Stories by Erica Gunderson

Every winter, Chicago stands divided around a practice commonly known as “dibs” – when car owners use janky household objects to reserve their precious shoveled-out parking spaces. So how did it begin? 

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday denied to take up a petition filed by state Rep. Dan Caulkins, R-Decatur, that sought to overturn a ruling on a related case he’d brought before the Illinois Supreme Court.

Parts of the Chicago region could get socked with upwards of 8 inches of snow while areas closest to the lake could see just an inch or two, forecasters said.

The Courage Fund’s first grant comes from the Ford Foundation, which announced a $1 million donation on Dec. 13. A Long Walk Home and A Call to Men, national organizations focused on sexual-violence prevention and education for two decades, will lead the effort.

Applications are now open to serve four-year terms on the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability, which is designed to give Chicagoans real control of the police department as part of an effort to build trust in officers and police brass and put an end to repeated allegations of misconduct. 

According to the Chicago Police Department, 11 people were shot in 11 separate shooting incidents between 6 p.m. Friday and 11:59 p.m. Sunday.

“I’d like to think it will serve as a deterrent,” Elmhurst University professor Constance Mixon said. “But none of the other 37 convictions served as a deterrent. It ought to make people think twice. But I don’t know. I’d like to be optimistic.”

The 18-year-old Connor Bedard has been Chicago’s best player, living up to the hype after he was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in last year’s draft.

Amid five straight years of record overdose deaths in Illinois, a new state program aims to alleviate a shortage of professionals who work to prevent substance use disorders.

The FAA said the planes must be parked until emergency inspections are performed, which will “take around four to eight hours per aircraft.” The order impacts 171 Boeing 737 Max 9 jets, the agency approximates.

President Biden on the campaign trail — but it’s not just any campaign speech. And Chicago’s suburbs seek to block buses of migrants.

The court will be considering for the first time the meaning and reach of a provision of the 14th Amendment barring some people who “engaged in insurrection” from holding public office. The amendment was adopted in 1868, following the Civil War.

If you’re seeking activities that don’t break the bank this winter, look no further than local museums, zoos and gardens. A number have announced free admission days in 2024.

According to CDC estimates, since the beginning of October, there have been at least 10 million illnesses, 110,000 hospitalizations, and 6,500 deaths from flu so far this season. The agency said 27 children have died of flu.

Friday’s government report showed that December’s job gain exceeded the 173,000 that were added in November. The unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.7% — the 23rd straight month that joblessness has come in below 4%.

National data from the FBI covering January to September 2023 showed an 8.2% drop in all violent crime, including a 15.6% drop in murders, compared to the same period in 2022. These declines were seen in cities over 1 million people and those under 10,000, and across all four regional quadrants of the US.

The trains are running at reduced speeds of 35 miles per hour “out of an abundance of caution,” officials said.

The latest on the financial toll of the migrant crisis that’s gripping Chicago. How the city’s suburbs are trying to curb unannounced migrant drop-offs. And a look at what homebuyers and sellers can expect to see in 2024.

Interest rates saw record highs last year, reaching almost 8% and raising concerns for first-time buyers looking to get into the market. This was until 2023 saw a slight decline beginning in November. The trend is expected to continue, sparking interest again for that group.

Chicago’s 60-day shelter-stay limit has asylum seekers looking to find permanent housing in the area. A new privately funded apartment-style living arrangement has been in the works since October and could offer a solution.

The tally, which includes all invoices paid through Dec. 15, defies predictions released by city officials in mid-October that the cost of the migrant crisis to taxpayers would top $361 million by the end of 2023.

The Chicago City Council passed an ordinance allowing officials to impound buses bringing migrants to the city outside official hours and landing zones. It’s led multiple suburbs to follow in Chicago’s footsteps by passing similar emergency policies.

A group of five voters filed a joint objection to former President Donald Trump’s candidacy, arguing that he should be disqualified under the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits anyone who took part in an insurrection against the U.S. from holding federal office.

Illinois boasts the largest population of wintering bald eagles outside of Alaska. They’re attracted to our not-quite-frozen waterways.

The Franklin County Juvenile Detention Center abruptly closed on Dec. 31. The judge who ordered the closure said staffing shortages made it difficult to meet state standards for caring for youth in custody.

Even an artistic genius gets by with a little help from his friends. “Picasso: Drawing from Life” spotlights the artist’s works on paper and explores the influence of friends, muses, fellow artists and dealers.