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CPD Officers Shot and Killed as Many People in First 5 Months of 2025 as They Did in All of 2024: Data

The significant surge in shootings by officers in the first five months of 2025 comes more than six years after city and police leaders agreed to extensive oversight from a federal judge after decades of scandals sparked by misconduct and brutality.

Pritzker Signs $55.1B State Budget Reliant on $700M of New Taxes

The $55.1 billion spending plan set to take effect July 1 is the largest in state history and is supported by $55.3 billion in anticipated revenue, including more than $700 million in new taxes and more than $500 million in one-time revenues.

Ex-Dolton Employee Files Motion to Prevent Village From Acquiring Pope Leo XIV’s Former Home

A former Dolton employee is seeking to halt the village’s purchase of the pope’s former home, claiming such a move would be “financially irresponsible” as the village is in “severe financial distress.”

Downtown Road Closures for 2025 NASCAR Chicago Street Race to Begin Thursday

The 2025 edition of NASCAR’s Chicago Street Race is still more than two weeks away, but road closures and traffic disruptions are scheduled to begin Thursday morning.

All 77 Chicago Park District Pools Will Open Saturday, Just in Time To Beat the Heat

The Chicago Park District has announced that for the first time since 2020, all of the district's 50 outdoor pools will be open seven days a week, beginning Saturday, just as temperatures are expected to soar into the 90s.

Federal Prosecutors Call R. Kelly’s Claims of a Murder Plot Targeting Him a ‘Fanciful Conspiracy’

Federal prosecutors in Chicago filed a motion strenuously objecting to Kelly’s request for release and disputing the “fantastic allegations” in the disgraced singer’s motion.

Anti-Trump ‘No Kings’ Protest, March Draw Thousands to Downtown Chicago

Thousands of protesters gathered in Chicago and across the country Saturday in opposition to President Donald Trump’s administration. Organizers say the national No Kings Day of Defiance aims to reject authoritarianism, billionaire-first politics and the militarization of the country’s democracy.

Sights and Sounds From the ‘No Kings’ Protests Across the Chicago Area

Tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered at multiple protest sights across Chicago and the suburbs Saturday in protest of the Trump administration.

Minnesota Lawmaker Assassinated, Another Shot as Suspect in Politically Motivated Attack Remains At Large

Police have recovered writings that mentioned the names of multiple lawmakers and other officials in the fake police car they believe a suspect used in the shooting of two Democratic legislators in Minnesota.

Chicago to Stop Accepting Online Applications for Municipal IDs After ICE Subpoena, City Clerk Says

Chicagoans can still make an appointment online to apply in-person for a City Key ID card, officials said.

Week in Review: Madigan Sentenced; Pritzker Defends Illinois’ Migrant Protections

Onetime political heavyweight Michael Madigan has his fate decided by a federal judge. And Chicagoans join nationwide protests against the Trump administration.

Ex-Illinois Speaker Michael Madigan Sentenced to 7.5 Years in Prison After Conviction in Landmark Corruption Case

U.S. District Judge John Blakey handed down the sentence Friday, four months after the former Illinois House speaker was convicted of 10 felony corruption charges.

Juneteenth Short Film Series at Music Box Theatre to Celebrate Black Chicago Filmmakers

The Juneteenth installment of the short film series “Life Within the Lens” will take place 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 18, at the Music Box Theatre. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with filmmakers.

Piping Plover Nesting Season Is a Record-Breaker, Greatest Number of Pairs Since Species Was Listed as Endangered

According to the Great Lakes Piping Plover Recovery Effort, 2025 has been a year for the record books, with 82 breeding pairs counted.

Trump Administration Gives Personal Data of Immigrant Medicaid Enrollees to Deportation Officials

The dataset includes the information of people living in California, Illinois, Washington state and Washington, D.C., all of which allow non-U.S. citizens to enroll in Medicaid programs that pay for their expenses using only state taxpayer dollars.

Giannoulias Calls for Investigation After Suburban License-Plate Data Shared With Police in Texas Seeking Woman Who Had Abortion

Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias asked the attorney general to review the matter. He also is creating an audit system to ensure police departments don’t run afoul of a 2023 law banning the distribution of license-plate data to track women seeking abortions or to find undocumented immigrants.

Illinois Attorney General’s Office to Receive $15.7M Budget Increase for Operations

Kwame Raoul’s office has joined lawsuits challenging actions of the Trump administration as well as defending the state against legal actions the administration has filed against Illinois.

Liz Callaway Sings a Valentine to Sondheim and Her Father, ‘Chicago Tonight’ Creator John Callaway

Liz Callaway returns to Chicago this weekend to perform “To Steve with Love” at the Studebaker Theater and celebrate the composer through his words and music – and she’ll offer some personal recollections of the man himself.

Haitian American, African Immigrant Organizations in Chicago Push Back Against Trump’s Travel Ban

In a joint statement, the Coalition of Haitian American Organizations in the Chicagoland Area and the United African Organization called on congressional leaders to put pressure on President Donald Trump to reverse the ban.

Nearly 4.5 Years After 28-Year City Contract With ComEd Expired, No New Deal in Sight

The lack of a contract between the city of Chicago and Commonwealth Edison inked in the 21st century has tied the city’s hands in the fight against climate change and halted efforts to transition to clean energy.

June 12, 2025 - Full Show

Gov. JB Pritzker testifies before Congress about protections for undocumented immigrants. And what you can expect from Saturday’s “No Kings” rally.

What to Know About ‘No Kings’ Protests Happening in Chicago, Across the US on Saturday

Opponents of President Donald Trump’s administration are set to rally in hundreds of cities on Saturday during the military parade in Washington to mark the Army’s 250th anniversary, which coincides with Trump’s birthday.

Gov. JB Pritzker Defends Protections for Undocumented Immigrants to Congress, Urges GOP to Fix ‘Broken Immigration System’

The governor’s appearance is the latest flashpoint in Illinois’ ongoing battle with the GOP-controlled U.S House and the Trump administration, which is attempting to strip self-proclaimed sanctuary cities of all federal funding.

Audio Adaptation of ‘Hamlet’ Delivers Fresh Take on Shakespearean Tragedy

“We can make them feel that they’re inside the main character’s head,” Make-Believe Association founder Jeremy McCarter said. “And I just thought, well, if we can do that, what would be a more interesting head to be inside than Hamlet’s?”

Chicago Immigrant Advocates Demand End to ‘Deceptive’ ICE Raids, Reminds Communities to Know Their Rights

The calls come ahead of more ICE protests in Chicago as the city braces for potential federal immigration raids by ICE tactical units this week. “As news spreads about militarized ICE teams carrying out Trump’s agenda of hate on the streets of Chicago, so too does the fear among our community members,” Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights Executive Director Lawrence Benito said during a news conference.

City Council to Weigh Paying $2.1M to Resolve Another Lawsuit Tied to Convicted Ex-Sgt. Ronald Watts

William Carter spent a total of four years in jail after pleading guilty in two cases and being convicted in a third that he alleges were based on false evidence gathered by Watts, who was convicted in 2013 of taking bribes, and other officers.
 

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