Stories by Erica Gunderson

During the Mexican-American War from 1846 to 1848, a group of Irish immigrants deserted the U.S. Army to fight alongside Mexican soldiers. However remarkable the story might be, it’s a chapter of history that’s not especially well known in the U.S.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s plan to close a projected $170.6 million budget gap in 2023 relies on booming tax revenues that she said proves Chicago’s budget has fully recovered from the economic catastrophe caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., asks the court to block the payment until the attorneys general have reviewed Albertsons’ proposed merger with Kroger Co.

Scott Lennox bragged to friends about sending the message, according to Cook County prosecutors, which led to Darren Bailey requesting additional security for himself and his family and to a soft lockdown at the school Bailey runs with his wife.

The Fed’s move raised its key short-term rate to a range of 3.75% to 4%, its highest level in 15 years. It was the central bank’s sixth rate hike this year — a streak that has made mortgages and other consumer and business loans increasingly expensive and heightened the risk of a recession.

The refrain of Biden’s presidency — this promise that things will get better — is butting up against his own dire political projections: A Congress potentially controlled by what he’s labeled “ultra-MAGA” Republicans as he faces midterm elections that will define, and quite possibly stifle, the next two years of his term.

Two of the largest U.S. pharmacy chains, CVS Health and Walgreen Co., announced agreements in principle Wednesday to pay about $5 billion each to settle lawsuits nationwide over the toll of opioids, and a lawyer said Walmart is in discussions for a deal.

Through the end of October, 580 people have been killed in the city, down 16% from the same time period last year and a 13% drop compared with 2020.

Of all the governmental entities a voter might encounter on a ballot, the MWRD is arguably the one people interact with the most — multiple times per day, whether they realize it or not — yet understand the least.

If the question in Evanston passes next week, ranked choice voting would first be used in the city in the spring of 2025.

In Pilsen, one Chicago resident transformed her backyard into an altar that provides a transportive experience. You’ll find skulls, flowers and all kinds of objects offered to those who once lived.

On Tuesday, the Illinois State Board of Elections warned of a text message disinformation campaign aiming to sow confusion about polling places.

Earlier this fall, the Anti-Defamation League released a report identifying over 370 people it believes currently work in law enforcement nationwide that were included on a leaked far-right Oath Keepers membership list. 

Brandon Johnson vowed to address the structural inequity that pervades Chicago and fuels violent crime, calling high-performing schools, affordable housing and health care all violence prevention measures.

Although George Cardenas will not take his seat on the Board of Review until January, he said his resignation will take effect Nov. 30, giving the mayor a chance to conduct a “thorough search for his replacement.”

Patti Smith was honored by Chicago’s Poetry Foundation with a Pegasus Award. 

Legendary musician, poet and writer Patti Smith was born in Chicago. Here's a rundown of her cultural connections. 

The latest on last night’s mass shooting in East Garfield Park. We meet the latest entrant in the race for mayor. The future of Twitter under new owner Elon Musk. And one-on-one with Chicago-raised music legend Patti Smith.

The attack on 82-year-old Paul Pelosi sent shockwaves through the political world just days before the hotly contested midterm elections. Threats against lawmakers and elections officials have been at all-time highs in this first nationwide election since the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol.

Elon Musk even changed his profile to “Twitter Complaint Hotline Operator” — with a photo of himself when he was a toddler holding a telephone. But it is almost impossible for those outside of Twitter to know what strings he is pulling or whose accounts have been suspended.

Pfizer announced Tuesday that a large international study found vaccinating moms-to-be was nearly 82% effective at preventing severe cases of RSV in their babies’ most vulnerable first 90 days of life. At age 6 months, the vaccine still was proving 69% effective against serious illness.

For Chicago, by Chicago. That’s how local playwright Ricardo Gamboa describes a new production that address the racial and social biases he says he witnessed growing up as a queer Mexican American.

The Chicago Police Department said it does't appear anyone was struck by gunfire during the shooting, which occurred Tuesday morning in the Logan Square neighborhood.

To keep jack-o'-lanterns from clogging landfills, dozens of pumpkin smash events will take place Saturday. Pumpkins will be collected and composted instead of trashed.

Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and his longtime associate Michael McClain entered not guilty pleas Tuesday morning on new charges stemming from their alleged involvement in a corruption scheme involving AT&T Illinois.

The victims were hospitalized in various states, with some in critical condition and others who suffered non-life-threatening injuries, Police Superintendent David Brown said late Monday night.