Chicago

Marijuana

4/20 is Saturday. Here's what you need to know for weed's 'high' holiday.

Read on to find out about how 4/20 came about, some frequently asked questions about Delta-8 weed alternative and a weed syndrome that causes vomiting, and some events that fall on the high holiday.

By David Struett

Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates

City Hall

Chicago Teachers Union demanding 9% annual raises, won't rule out a strike

Having former CTU organizer Brandon Johnson in the mayor’s office won’t keep the union from walking out if needed, CTU President Stacy Davis Gates told the Sun-Times, adding that “we’re a labor union that understands the power of solidarity and the power of work stoppage.”

By Fran Spielman

Mayor Brandon Johnson makes his inaugural address at Credit Union 1 Arena on Monday, May 15, 2023.

City Hall

Petition drive launched to give Chicago voters power to recall mayor

If Daniel Boland’s petition drive collects 56,464 valid signatures by Aug. 5, the question could go on the November ballot. But that would just give Chicago voters the power to remove a mayor via recall, which they don’t now have.

By Fran Spielman

Crime

New Chicago intelligence hub aims to ‘squeeze every last piece of evidence’ out of guns used in crimes

A Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives facility is the latest effort to disrupt violent crime in Chicago, where police have been taking 12,000 guns off the street every year.

By Jon Seidel

Weather

Thunderstorms, strong winds move through Chicago, suburbs

A hazardous weather outlook, bringing gusty winds and showers, was in effect in Cook County on Tuesday evening, as well as much of northern Illinois and parts of northwest Indiana through midnight.

By Sun-Times Wire

Rev. Frederick Douglass Haynes III chats with Rev. Jesse Jackson at the Rainbow PUSH Convention Faith Leaders Luncheon at the David Rubenstein Forum at the University of Chicago on the South Side, Tuesday, July 18, 2023. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

Chicago

New leader of Jesse Jackson's Rainbow PUSH Coalition steps down after less than 3 months on the job

The Rev. Frederick Haynes III, pastor of Friendship-West Baptist Church in Dallas, took over as president and CEO of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition in February and had planned to run the organization from Texas.

By Associated Press

News

Police search for driver who hit student and fled in Roseland

A minor was crossing the street about 3:20 p.m. Monday near Fenger High School, 11220 S. Wallace, when he was hit and left with serious injuries, police said.

By Sun-Times Wire

Crime

1,000 pounds of substances used with meth, cocaine seized in Chicago

The substances were found April 11 in a shipping container on its way from China to northwest suburban Wood Dale.

By Sun-Times Wire

OCHOALOPEZ-041724_7.jpgYovanny Lopez, husband of Marlen Ochoa-Lopez and father of Yovanny Jadiel Lopez, stands beside a photo of him, his wife, his son and Yovanny Jadiel Lopez (pictured at the bottom) while speaking to the media after a hearing at the George N. Leighton Criminal Courthouse in Little Village, Tuesday, April 16, 2024. Clarisa Figueroa entered a plea deal Tuesday for the murder of Ochoa-Lopez and cutting her baby, Yovanny Jadiel Lopez, from the womb in 2019. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

Crime

Clarisa Figueroa pleads guilty to strangling Marlen Ochoa-Lopez, cutting baby from womb

Figueroa was sentenced to 50 years in prison. The infant, Yovanny Jadiel Lopez, died several weeks later.

By Matthew Hendrickson

Education

CTU makes most ‘ambitious’ demands ever in new contract, wants bargaining done in public

The teachers union’s contract expires this summer. On top of raises for staff, it wants help for unhoused students and more dual-language education.

By Sarah Karp | WBEZ

Politics

In Chicago, Ukrainian prime minister seeks urgent military aid from Congress, Illinois investment

Ukrainian Prime Minster Denys Shmyhal joined Gov. J.B. Pritzker and President Joe Biden’s special representative Penny Pritzker to tout the importance of American investment in Ukraine.

By Tina Sfondeles

Money

World Business Chicago names new CEO

Philip Clement, who succeeds Michael Fassnacht, is tasked with promoting Chicago as a destination for businesses.

By Amy Yee

Crime

Chicago police, community partners open emergency assistance center following Back of Yards mass shooting

The center will be open Wednesday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Richard J. Daley Academy, 5024 S. Wolcott Ave.

By Sophie Sherry

Chicago

Brookfield Zoo to welcome its first koalas — 'one of the cutest animals on the planet’

Brumby and Willum, two 2-year-old koalas, will make their debut at Brookfield Zoo Chicago, starting Memorial Day weekend. The zoo is one of 11 accredited zoological facilities in North America to host the marsupials for the public.

By Jessica Ma

Screenshot 2024-04-16 at 11.26.44 AM.png

Religion

Antisemitic acts in Illinois and nation at worst levels ever, Anti-Defamation League says

“In the 45 years since ADL began tracking antisemitic incidents in 1979, it has never been this bad,” said ADL Midwest regional director David Goldenberg. According to a new report, Illinois saw a 74% increase in antisemitic incidents in 2023.

By David Struett

Columnists

Joffrey production of "Midsummer Night's Dream" includes humble dried plant in a starring role

The play uses “hay” — actually raffia, derived from palm leaves — to cover the stage for each performance.

By Neil Steinberg

Ald. Debra Silverstein (50th) pictured at an October City Council meeting.

Chicago

Mayor hosts forum to combat antisemitism and other forms of hate, but some invitees skip meeting

About 20 elected officials and community organizers discussed ways the city can combat antisemitism, though attendees said it was just the start of the conversation. Ald. Debra Silverstein (50th) said the gesture was ‘hollow.’

By Violet Miller

The Catherine Cook School in the 49th ChicagoPride Parade. | Rick Majewski/For the Sun-Times.

LGBTQIA+

Chicago Pride Parade denies all previous year's school participants

All schools that participated in the 2023 Pride Parade were denied entry this year, and teachers see irony in exclusion from “one of the most inclusive places that you can go.”

By Mariah Rush

Crime

Man's body pulled from Lake Michigan at North Avenue

The remains, of a man possibly in his 40s, were recovered about 6:40 a.m.

By Sun-Times Wire

Crime

Man fatally shot in Roseland

A 34-year-old man was found on the sidewalk in the 200 block of East 111th Street at about 10 p.m., police said. He was taken to a nearby hospital where he died.

By Sun-Times Wire

A large group of family members and supporters hold balloons outside in front of homes, as more balloons are clustered in bunches and priests wearing black and white vestments are on hand to lead prayers.

News

Back of the Yards mass shooting victims Ariana Molina, others mourned at vigil

Eleven people were shot in an attack Saturday at a family celebration and 9-year-old Ariana was killed. Relatives pushed back on online reports that they were involved in gangs.

By Cindy Hernandez

Obituaries

Chris Crane, former Exelon CEO and nuclear energy proponent, dies at 65

The company said Chris Crane will be remembered for his “transformational milestones” on safety and equity, specifically related to his work in the nuclear energy field.

By Violet Miller

Chicago Inspector General Deborah Witzburg speaks at a City Club of Chicago luncheon at Maggiano’s Banquets last November.

City Hall

Chicago's watchdog moves to fire police supervisor who lied about sex assault probe of fellow cop

Details of the case were included in a report published by Inspector General Deborah Witzburg’s office, which details serious misconduct investigations involving city workers, one of several that found evidence of apparent police cover-ups.

By Tom Schuba

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle (left) attends a news conference last year to endorse then mayoral candidate Brandon Johnson outside City Hall in the Loop.

City Hall

Preckwinkle bends ears, twists arms to help Johnson deliver $70 million in migrant funding

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle was among those calling recalcitrant City Council members, urging them to support the migrant funding the mayor promised months ago. After the last-minute lobbying, the stage is set for full Council approval Wednesday.

By Fran Spielman

Police stand in front of a highly damaged white sedan, with its front bumper laying on the ground.

News

Chicago cop sued by family of woman fatally struck outside House of Blues

A lawsuit filed Friday in Cook County court accuses Officer Tangie O. Brown of driving while intoxicated when she fatally struck Maria Schwab on Dec. 7. Brown’s blood-alcohol level was 0.093% when she was tested two hours after the incident.

By David Struett

Crime

5-year-old girl dies of injuries from child abuse in Austin

Lyric Jackson was brought to West Suburban Hospital in Oak Park with bruises on her face about 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Chicago police said. She later died. An autopsy showed she died as a result of abuse.

By Sun-Times Wire

Law enforcement unleashes a stream of pepper spray at protesters on State near Lake in the Loop as thousands in Chicago joined national outrage over the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody, Saturday afternoon, May 30, 2020. | Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times

City Hall

City Council committee OKs $750K settlement stemming from George Floyd protest

Ald. Brendan Reilly said he’s concerned paying a settlement to Bryan Mejia, who suffered a fractured leg and torn ACL, will invite protesters expected for the Democratic National Convention to wreak havoc, then bombard the city with lawsuits.

By Fran Spielman

News

Chinatown gets a DMV office as Giannoulias jettisons use of driver services facilities name

At a ribbon-cutting on Monday, the Illinois Secretary of State made it clear he wants to call it a DMV.

By David Struett

Heavy traffic is seen at O'Hare International Airport after pro-Palestinian demonstrators blocked westbound Interstate 90, Monday, April 15, 2024.

Transportation

40 pro-Palestinian demonstrators arrested in protest blocking expressway to O'Hare

The demonstration was part of a global “economic blockade to free Palestine,” according to organizers. Protesters also took to the streets in the San Francisco Bay Area, on the Brooklyn Bridge and Interstate 5 in Eugene, Oregon.

By Mary Norkol and Cindy Hernandez

Family members of Ariana Molina cry, embrace and mourn on the sidewalk between the tree lawn and the fence in front of the house where the girl died in a mass shooting.

Crime

9-year-old girl killed in Back of the Yards mass shooting was 'the princess of the family'

Relatives of Ariana Molina have set up a GoFundMe account after Ariana was killed Saturday during a confirmation celebration with her family. Ten other people, including her mother, were wounded. Police blame gangs for the shooting.

By Kaitlin Washburn and Matthew Hendrickson

A purple sphere emitting light against black background.

Education

Northwestern astrophysicists find possibly one of the lightest black holes ever

They used gravitational wave signals to discover a neutron star crashing into a mysterious object, believed to be a black hole.

By Jessica Ma

City Hall

Mayor Johnson's plan to borrow $1.25 billion hits another roadblock

Things went sideways in the Finance Committee, and Ald. Pat Dowell, the committee chair, recessed the meeting until Wednesday, telling the Sun-Times she hopes the committee will vote then.

By Fran Spielman