Kenwood stands along the shore of Lake Michigan with a mix of 19th century mansions and affordable housing. It’s an area that’s been fighting the closure of schools and gun violence. We talk with residents who have been here for decades about their investment into the community and more.

The county’s chief judge weighs in on the city’s violence. The Bears may have a new head coach. A teacher shortage statewide. Live in Kenwood for “In Your Neighborhood” And, we go ski jumping.

Illinois is facing a teacher shortage — and a new survey shows school leaders fear it is getting worse.  The survey was conducted last fall, before the highly contagious omicron COVID-19 variant, which poses added challenges to schools as some struggle to keep buildings staffed enough to host in-person classes.

A change made by state lawmakers in January 2021 to a sweeping criminal justice law removes the possibility of prosecutors charging defendants with murder in cases when a third party is responsible for the killing. But criminal justice groups are lobbying for further changes.

There are only four members of the 2022 U.S. Olympic men’s ski jumping team. And three of the Olympians on their way to Beijing trained at a historic club 40 miles northwest of Chicago. 

Matt Eberflus is the new coach of the Chicago Bears, a person with direct knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press, tasked with turning around a franchise mired in mediocrity for much of the past decade.

During a speech to the Union League Club of Chicago, Cook County Chief Judge Tim Evans said he would assign five additional judges to the criminal division of the Cook County Court in an effort to ensure that cases progress from charges to resolution faster. 

A potential mayoral candidate sounds off on city crime. Our Spotlight team on that and the governor’s race. A supreme court justice may soon retire. And sending mental health providers to 911 calls.

A Chicagoan took the extra time the pandemic provided as an opportunity to start her own side hustle. Now, she’s the owner of a shop in Pilsen that connects its customers and their pets with handmade designs from Mexico.

Chicago Public Schools students in predominantly Latino communities are being disproportionately impacted by pollution emitted from industrial sites across the city. 

Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown joined Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx to announce charges Wednesday against a 16-year-old boy and a 27-year-old man.

To prevent a mental health crisis from turning into a potentially deadly encounter with police, care professionals and organizations are prioritizing treatment over a criminal justice response when possible. A non-profit in Rogers Park launched a mental health emergency responder program earlier this month.

Former Secretary of Education Arne Duncan blasted Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s public safety strategy as a complete failure on Wednesday during a speech to the Chicago Chamber of Commerce, the clearest sign yet that he may be gearing up to run for mayor of Chicago in 2023.