The specter of indicted former House Speaker Michael Madigan loomed large during opening arguments in the “ComEd 4” bribery trial at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse Wednesday.

The longest serving legislative leader in U.S. history seemed everywhere during arguments while he personally was nowhere to be found during the daylong proceedings in the overflow courtroom of U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber.

Voters heavily backed their current aldermen in February’s municipal election, with incumbents winning 31 of the 50 races outright.

However, not all those races were easily won. In 22 contested races, incumbent City Council members faced challengers hoping to unseat them, but ultimately, the sitting aldermen were able to protect their places at City Hall with over 50% of the vote in their wards.

Surveillance cameras that Chicago motorists love to hate will soon be spewing out another avalanche of tickets that arrive by mail — this time targeting drivers who block bus lanes, bike lanes, crosswalks and loading zones.

With two months to go before the legislature adjourns and current-year revenues continuing to smash expectations, Gov. JB Pritzker said he and legislative leaders are considering tax cuts.

His comments came one week after the legislature’s nonpartisan Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability, or COGFA, increased its revenue estimates by about $1 billion for the current and upcoming budget years combined.

A federal agency tasked with overseeing the merger of two massive rail companies approved the decision to the dismay of the leaders of some northwest suburban communities.

Surface Transportation Board Chairman Martin Oberman discussed the approval in a news conference Wednesday morning.

Seizing on the lame-duck period between Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s election loss and the start of the next administration, a group of aldermen Wednesday called for a special meeting next week to consider a slate of rule changes they say would bolster the City Council’s independence from the mayor’s office and “improve city governance.”

The group is led by several current committee and caucus chairs, including Finance Chairman Scott Waguespack, 32nd, with support from Lightfoot’s floor leader, Rules Committee Chair Michelle Harris, 8th; Black Caucus Chair Jason Ervin, 28th; and Latino Caucus Chair Gilbert Villegas, 36th. Waguespack said at a news conference Wednesday that a majority of the current council supports the changes.