Those who aspire to help govern their local school district in Illinois may now file nominating petitions.

Nearly 6,000 men and women serve on school boards in the state, which covers 852 school districts.

A first-ever casino in Chicago stands on the brink of city approval Wednesday as council members backed zoning for the project after the alderman of the ward where it would be built toned down his reservations over whether the project would result in enough jobs for minorities and nearby residents.

Approval of the $1.74 billion Bally’s casino complex in River West would be a political boon for Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who has made opening a casino in Chicago a goal of her tenure in office. If the full City Council approves the plan Wednesday, the last bureaucratic step for the casino would be to secure approval from the Illinois Gaming Board.

A Cook County jury on Tuesday awarded nearly $1 million to a Chicago police detective who alleged he was demoted after pushing back when superiors pressed him to alter reports to cover for a fellow officer who shot an unarmed teenager.

The mother of the 16-year old Cahokia High School student captured in videos that shows a security guard slamming him to the ground is calling for the guard to be fired.

Other parents of students at the school have echoed similar concerns.