Politics

Cristina Nichole Iglesias, who received gender affirming surgery in March 2023 while she was serving her prison sentence, sits among the flowers at the Garfield Park Conservatory in Garfield Park, Friday, April 5, 2024. Iglesias said that going through gender dysphoria was “traumatic” and “torture.” The surgery was made possible by a settlement she reached with the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

LGBTQIA+

After fighting to have gender-affirming care, a former prisoner adjusts to life in Chicago as a woman

Cristina Nichole Iglesias sued the federal Bureau of Prisons for the right to have the surgery and get the agency to pay for it and won.

By Stefano Esposito

University of Chicago students, faculty members and their supporters protest in support of Palestine and march around the South Side campus, Friday, April 26, 2024. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

Israel-Hamas War

Hundreds join pro-Palestinian protests at Chicago universities; Northwestern encampment continues for 2nd night

Politics

Cook County Democratic leaders pick Monica Gordon to run for county clerk: 'I have some big shoes to fill'

Democracy Solutions Project

Illinois Republicans grapple with mail voting amid mixed signals from Trump — 'We have to adapt'

Education

Arlington Heights school nurse placed on leave amid probe into possible medicine swap

Podcast

The Fran Spielman Show

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

Columnists

Democratic Party leaders meet in Chicago this week for pre-convention talks

In Chicago, the Democratic National Committee leaders will pick the members of the party’s platform, rules and credentials committees at the last party meeting before the August convention to renominate President Joe Biden.

By Lynn Sweet

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

Politics

Pritzker creates new parole board post to ramp up domestic violence prevention training after killing of 11-year-old boy

The appointment of James Montgomery comes three weeks after chair Don Shelton and board member LeAnn Miller resigned. Miller oversaw the decision to release Crosetti Brand, who then allegedly stabbed his ex-girlfriend and killed her 11-year-old son Jayden Perkins.

By Tina Sfondeles

Carl Wolf, executive director of Respond Now, a non-profit in the south suburbs, says if more municipalities don’t want to use $20 million in Cook County grants to help migrants, they can pass the money through to organizations like his.

Immigration

Cook County is offering $20 million for suburbs to help migrants — but finding few takers

Some towns say they’re already overburdened. Nonprofit organizations working to help migrants say suburbs could pass the money to them.

By Kristen Schorsch | WBEZ Chicago

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

Politics

Pritzker pushes plan to erase $1 billion in medical debt for Illinoisans

Gov. J.B. Pritzker said his proposal will provide nearly $1 billion in medical debt relief for an initial batch of 340,000 Illinois residents in the first year of a multi-year plan.

By Tina Sfondeles

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

MEMORIAL-041524-26.jpgGov. J.B. Pritzker bows his head in prayer during a memorial service for Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough at Rockefeller Memorial Chapel at the University of Chicago on the South Side, Sunday, April 14, 2024. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

News

Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough remembered as trailblazer at Hyde Park memorial service

Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth and other elected officials shared stories about Karen Yarbrough, who died April 7, and her impact as a fixture in local politics who cleared paths for others to follow.

By Emmanuel Camarillo

Nation/World

Israel says Iran launched more than 300 drones and missiles, 99% of which were intercepted

In Washington, President Joe Biden said U.S. forces helped Israel down “nearly all” the drones and missiles and pledged to convene allies to develop a unified response.

By Associated Press

*** BESTPIX *** Texas National Guard Works To Secure Southern Border In El Paso

Editorials

Work permits for all undocumented immigrants? That's asking too much.

Advocates pushing President Biden to make this drastic, legally questionable move should stick with more reasonable measures to help a smaller number of undocumented immigrants, including DACA recipients.

By CST Editorial Board

Immigration

Feds send $19.3 million for Chicago, state of Illinois to cover soaring migrant costs

“This announcement will help equip the City of Chicago and our state in receiving asylum seekers in a safe and orderly fashion. It’s important to remember the gravity of this situation,” Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said on Friday.

By Lynn Sweet

Mayor Brandon Johnson presides over a City Council meeting last Wednesday as the members discuss a symbolic resolution calling for a cease-fire in the war between Israel and Hamas. The resolution passed by a vote of 24-23 after Johnson cast the tie-breaking vote.

City Hall

Three Jewish lawmakers reject Mayor Johnson’s invite to discuss antisemitism

Chicago Ald. Deborah Silverstein, state Sen. Sara Feigenholtz, and state Rep. Bob Morgan said Brandon Johnson’s support of a cease-fire resolution showed “disrespect” for the Jewish community.

By Tessa Weinberg | WBEZ

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie speaks during a gathering in Manchester, N.H., last year.

Columnists

No dice for No Labels? How Chris Christie almost made third-party presidential run — but didn't

In an exclusive interview, Dan K. Webb, who was in charge of creating the vetting process for the No Labels third-party run, tells Michael Sneed “the ticket came this/close to reality weeks ago.”

By Michael Sneed

Columnists

Memo to Jerry Reinsdorf: There's 'next to no appetite' in Springfield to fund new stadium

Illinois Senate President Don Harmon clears up any confusion on stadium talk and a proposed biometric privacy law that has had businesses in a tizzy.

By Rich Miller

Starved Rock State Park’s southern entrance.

Politics

New name for Starved Rock State Park? State officials 'willing to open discussions'

Leaders at the Illinois Department of Natural Resources said this week there are “no immediate plans” to rebrand Starved Rock State Park in La Salle County, but officials are open to discussing a potential name change if Native American groups push for it.

By Mitchell Armentrout

Transportation

After Yellow Line crash, Illinois Senate clears bill requiring transit agencies to make safety recommendations public

A new measure would require the city and state’s transportation agencies to post safety recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board that have been made within the past 12 months.

By Tina Sfondeles

U.S. Capitol Police officers stand at an intersection near the U.S. Capitol and a Library of Congress building in Washington on Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021, as law enforcement investigate a report of a possible explosive device in a pickup truck.

Democracy Solutions Project

Violent threats against politicians are a risk to democracy

Threats and harassment are more common against officeholders who are people of color, a University of Illinois Chicago professor writes.

By Alexandra Filindra

At the Table

At the Table with Lynn Sweet

Former Trump Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney and former Democratic California Representative Jackie Speier dissect the divisive politics surrounding the 2024 showdown between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.

By Sun-Times staff

Pictured is Chesa Boudin, former district attorney of San Francisco

Movies and TV

New film explores former Chicagoan Chesa Boudin’s upbringing with incarcerated parents

“Beyond Bars” includes extensive interviews with Boudin’s parents, once members of the Weather Underground radical group. It also covers his path to becoming San Francisco district attorney, and his recall in 2022.

By Erica Thompson

Rendering of a proposed new White Sox ballpark at The 78.

The Watchdogs

The billionaire behind the scenes in White Sox' stadium plan

If the White Sox succeed in getting the city and state to build them a new home on ‘The 78' site in the South Loop, this little-known Iraqi-British billionaire stands to profit.

By Tim Novak and Frank Main

The United Center displays DNC 2024 on its LED screen outside of the arena on April 11, 2023.

2024 Democratic National Convention

'Security footprint' plan for Democratic Convention kicked to City Council for Wednesday vote

Protesters, residents and other DNC observers would be prohibited from bringing laptops, large bags, scooters and other items into certain areas closest to convention attendees under a proposed ordinance.

By Mitchell Armentrout

City Hall

Mayor Brandon Johnson offers revised plan to borrow $1.25 billion for development, housing projects

A substitute ordinance brings more transparency to Johnson’s $1.25 billion housing and economic development plan — but also led to questions from City Council members about what should be subject to Council approval.

By Abby Miller

Bears Stadium

Bears make big additions to legal team in continued push for new lakefront stadium

The Bears have hired political veteran Andrea Zopp to serve as a senior adviser on their legal team.

By Sophie Sherry

Suburban Chicago

Dolton Trustee Andrew Holmes sued for alleged sexual assault, Mayor Tiffany Henyard accused of cover-up

Holmes allegedly sexually assaulted a former village employee during a visit to Las Vegas last May for a conference, according to the lawsuit filed by the employee and a Dolton police officer. Mayor Tiffany Henyard is accused in the suit of attempting to cover up the incident to protect herself.

By Kaitlin Washburn

Paycheck Protection Program

PPP fraud investigation by state watchdog finds $7.2 million in improper loans

The Illinois Office of Executive Inspector General found workers paid kickbacks to brokers who processed their fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loans.

By Frank Main

President Biden Hosts Japanese PM Kishida For Official State Visit

Politics

Chicagoans, including Rahm Emanuel, attend White House State Dinner for the Japanese prime minister

U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel, the former Chicago mayor, brought his wife Amy and two of their children to the dinner.

By Lynn Sweet

City Hall

Mayor reverses course, will call for $70 million in funding for migrant care, key City Council member says

Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35th), says city officials are acting based on their expectation that busing will ramp up again as the Democratic National Convention nears.

By Sophie Sherry

Donald Trump speaks while pointing to something or someone while standing at a lectern and microphone.

Columnists

Donald Trump's abortion stance is politically convenient and sensible

The Constitution does not give Congress the authority to regulate abortion. It’s an issue for the states.

By Jacob Sullum