Stories by Peter Hancock — Capitol News Illinois

As the 2024 election season draws near, voters will once again choose whether to cast their ballots in person or by mail. One Illinois lawmaker is proposing a bill that would make voting by mail the default option for people in counties and cities that choose to go that route.

The first of two rounds of snow made for a snowy morning commute Friday, with a second round set to hit overnight into Saturday. 

Helen Grace Caldwell, 58, was charged in Chicago’s federal court Thursday with wire fraud. Her arraignment has not yet been scheduled.

Of the more than 30,000 migrants that have been sent to Chicago from the southern border, more than 200 were living at the city’s landing zone in the West Loop as of Thursday — using CTA buses as temporary shelters. 

Federal prosecutors have once again expressed their opposition to any delay in sentencing for the “ComEd Four” defendants, arguing it’s “wishful thinking” that an unrelated case making its way before the U.S. Supreme Court could put those verdicts in jeopardy.

The iconic gum, which has been sold since the 1960s, came in five flavors: Wet n’ Wild Melon, Cherry, Lemon, Orange and Peach. Each pack came with a temporary tattoo of its mascot, Yipes the Zebra.

Hundreds of migrants are using CTA buses as shelters at the city’s landing zone. Should citizenship be reserved for only those born here? And a community business hub is coming to Little Village.

Little Village is known for its business corridor and its Latino entrepreneurship. A space coming to the heart of the neighborhood is designed to help those without access to resources kickstart a business.

Some Republican presidential candidates said they want to do away with birthright citizenship for the children of immigrants living in the U.S. unlawfully. Right now, anyone born in the United States automatically becomes a U.S. citizen.

Donald Trump’s decision to launch into a monologue at the conclusion of his lawyers’ closing arguments reflected the fact that the civil fraud trial is a serious threat to Trump’s business and brand – New York Attorney General Letitia James is seeking to bar Trump from doing business in the state

Under a deal with prosecutors reached last year, the 28-year-old Chicago rapper, whose real name is Herbert Wright III, entered a guilty plea in federal court in Springfield, Massachusetts, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and making false statements. In exchange, prosecutors dismissed several counts of aggravated identity theft.

Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias says another round of updates should make it easier to book in-person appointments and reduce the number of people who actually need to make those appointments.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for Chicago and the surrounding region, in effect from 3 a.m. Friday through noon on Saturday.

The GoFundMe campaign organized on behalf of the parents of Jean Carlos Martinez Rivero has raised more than $6,000 out of its $25,000 goal as of Thursday afternoon.

Japanese left-hander Shōta Imanaga and the Chicago Cubs finalized a $53 million, four-year contract on Thursday, a deal that includes a club option that could make the agreement worth $80 million over five seasons.

Illinois officials said they don’t know when or where migrants will arrive, nor how many — making it difficult to coordinate care, particularly given that many asylum seekers don’t have coats and clothing appropriate for Chicago’s winter weather.

CPS is going a different route to address its bus driver shortage. What a permanent child tax credit could mean for Illinois families. And reaction to the ouster of Harvard University’s first Black woman president.

Claudine Gay resigned after backlash to her testimony at a congressional hearing where she was criticized for not doing enough to tackle antisemitism on campus. She also faced accusations of plagiarism. Gay’s supporters, however, said her ouster reflects a system that wasn’t built for people of color.

Advocates and lawmakers are calling for a permanent child tax credit to help lessen the economic burden on struggling families.

Professional Bull Riders is a sports league based on the most popular event at rodeos: bull riding, the man-versus-beast contest in which a cowboy rides a bull in search of eight seconds of glory and a slice of prize money. A tour is coming to Rosemont Jan. 12-13.

The National Weather Service is still refining its forecast in terms of snow totals, but is certain that a storm system and arctic blast will hit Chicago this weekend.

The court heard two consolidated cases of individuals who were in vehicles that were searched after an officer used the smell of cannabis as probable cause. Lawyers argued the smell of cannabis alone should not be probable cause to search a vehicle given that the substance is no longer illegal in Illinois.

Trees from Brookfield Zoo’s Holiday Magic display were repurposed as enrichment activities for several animals. 

Deshawn Lucas, 33, has been charged with two counts of attempted murder and unlawful use of a weapon, as well as individual counts of aggravated battery and burglary.

The video of that reenactment – which Jessica Logan’s lawyers maintain she was coerced into performing – was used as a key piece of evidence in her 2021 conviction on first-degree murder charges.

Students can usually fill out the FAFSA starting in October, but the 2024-2025 version only became available last week because the Department of Education was still working on the new form.