Small businesses in Illinois and around the country continue to face difficulties paying their rent.

A survey by the small businesses network Alignable shows 40% of those asked in Illinois could not pay their rent in November in full and on time, up 8% from October.

An extraordinary era in Chicago politics ended quietly on Monday — and not in the way the City Council dean once predicted.

Indicted Ald. Edward Burke (14^th) chose not to seek reelection to a record 15th term —including the two-year term served after a special election to fill the vacancy created by his father’s death — in a ward dramatically redrawn to eliminate his most favorable precincts.

The fight is wide open for mayor of Chicago at a time of turbulence, and for control of a City Council now undergoing rapid change.

That’s the story as candidates for Chicago public office finished filing their petitions to run for office Monday evening, and as all sides prepared for a battle that may be unlike any here in decades.

A record number of complaints were received by the Illinois Office of the Executive Inspector General in the past year.

The OEIG released its fiscal year 2022 annual report that the agency said “featured notable record highs,” including the number of received and reviewed complaints and the number of revolving door determinations issued.