A community courts program that focuses on nonviolent crime is expanding in Cook County, officials said this week.

The program launched in 2017 in North Lawndale. The expansion will open community courts in Avondale and Englewood this month.

No elected official wants to be the one to crack down on a good time because of a coronavirus resurgence in their region, but local leaders have power to do so.

As Gov. J.B. Pritzker continues to pressure officials in places seeing outbreaks, those leaders will have to make some decisions.

Eliminate Racism 815 has begun a push for Rockford to establish a “community accountability board” that it hopes will improve policing in the city.

Established in 2017 to address racial inequity, the organization on Monday spoke to the City Council and started a change.org petition asking the city to explore creation of a board. Nearly 100 signatures had been collected by Friday afternoon.