Blue Island, IL Municipal and More

Chicago Boomers Are Moving To This Midwestern State With Vibrant Cities And Iconic Craft Brews

Retirement doesn't necessarily have to mean packing up for the Sun Belt. For some baby boomers, the next chapter might be just across the state line — somewhere they can enjoy a change of pace without straying too far from the people and places they know. That's apparently the approach of many Chicago boomers, according to a U-Haul migration study: Wisconsin was the top net-gain state for baby boomers moving out of Chicago in mid-2026. For boomers looking to downsize, slow down, or find a city that's a little more affordable, Wisconsin has some options. It has thousands of lakes and miles of scenic trails, alongside cities like Madison and Eau Claire, where award-winning breweries, museums, and senior centers can keep daily life exciting.

chronicleillinois.com

partner publisher · 193.4K followers

Democrats flip final Cook County Board seat

When Sean Morrison leaves the Cook County Board next month, so will any Republican voice on the government body. Cook County Democrats flipped his 17th District seat, which has been Republican since it came into existence in 1994. Only three Republicans – Herb Schumann, Elizabeth “Liz” Doody Gorman and Morrison – have served the district over its 22 years.

Cook County, IL · 1d

ABC 7 Chicago

Illinois Broadcasters' Association honors ABC7 Chicago's Jim Rose, Carleen Mosbach

There were big honors Thursday night for two members of the ABC7 Chicago family. The Illinois Broadcasters' Association hosted it's annual gala.

Chicago, IL · 21h

chicagostarmedia.com

Lurie Children's expands to Chicago suburbs with new $480M hospital in Downers Grove

Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago has won state approval to build a proposed pediatric hospital and outpatient center in Downers Grove, clearing a major hurdle for a project designed to bring specialized children’s care closer to families in the western suburbs. The Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board approved the hospital’s Certificate of Need application, according to the hospital's announcement.

Downers Grove, IL · 2d

hoodline.com

Albany Park's Lawrence Gateway Tops Out, Bringing 40 Homes Across From Ronan Park

Developer MAS Ventures LLC and Malek Abdulsamad marked a major construction milestone this week, celebrating the topping out of Lawrence Gateway, a five-story mixed-use building rising across from Ronan Park in Albany Park. Chicago's Department of Planning and Development Commissioner Ciere Boatright joined the celebration, underscoring the city's stake in a project that pairs market-rate apartments with affordable housing and ground-floor retail.

Streetsblog Capitol Hill

partner publisher · 18.9K followers

Today’s Headlines for Friday, November 13

• “Police searching for man accused of hitting CTA Red Line passenger with collapsible chair” (CBS) • Chicago City Wire picked up our story on Ald. Lee asking if Complete Streets projects have enough CFD input after Complete Streets Planner Riley O’Neil was killed in her ward.

Chicago, IL · 11h

Chalkbeat

CTU-backed candidates win three Chicago school board races that were too close to call

Did you know search engines like Google are changing the way you see news? Keep Chalkbeat’s valuable education coverage at the top of your feeds by clicking here and checking the box next to our name. More than a week after Election Day, Chicago voters in three electoral districts have clarity about who will represent them on the city’s first fully elected school board. A fourth race remains too close to call as mail-in ballots trickle in. The updated results reaffirm the new power balance that emerged from the Nov. 3 election. Candidates backed by pro-school choice groups will make up a narrow majority, loosening the teachers union’s current stronghold. The official proclamation of results in the historic election is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 24, according to the Chicago Board of Elections . Jason Dónes beat incumbent Carlos Rivas Jr. in District 3b, which includes Humboldt Park on the West Side. Michilla Blaise’s lead over Anthony Hargrove gives her enough votes to keep her seat representing District 5b, which runs from the West Loop to Austin on the West Side. And incumbent Emma Lozano will stay on the board despite a challenge from Jesus Ayala Jr. in District 7a, which

southblueprint.com

partner publisher · 229.3K followers

Pollutants in Lake Michigan

Lake Michigan, the largest freshwater lake in the world, is known for its urban coastlines and stunning views; yet, the lake has been polluted with 11 million pounds of plastic from industries with plants along the lake. Chicagoland citizens consume large amounts of microplastics as a result of this plastic...

Cook County, IL · 2d

The Center Square

Illinois Quick Hits: Pritzker urged to act after driver with Illinois CLS charged in Kansas City crash

(The Center Square) – Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe is urging Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker to take corrective action after Kehoe said a truck driver who was in the U.S. illegally plowed into stopped traffic along U.S. Highway 71 in Kansas City last Monday and claimed the lives of a 35-year-old mother and her two young sons. Kehoe said Eldar Skander was operating an 80,000-pound semi under a non-domiciled commercial driver’s license issued by the state of Illinois in March 2025. The Department of Homeland Security said Skander is a Ukrainian national who was in the U.S. illegally. Skander is charged with three counts of involuntary manslaughter. "When a state fails to vet applicants before handing over the keys to a commercial tractor-trailer, the consequences do not stop at the state line," Kehoe wrote in a letter to Pritzker on Friday. ICE nabs ex-con released from Stateville The Department of Homeland Security says U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested a Mexican national who was released after serving prison time for a DUI crash that killed a Marine veteran in 2011. The Department of Homeland Security said ICE lodged a detainer with Stateville Correctional Center in Crest Hill for Vicente Torres Vasquez

Illinois · 5h

WTTW - Chicago PBS

publisher · 12.7K followers

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle on 2027 Budget, Historic Midterm Election

Cook County is preparing to pass a $9.6 billion budget proposal for the 2027 fiscal year. Board President Toni Preckwinkle said her plan closes a projected $550 million budget gap without any new taxes, fees or layoffs. It comes as the county grapples with unprecedented federal funding cuts and threats...

Cook County, IL · 1d

Chalkbeat

partner publisher · 18.9K followers

After Google warns schools about disabling AI feature, Chicago protesters say ‘we don’t want your Gemini’

Did you know search engines like Google are changing the way you see news? Keep Chalkbeat’s valuable education coverage at the top of your feeds by clicking here and checking the box next to our name. Pushback on the use of artificial intelligence in the classroom is seeing renewed fervor after tensions flared this month between some U.S. school districts and one of the biggest tech giants in the world. Protests popped up Wednesday in Cambridge, Massachusetts and in Chicago, where the city’s school district recently blocked student access to generative AI , which includes ChatGPT, Claude and Google Gemini. The backlash comes at a critical flashpoint for the future of AI in education. Google sparked an uproar earlier this month when it said that schools that ban AI won’t be able to use search because AI is so embedded in the technology. Chicago Public Schools has yet to plan its response to Google’s announcement, but a CPS spokesperson said in a statement that the district was “actively exploring all options to independently suppress” the AI overview that appears at the top of Google searches. If CPS cannot provide students access to the search engine without its AI feature, the

partner publisher · 39.3K followers

Main Street Dollars

Homeowners 65 and older get an extra $60,000 off school taxable value in Texas, $20,000 in West Virginia, and up to $9,000 in North Dakota and $8,000 in Illinois

Homeowners 65 and older can have a slice of their home’s value taken out of the property tax calculation, and the size of that slice depends heavily on the state. Texas school districts must give an extra $60,000 homestead exemption, West Virginia exempts the first $20,000 of assessed value, North Dakota reduces taxable valuation by […]

Texas · 4d

hoodline.com

North Lawndale's Sears Sunken Garden Pergola Rises Again After 120 Years

The rebuilt pergola is the first major construction milestone in a yearslong effort to restore the 1907 Sears Sunken Garden. Crews have begun installing replica concrete columns, and the structure is expected to be completed by early December. The work is part of a broader restoration whose overall price has been described differently in coverage.

partner publisher · 14.7K followers

History Snob

Chicago Couldn't Move The Bean, but It Once Lifted an Entire City Block

Chicago has never been a city that shies away from unusual ideas, but its latest attempt to move a major landmark didn't exactly go according to plan. On November 8, 2026, hundreds of people gathered in Millennium Park to push the city's famous Bean sculpture seven inches to the left. Despite their enthusiasm, the 110-ton stainless steel structure didn't budge. The event was inspired by an internet conspiracy theory claiming someone was trapped inside the sculpture, but it also brought attention to a fascinating piece of Chicago history. More than 160 years earlier, engineers successfully lifted an entire row of enormous buildings several feet into the air. Unlike the recent gathering, this extraordinary undertaking wasn't a joke, and it actually worked. Why Chicago Once Needed to Raise Its Buildings During the mid-1800s, Chicago had a serious problem with its geography, particularly the swampy land on which much of the city stood. Its streets frequently turned into muddy disasters whenever it rained, making even ordinary transportation surprisingly difficult. Some roads became so waterlogged that horse-drawn wagons could barely navigate them, creating constant headaches for residents and businesses. Unfortunately, the muddy streets were only part of the problem, as the city's relatively

partner publisher · 57.6K followers

Willow and Hearth

HUD Launches A Public Dashboard Grading Local Housing Authorities From High Performer To Troubled, And 7 Are Already In Substantial Default

Anyone who rents with a housing voucher, lives in public housing or has a family member who does now has a new way to check how the local housing authority […]

publisher · 12.7K followers

WTTW - Chicago PBS

Caroling, Trees and the Christkindlmarket — Celebrate the Holidays With These Classic Chicago Traditions

From a mug of hot glühwein at the Christkindlmarket to a trip to the Walnut Room’s Great Tree, there are some Chicago activities that have become iconic holiday traditions. Read on for opportunities to shop, snack, carol and ride holiday trains. Christkindlmarket. The beloved German-style market is returning...

partner publisher · 546.3K followers

POLITICO

A political musical chairs game

Happy Veterans Day, Illinois. Today, and every day, we’re grateful to those who served. TOP TALKER WHAT IF? One big political move could trigger a chain reaction of vacancies in Illinois. From the governor’s mansion to City Hall and the county board, here’s how succession dominoes could fall. Starting at the top: If Gov. JB Pritzker were to run and win the presidency, he would resign as Illinois’ top elected official and incoming Lt. Gov. Christian Mitchell would take over as governor. No special election is required under the Illinois Constitution. That’s what happened when former Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn became governor in 2009 after then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich was removed from office. If Mitchell moves into the governor’s office, his former office would “remain vacant until the end of the term,” per the Illinois Constitution. The calendar matters: If Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias wins the Chicago mayor’s race next year, the governor would appoint someone to fill the seat, and a 28-month calculation would kick in: Under the Illinois Election Code , if more than 28 months remain in Giannoulias’ term, voters would choose a successor at the next general election. Otherwise, an appointee would serve out the term.

Illinois · 2d

Block Club Chicago

publisher · 7.3K followers

Ald. Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez Is Up Against 2 Challengers In 33rd Ward Race

ALBANY PARK — Ald. Rossana Rodríguez-Sánchez is facing two challengers as she seeks reelection to her 33rd Ward seat. Rodríguez-Sánchez was first elected to City Council in 2019, beating incumbent Ald. Deb Mell by just 13 votes. Originally from Puerto Rico, Rodríguez-Sánchez was the 33rd Ward’s first Latino alderperson and the fifth Democratic Socialist elected to the City Council. She defeated two challengers during the 2023 election.

Chicago Public Radio