damaging wind reports, including gusts topping 100 mph in Kentucky. The Illinois tornado was reported by a trained weather spotter Tuesday near Manteno in Kankakee County, according to the National Weather Service.

The killing of 11-year-old Jayden Perkins is drawing attention to a small state board responsible for deciding when prisoners can be released on parole.

Johnson makes a change to his administration. A meeting of two WWII veterans more than 80 years in the making. And we explore the surge of interest in women’s basketball.

Two local WWII veterans associated with a deadly ship explosion off the coast of Japan met in person for the very first time last week in Evanston. Myron Petrakis is just shy of his 102nd birthday; Marvin Elfman is 97.

Since Mayor Brandon Johnson took office, Cristina Pacione-Zayas has served as his first deputy chief of staff, charged with overseeing the city’s response to the arrival of nearly 38,500 migrants from the southern border.

Millions of people — 12.3 million, the most to ever watch a women’s basketball game, according to ESPN — tuned in across America to watch the opener of an NCAA Tournament doubleheader that captivated fans like never before.

Challenger Sharon Waller has bested incumbent Daniel “Pogo” Pogorzelski in the Democratic race to claim a seat on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District’s board of commissioners, according to unofficial results from the Chicago Board of Elections released Tuesday evening.

The company’s well-known technology lets customers pay for items without standing in line and sends them receipts afterwards.

Klaus Mäkelä has been called “perhaps the fastest-rising conductor of his generation” by The New York Times. He will be the 11th music director in the ensemble’s 133-year history.

A spokesperson for the ATF confirmed it has responded to the scene of the fire at 6850 W. 63rd St. following a request from Chicago’s fire and police departments.

Parents, students and community stakeholders have until this week to complete the school district’s whole school safety survey and voice their opinions as CPS prepares a new holistic approach to school safety districtwide.

The Great American Eclipse is almost here. Here’s how to make the most of the experience in Illinois and the Chicago area.

An alderman faces backlash for appearing at a rally where an American flag was burned. A look at the CTA’s reliance on overtime — and years of incorrect records. And a new book on the Lightfoot years. 

“The City is Up for Grabs: How Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot Led and Lost a City in Crisis” by Chicago Tribune reporter Gregory Pratt offers an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look into Lightfoot's tumultuous tenure in office.

While the team hasn’t yet released plans, Bears president Kevin Warren stated they would commit over $2 billion to transform the Museum Campus and revamp the surrounding infrastructure — all of which Warren hopes could begin as soon as this year.

The case involves Brian Hynes, a Chicago-based lawyer and one-time protégé of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, who maintains a residence in Puerto Rico. Hynes has operated lobbying and business entities over the years that work with the state of Illinois and the city of Chicago.

The Chicago City Council voted 16-29 Monday to reject an effort to punish Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez for speaking at a protest in front of City Hall where an American flag was burned. 

Working in short sleeves on a cold, gray afternoon, Imanaga struck out nine in Chicago’s home opener. The Japanese left-hander, who signed a $53 million, four-year contract with the Cubs in January, allowed two singles and walked none.

The measure now set for a final vote by the full City Council on April 17 would require the Johnson administration to provide alderpeople with a host of data generated by the ShotSpotter system before the city’s contract with SoundThinking expires on Nov. 22. 

University of Chicago lecturer Clayton Harris conceded about an hour after Eileen O’Neill Burke declared victory Friday afternoon after the latest vote count showed her leading by 1,566 votes in a race where more than 527,000 votes were cast.