Chicago activist Tio Hardiman is preaching unity in the battle to overcome the city’s rising crime numbers after new data reveals violent crime episodes though October jumped to their second highest level over the last five years.

Of the 29,260 violent crimes reported over the last 12 months, Chicago Police Department statistics show aggravated assault cases spiked the most at 6.4%, with Black residents being most under attack.

The first sign that Mayor Brandon Johnson’s proposal to spend $17.3 billion in 2025 was dead on arrival came just minutes after he finished telling the Chicago City Council the only way to balance the city’s budget was to hike property taxes by $300 million.

Despite being one of Johnson’s closest allies, Ald. Byron Sigcho Lopez (25th Ward) wasted no time telling reporters that he would not even consider voting for the largest property tax hike since 2016. Pilsen residents struggling to keep their homes amid a wave of gentrification could not afford the increase, Sigcho Lopez said.

The meeting between the developers of a snazzy West Loop condo tower and a team of downtown tax lawyers was hardly unusual at first glance.

In an obviously polished pitch, a seasoned attorney ran the potential clients through all the advantages of hiring their firm to reduce property taxes. Then, he articulated perfectly what everyone in the room already seemed to know: The game can be rigged.

The City of Chicago gave drivers a reprieve from the city’s winter overnight parking ban when it went into effect Sunday morning—thanks to the long holiday weekend.

Drivers who parked overnight on 107 miles of certain main streets only got warning flyers early Sunday morning. On Monday morning, there will be no such luck.

Education officials from five statewide organizations are pushing for fundamental changes in the way student achievement is measured each year and how schools are held accountable for meeting the state’s academic standards.

In a new report entitled Vision 2030, organizations representing local school boards, superintendents, principals, district business officers, and regional superintendents argue that in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the entire landscape of public education has been dramatically altered, presenting new challenges and heightened scrutiny of public schools.

The world’s tallest Advent Calendar is back in downtown Jacksonville for 2024.

According to The Farmers State Bank and Trust Company, they have transformed their building into a 110-foot-tall Advent Calendar.