Stories by

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.

The latest on indicted ex-Illinois House speaker Michael Madigan’s political fund. The Supreme Court takes up a college affirmative action case. Should the city plow sidewalks as well as streets? And the flowers tied to Día de los Muertos.

Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan is under federal indictment on corruption charges and no longer holds a reputation as the state’s most powerful politician. Despite all that, he is still a successful fundraiser.

When it comes to paying off that debt, Black and Latino graduates are struggling. Nearly half of Black students owe an average of 12.5% more than they borrowed, according to the Education Data Initiative.

A major health care merger involving Deerfield-based Walgreens. Two Illinois nuclear plants that were once at risk of closing will now run for decades to come. And a new report finds that Illinois is among the top states where life sciences companies attract investment.

What if homeowners didn’t have to plow sidewalks and city workers took up that function instead? There is a growing movement to do just that — and it’s driven by the inconsistency and lack of accessibility of Chicago’s sidewalks after a big snow event.

The Chicago Bears agreed to trade linebacker Roquan Smith to the Baltimore Ravens on Monday, according to a person with knowledge of the deal. It’s the Bears’ second major trade involving a defensive player in less than a week.

The district attorney’s remarks come as the gruesome attack on the husband of the House speaker is being mocked and dismissed in conservative, far-right social media, even among some Republicans leaders and those at the highest levels of social power. San Francisco’s police chief has also said the attack was targeted.

Three former Illinois prison guards face life behind bars after the 2018 fatal beating of a 65-year-old inmate in a case marked by the unpunished lies of other correctional officers who continue to get pay raises, records obtained by The Associated Press and court documents show.

The Supreme Court wrestled with persistent, difficult questions of race Monday, debating whether to end the use of affirmative action in higher education.

The City Colleges of Chicago Teachers Union Local 1600 called off a planned Nov. 2 walkout after tentatively reaching a four-year contract agreement late Sunday.