Suburban Chicago

Northwestern students set up a protest camp on Deering Meadow on Thursday morning.

Northwestern students set up pro-Palestinian encampment, joining protesters nationwide

Students linked arms and formed a line against police after Northwestern leaders said the tent encampment violated university policy. By 9 p.m. protest leaders were told by university officials that arrests could begin later in the evening.

By Isabel Funk

Travis Scott performs in December in Miami.

Music

Travis Scott, Playboi Carti and Chief Keef to headline 2024 Summer Smash

The hip-hop music festival will return to Bridgeview’s SeatGeek Stadium in June.

By Vanessa Lopez

Crime

Boston man who fatally stabbed Chicago-area Marine gets 17 to 20 years in prison

Alvaro Larrama, a bouncer at a bar, chased and stabbed Daniel Martinez to death in 2022. Martinez, a former Marine sergeant, grew up in Gage Park.

By Violet Miller

Crime

Southwest Side man charged with luring 14-year-old girl walking home from school

Arley Carrillo Mendez, 39, is charged with one felony count of child abduction and luring of a minor after he followed a girl Monday afternoon in the 5000 block of South Long Avenue.

By Sun-Times Wire

image (6).Hersh Goldberg-Polin (left) is pictured with his parents, Rachel Goldberg and Jon Polin. Goldberg-Polin was taken hostage by Hamas at a music festival on Oct. 7.

Israel-Hamas War

Hamas releases video of Hersh Goldberg-Polin — hostage with Chicago roots

The video is the first proof of life of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who was captured Oct. 7 in southern Israel. His parents have Chicago ties. Last week, his mother was named one of Time magazine’s most influential people of 2024.

By Associated Press

Northwestern hazing scandal

Northwestern hazing scandal lawsuits are consolidated

Seven lawsuits filed by former football players will be temporarily consolidated with a lawsuit filed by former head coach Pat Fitzgerald during the pretrial process.

By Kade Heather

A rendering of a proposed domed stadium on the lakefront unveiled at Wednesday's news conference.

Bears

Bears reveal plans for $4.7 billion domed lakefront stadium development: 'This is not an easy project'

The plans, according to the team, will include additional green and open space with access to the lakefront and the Museum Campus, which Bears President Kevin Warren called “the most attractive footprint in the world.”

By Fran Spielman, Mitchell Armentrout, and 1 more

Crime

Orland Park man held in custody in connection with fatal Oak Forest shooting

Omar Zegar, 37, was arrested after the shooting Sunday and was charged with a felony count of aggravated unlawful use of weapon with a revoked firearm owners ID card, Oak Forest police said.

By Mohammad Samra

Highland Park parade shooting

Suspected Highland Park parade shooter granted permission to call family from jail

Robert Crimo III’s phone, tablet and internet privileges were revoked in December by a Lake County judge.

By Sophie Sherry

Environment

Cicadas' mass arrival is just a few weeks away in northern Illinois, experts say

People have spotted nymphs of the 17-year cicadas on the ground. That’s a sign the periodical cicadas are preparing to emerge. They should appear once the soil reaches 64 degrees, which is expected by late May.

By Kade Heather

Crime

Man shot dead at Schiller Park bar

Jonathan Vallejo, 38, of River Grove, suffered multiple gunshot wounds in the Friday shooting and was pronounced dead at Lutheran General Hospital, the Cook County medical examiner’s office said.

By Sun-Times Wire

Crime

39-year-old slain in Oak Forest shooting remembered as 'loving father' who'd 'help anyone in need'

Three others, including a 12-year-old girl, were wounded in the shooting, Oak Forest police said.

By Mohammad Samra

Crime

1 killed, 3 hurt in Oak Forest shooting

A person was detained at the scene for alleged involvement, police said. One of the victims, a 39-year-old man, died of a gunshot wound to the head, according to police and the Cook County medical examiners office.

By Sun-Times Wire

Environment

Here's how some Chicagoans are taking an eco-friendly approach to funerals

About 60% of people are interested in exploring green funeral options, more than ever before.

By David Struett

image (3).pngHouse Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., autographs a book for Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch, D-Hillside, in the Capitol.

Washington

Illinois House Speaker Emanuel Welch travels to Washington on fundraising trip

On Monday afternoon, Welch raises money for the People for Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch committee, with the ask ranging from $1,000 for a ticket to $68,500 from a political action committee.

By Lynn Sweet

Black and picture of a soldier standing in front of a jeep.

Nation/World

Remains of Illinois soldier who died in Japanese prisoner-of-war camp during WWII identified

Harry Jerele, 26, of Berkeley, died of pneumonia at a prison camp in the Philippines in 1942. Military scientists used DNA analysis and historical records to officially identify his remains in December. His remains will be interred in Elwood in October.

By Jessica Ma

A voter feeds her ballot into a voting machine on Election Day at Isabelle C. O’Keeffe School in Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood, April 4.

Elections

Ballot bypass? Illinois sees lowest presidential primary voter turnout in decades

The statewide voter turnout of 19.07% is the lowest for a presidential primary election since at least 1960, according to Illinois State Board of Elections figures.

By Sun-Times staff

Suburban Chicago

Two dead after apparent murder-suicide in Lemont motel

The bodies of Richard Crane, 62, and an unidentified woman were found shot at the D-Lux Budget Inn in southwest suburban Lemont.

By Sun-Times Wire

Crime

Joliet mother charged in death of girl, 12, who ingested heroin, fentanyl

Mya King, 12, was found unresponsive Sunday morning and died Wednesday. Her mother, Colette Bancroft, was charged with possession of a controlled substance.

By Sun-Times Wire

A woman shields herself from the rain as she crosses North Wabash Avenue near East Washington Street, in The Loop, as rain falls across the Chicagoland area, Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023.

News

Showers, winds move through Chicago Thursday; temperatures to cool down through the rest of the week

Rain started moving through the area and is expected to continue into Friday, according to meteorologist Zachary Wack with the National Weather Service.

By Sun-Times Wire