Former Ald. Willie Cochran sentenced to 1 year in prison
Former Ald. Willie Cochran sentenced to 1 year in prison
A federal court sentenced former Chicago Ald. Willie Cochran to one year in prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud.
Lightfoot moves to reform infamous Chicago workers’ comp program
Lightfoot moves to reform infamous Chicago workers’ comp program
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot called out Ald. Ed Burke after corruption indictments. Now she is reforming the city’s mismanaged workers’ compensation program that a lawsuit said Burke used to build a political army.
Lightfoot calls for independent commission to redraw Chicago’s 50 wards
Lightfoot calls for independent commission to redraw Chicago’s 50 wards
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot voiced support for establishing a fair mapmaking process in Chicago ahead of the 2020 census.
Regulatory confusion swipes frozen pizzas off local pub counters
Regulatory confusion swipes frozen pizzas off local pub counters
Revisions to state food safety regulations have forced some local pubs to ditch their toaster ovens.
Chicago Ald. Ed Burke indicted on 14-count corruption charge, pleads not guilty
Chicago Ald. Ed Burke indicted on 14-count corruption charge, pleads not guilty
Chicago’s longest-serving alderman pleaded not guilty to a host of new federal corruption charges.
Illinois Senate bill would abolish daylight saving time
Illinois Senate bill would abolish daylight saving time
One Illinois lawmaker has proposed to do away with the unpopular practice of changing the clock twice a year.
Pritzker under federal investigation for property tax scheme
Pritzker under federal investigation for property tax scheme
Removing toilets from the governor’s Gold Coast mansion saved his family more than $331,000 in property taxes.
To end gerrymandering, Pritzker should push redistricting reform
To end gerrymandering, Pritzker should push redistricting reform
Illinois’ governor pledged to veto any map gerrymandered by state lawmakers, but it’s the process of mapmaking that needs to change.
Parents could get more say about leaving preteens home alone after Illinois House passes bill
Parents could get more say about leaving preteens home alone after Illinois House passes bill
Illinois parents can face neglect charges for leaving a 13-year-old home alone. The Illinois House just took a step toward relaxing the nation’s strictest law on unattended children.
Illinois voters could eliminate townships that share city limits under bill
Illinois voters could eliminate townships that share city limits under bill
Illinois townships often spend more on administration than services when they cover the same territory as a local municipality. One bill would make it easier for voters to change that.
How local government spends your taxes soon may be a click away
How local government spends your taxes soon may be a click away
Local governments must maintain certain financial records, but not all make it easy for taxpayers to obtain it. A bill headed to the Illinois House floor would put local government financial records online.
Another Chicago alderman pleads guilty to corruption charges
Another Chicago alderman pleads guilty to corruption charges
South Side Ald. Willie Cochran pleaded guilty March 21 to felony wire fraud for spending his ward’s charity funds on personal expenses. That’s 30 Chicago aldermen convicted of corruption since 1972.
Judge orders arrest of 2 former Madigan operatives
Judge orders arrest of 2 former Madigan operatives
Two former political workers for longtime Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan failed to attend depositions in a lawsuit alleging Madigan backed “sham candidates” in his 2016 primary election.
House bill would merge Cook County forest preserve police with county sheriff
House bill would merge Cook County forest preserve police with county sheriff
A bill in the Illinois House seeks to transfer policing authority from the Cook County Forest Preserve District to the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, potentially saving taxpayers millions.