Wicker Park

In Wicker Park mural, Laura Catherwood’s ‘Birdfrog’ mural marries nature with whimsy

By Austin Hojdar

Joe Miller painted his brother and niece on a Wicker Park wall last September.

For fatherhood mural in Wicker Park, Joe Miller used models he knows well: his brother and niece

By Nicky Andrews

The Point, 1565 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Wicker Park.

Wicker Park bar loses appeal of 6-month shutdown order issued after patron opened fire from across street shortly after leaving

An administrative law judge agreed that the owner of the Point could not have “reasonably anticipated” the actions of the patron — but he still backed the city.

By Sophie Sherry

A boy makes a jump shot during a basketball game Monday at the Midtown Boys’ Summer Achievement Camp in Wicker Park

Chicago

Wicker Park camp for boys cheered as ‘fun,’ ‘welcoming’ as it aims to build the ‘whole person’

Midtown Center’s summer program for Chicago youth opens in new Wicker Park location.

By Michael Loria

Boguslaw Kasprowicz (right) at a court appearance in March 2021.

The Watchdogs

Failure of clout-heavy Bridgeport bank sees a crooked contractor plead guilty, agree to help feds

Boguslaw Kasprowicz pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the failure of Washington Federal Bank for Savings — the investigation that also ensnared ex-Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson.

By Tim Novak

Maria Delgado started taking classes at Wright College in 1994 when she was 19. Now she is 47, and will finally walk across the graduation stage at Wintrust Arena on Sunday.

Columnists

A Wright College degree decades in the making: ‘I don’t give up’

City College students average three years to complete a 2-year associate degree program. Maria Delgado took 28.

By Neil Steinberg

Wicker Park

Columbia student struck by falling building debris in Wicker Park faces ‘slow and tedious’ recovery, will miss graduation

Annie Shea Wheeler was walking home from the Blue Line when her attorneys says she was struck by concrete that came off of a building in the 1200 block of North Milwaukee Avenue.

By Sophie Sherry

Wicker Park

Wicker Park artist Megan Williamson shows faces of pandemic Zoom calls: ‘It looks like America to me’

The project consists of 100 small paintings of people who appeared in the media via Zoom during the height of the pandemic.

By Mitch Dudek

Mayor Lori Lightfoot presides over a Chicago City Council meeting on Wednesday, March 23, 2022, where members used an electronic voting system for the first time. Ballots were cast using iPads at each member’s seat.

City Hall

Better late than never, Chicago City Council enters electronic voting age

The Illinois General Assembly has done it for years. On Wednesday, the City Council debuted electronic voting, with IPads at each alderperson’s seat and three video boards behind the mayor’s rostrum to display each vote.

By Fran Spielman

The 606, or Bloomingdale Trail, is a 2.7-mile trail and park, converted from an unused, elevated rail line between Ashland and Ridgeway avenues. It opened to the public in June 2015.

City Hall

Finance Committee OKs keeping demolition fees in Pilsen and along 606 trail

The surcharges, being extended for two more years, are $15,000 for demolishing a house, townhouse or two-flat and $5,000-per-unit for tearing down multi-unit residential buildings. Critics have said such fees steal equity from residents who “stuck it out through tough times.”

By Fran Spielman

Chicago

Man dies after falling onto CTA Blue Line tracks in Wicker Park and being struck by train

The man fell onto the tracks at the Division Street station in the 1200 block of North Milwaukee Avenue early Wednesday.

By Jermaine Nolen

Wicker Park

Wicker Park club owner says police were called twice to disperse unruly crowd — they never showed, and 5 people were later shot

‘We were told it is because the resources were being stretched too thin,’ Point owner Jun Lin says. ‘But it doesn’t change the fact that someone died.’

By Sophie Sherry

One person was killed and four others wounded in a drive-by shooting Sunday morning on Milwaukee near North Avenue.

Crime

5 shot, 1 fatally, in Wicker Park drive-by shooting on Milwaukee Avenue

Gunfire erupted from a dark-colored vehicle early Sunday in the 1500 block of North Milwaukee Avenue, striking five people, police said.

By Sun-Times Wire

Police are warning residents about thieves breaking car windows since Dec. 2, 2019, in the West Loop.

Crime

Ride share driver gets car robbed in Wicker Park

Around 2:40 a.m., a man, 52, was sitting in his 2018 Hyundai sedan in the 1500 block of North Damen Avenue when he was forced out of his vehicle, police said.

By Sun-Times Wire

A woman was killed and an officer wounded during a shoot-out Apr. 3, 2022, in an Oak Forest grocery store.

Crime

Woman with 2-year-old daughter carjacked in Wicker Park

The woman and her daughter were not injured.

By Sun-Times Wire

Wicker Park

Bookstore owners seeking new home in Wicker Park: ‘We will be back’

Another small business, Volumes Bookcafe, is shutting down after taking a big hit from the pandemic. The storefront’s last day is Saturday, though web sales will continue.

By Zac Clingenpeel

The Bloomingdale Trail, also known as the 606, is shown when it opened in 2015. Since then, it has become popular and crowded, and housing prices in the areas along the 2.7-mile trail have climbed, feeding fears that gentrification will push out lower-income residents.

City Hall

Divided Finance Committee OKs demolition fees in Pilsen and neighborhoods along 606 trail

There’s a $15,000 surcharge to tear down a house — $5,000-per-unit for multi-unit residential buildings. “You heard it here first,” said “no” vote Ald. Nick Sposato. “The guy with the high school diploma says we will be sued over this.”

By Fran Spielman

A view of the 606 Trail, seen from the rooftop of the Robey Hotel in Wicker Park.

City Hall

Demolition surcharge proposed to preserve affordable housing in Pilsen, along 606 trail

The plan proposed by Mayor Lori Lightfoot would impose a $15,000 surcharge for demolishing a “detached house, townhouse or two-flat” and a $5,000-per-unit fee for tearing down “multi-unit residential buildings.”

By Fran Spielman

A man was found dead with a gunshot wound March 6, 2021, in a fire in Englewood.

Crime

Woman carjacked in Wicker Park

The woman, 31, was standing next to her 2010 Dodge Journey about 11:35 p.m. in the 1400 block of North Milwaukee Avenue when a male got out of a maroon SUV, threatened her and demanded her vehicle, which had been left running, police said.

By Sun-Times Wire

Three people were carjacked June 18, 2021.

Crime

Police warn of carjackings in Wicker Park parking lot

Each person was carjacked as they walked to or from their vehicle in a parking lot in the 2200 block of West Division Avenue, Chicago police said.

By Sun-Times Wire

Looking west on 18th Street in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood.

City Hall

City Council targets gentrification in Pilsen, along 606 trail

The ordinances, championed by Mayor Lori Lightfoot, would generally make it more difficult for owners and developers of property on certain blocks to turn multi-unit buildings into expensive single-family homes.

By Fran Spielman

Someone fired shots on the Dan Ryan Expressway Dec. 31, 2019.

Crime

Man exchanges gunfire with robber in Wicker Park carjacking

No one was struck by gunfire and the victim has a valid FOID and concealed carry license.

By Sun-Times Wire

Crime

3 ride-share drivers carjacked by passengers in Wicker Park

The most recent incident happened Jan. 9 about 7 p.m. in the 1400 Block of North Maplewood Avenue.

By Sun-Times Wire

A man was killed and another seriously wounded May 25, 2022, in South Austin.

Crime

Woman carjacked in Wicker Park

The woman was not injured.

By Sun-Times Wire

A party was shut down Nov. 29 at The Vault, which allegedly had 300 people inside not wearing masks or social distancing.

Coronavirus

City shuts down 300-person party in Wicker Park, other businesses for ‘egregiously’ violating COVID-19 restrictions

More than 300 businesses — including Wildberry Pancake and the Chicago Sports Complex — have been cited since March.

By David Struett and Mitch Dudek

Wicker Park

House under construction collapses in Wicker Park

No one was injured, officials said, but one of the walls from the building did fall onto a home next door.

By Sun-Times Wire

Israel Alvarado III, second from right, fiance of Olga Maria Calderon, and family members gathered Wednesday at a memorial for Calderon outside Walgreens at 1372 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Wicker Park.

Crime

Wicker Park Walgreens removed security guard months before fatal stabbing: attorney

“There are several items that need to be investigated, and the family deserves answers to their questions,” said Frank Sommario, an attorney for the family of Olga Maria Calderon.

By Sam Charles

Balloons and cut out hearts are tied to a fence as memorial for Olga Maria Calderon who was brutally stabbed while on shift at Walgreens at 1372 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Wicker Park, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020.

Crime

Man accused of murdering Walgreens employee allegedly preplanned crime by wearing second set of clothes

Sincere Williams, 18, was ordered held without bail for allegedly stabbing Olga Maria Calderon, 32. Williams’ assistant public defender says he suffers from schizophrenia.

By Matthew Hendrickson

Area Five Commander Eric Winstrom, right, updates reporters on the slaying of a 18-year-old Walgreens employee on Sunday, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020.

Crime

Old Town man charged with murdering Walgreens employee in Wicker Park

Sincere Williams faces a single count of first-degree murder in connection with the death of Olga Maria Calderon, 32. His bond hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.

By Sam Charles

The front door of the Walgreens at 1372 N. Milwaukee Ave. is shuttered after an employee was stabbed to death there on Sept, 6, 2020.

Crime

Person of interest questioned in fatal stabbing at Walgreens in Wicker Park

Olga Maria Calderon was working at the store when she was approached by someone who stabbed her multiple times before fleeing, authorities said. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

By Jermaine Nolen and Tom Schuba