A state legislator wants to know more about where taxpayer dollars are being spent in relation to the growing migrant housing crisis.

The migrant arrivals have been housed in police stations, O’Hare International Airport, YMCAs and former colleges, and as the numbers continue to increase as winter sets in, city officials are looking at public places that could be turned into housing, but several locations have not come to fruition.

It all happened in a matter of seconds.

Jeremiah Watson was walking to a gas station Oct. 28 near 76th Street and South Chicago Avenue when a group of people surrounded him and pointed a gun in his face.

They beat him up, smacked him with the gun and stole the cash he had.

A sweeping set of recommendations about what Chicago-area transit could look like in the future has been sent to the state legislature, setting the stage for lawmakers to debate potentially thorny issues about funding for public transit and whether the CTA, Metra and Pace should be consolidated into one agency.

The report, drafted by regional planners after meetings with community organizations, lays out recommendations to address public transit funding, governance and the experience of riding buses and trains, as the region’s three public transit agencies face a looming financial cliff and languishing ridership numbers. Among the options included are additional taxes, such as expanding the sales tax base, and two options to revamp oversight of the region’s separate transit agencies.

City officials heard a hopeful message about getting rid of Chicago’s hundreds of thousands of lead drinking water lines, but eliminating the public health danger will be a daunting, expensive task.

Northwest Side Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36th), who chairs the City Council’s Economics and Technology Committee, said Chicago is not getting enough of the state’s resources to do the job.

The Illinois housing market may be in the midst of a shift.

A survey by the real estate company Clever shows home sellers are lowering their asking prices to meet buyers’ budgets.

The survey of 1,000 people who sold a home in 2022 and 2023 found that 45% of sellers rejected an offer that turned out to be their highest, showing just how quickly home prices have fallen in some parts of the country.

A new state health report pinpoints racism as a public health crisis while also noting Illinois needs to improve in the areas of maternal and infant health, mental health and substance use disorders.

The broad goals are laid out in a draft of the State Health Improvement Plan, which will be finalized and presented to the Illinois General Assembly next year. The SHIP is part of Healthy Illinois 2028, a five-year plan outlining the major public health crises the state hopes to address.

A City Council committee on Thursday delivered a symbolic but temporary message underscoring its commitment to police reform and accountability.

Over strenuous objections from the Fraternal Order of Police and its Council allies, the Committee on Workforce Development voted 10-5 to reject an independent arbitrator’s ruling that would allow Chicago police officers accused of the most serious wrongdoing — and recommended for firings or suspensions over one year — to bypass the Police Board in favor of an arbitrator who might be more sympathetic and would hold proceedings behind closed doors.

As employers prepare to implement the Illinois Department of Labor’s new policy in 2024, many questions about who qualifies and other provisions arose.

Governor J.B. Pritzker signed the bill into law in March, which requires all workers to get one hour of paid time off for every 40 hours a week into law for up to a minimum of 40 hours a year. Now, the IDOL is presenting rules for implementation ahead of Jan. 1.

The Des Plaines City Council on Monday approved a $194.5 million budget for the 2024 fiscal year.

The spending plan includes millions to wrap up the multiyear expansion of the city’s police station, replace old water mains and lead service pipes, and fund other projects and purchases, as well as staff salaries and other expenses.