Stories by Angel Idowu

Levy, the hospitality partner of the Bears, on Wednesday unveiled a menu of new foods that will be available this season at Soldier Field. The new lineup offers an updated version of football food classics, including a Chicago dog with a Bears player’s personal twist. 

As of June 30, nearly half a million 401(k) accounts (497,000) had balances of $1 million or more, up 2.5% from the prior quarter. The average balance hit $1,595,200, up from $1,581,000 at the end of March, according to Fidelity’s data.

The pictures were released Wednesday as FBI officials gave new details around Thomas Matthew Crooks’ internet searches in the days before the shooting and how investigators are using those searches to piece together his mindset that day.

Medical marijuana patients can now purchase cannabis grown by small businesses as part of their allotment, Illinois’ top cannabis regulator said, but smaller, newly licensed cannabis growers are still seeking greater access to the state’s medical marijuana customers.

The Education Department is seeking to provide a faster path to loan cancellation, and reduce monthly income-based repayments from 10% to 5% of a borrower’s discretionary income. The plan also wouldn’t require borrowers to make payments if they earn less than 225% of the federal poverty line — $32,800 a year for a single person.

For more than a decade, the Illinois and Chicago departments of transportation have been holding public meetings on a proposed redesign of North DuSable Lake Shore Drive. Earlier this month, they held an open house to show off their preferred option — one that doesn’t include a dedicated or shared lane for buses.

Farmers are also planting more acres of corn, in part to meet demand for ethanol, according to the USDA’s Economic Research Service. It all means more plants working harder to stay cool — pumping out humidity that adds to steamy misery like that blanketing much of the U.S. this week.

To this day, Chicagoans live in a fairly segregated city. And that segregation didn’t happen by coincidence but by design. WTTW News Explains how redlining worked in Chicago.

Crews start demolishing a longtime landmark to make way for Chicago’s permanent casino. And Chicago Public Schools are in session — how teachers are tackling the new year.

The Chicago Teachers Union is still in the midst of public contract negotiations, and the union said CPS leaders aren’t doing enough about the lack of academic resources. This comes amid concerns over district funding.

The permanent casino will be four times as big as the temporary casino now open at the Medinah Temple at Ohio Street and Wabash Avenue.

A man whose body was discovered in Wisconsin near the Illinois border in 1993 was known only as John Doe for more than three decades. He is now confirmed to be Ronald Louis Dodge following nearly a decade of renewed DNA testing and analysis.

For many Chicagoans, visiting Judy and the rest of the small herd at Brookfield represented their sole chance to encounter a bison — the national mammal of the U.S.

“The reality of climate change can be debilitating, it’s hard to know where to even start,” said state Rep. Laura Faver Dias (D- Grayslake), who introduced the bill in the General Assembly. “But now anyone can help restore native habitat right in our own yards.”

Chicago broke the record of 97 degrees set for this day in 1973, according to the weather service.

Will Fletcher, who took over as the school district’s watchdog in 2020, resigned last week with nearly two years left in his term.

“OGs for Harris” who supported the vice president in 2019 reunited for a celebratory brunch last week outside of official DNC programming.

And yes, the salted caramel spice cake can be made into a shake.

Ronnie Hunt was charged with conveying articles useful for the escape of a prisoner, Mississippi Department of Public Safety spokesperson Bailey Martin said Tuesday. Martin said “additional charges are probable.” She did not respond to a question about whether Hunt is represented by an attorney.

Not only was the Arizona ruling a missed opportunity for the justices to explain when they will engage in election and voting cases, experts say it has also heightened concern that the court is unevenly applying a murky legal principle intended to reduce chaos rather than add to it.

The Republican ticket of former President Donald Trump and running mate Ohio Senator J.D. Vance is set to visit several swing states this week. While the Democratic team of Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is going on a bus tour of Georgia. 

Martinez said he has not been told by anyone in the Johnson administration that his job is on the line, and in an interview on “Chicago Tonight” Monday evening, maintained there’s “never been better alignment between our district, our board … the city, the mayor, and I would argue even the unions” as they all know and want CPS to have more money.

Anthony Gay spent more than 20 years in solitary confinement. He also became an advocate against the practice. He had just been granted compassionate medical release from federal custody, just days before his 51st birthday. He died of lung and liver cancer.

As Chicago Public School kids are back in class, we talk to CPS CEO Pedro Martinez. And what to know about Chicago’s excessive heat warning.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave the recall a more urgent classification Friday after making its original announcement Aug. 15. The new classification said the affected product may temporarily cause adverse health consequences but is unlikely to cause serious or irreversible medical issues.

Cornel West, a leftist academic, progressive activist and long-shot presidential candidate, is at the center of multiple legal and political battles as Democrats and Republicans seek to use the impacts of third-party candidates who could take support from their opponents.