A man accused of harassing and throwing liquid on children leaving a Mexican folk dance studio last week has been arrested and charged with battery, police said. blockclubchi.co/4b6igmh

Lizzo, Labrinth, Ricky Martin and Hugh Jackman to make their Ravinia debuts in packed summer lineup Also gracing Ravinia’s stages in the 2026 season are Billy Idol, Chicago’s own Chance the Rapper and guitarist St. Vincent, the latter in performance with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Ravinia's 2026 lineup includes debuts for Labrinth, Lizzo, Ricky Martin, Hugh Jackman and Chicago’s own Chance the Rapper.

CTA brings in Cook County Sheriff’s police to patrol trains as it looks to appease feds The Trump administration has threatened to withhold up to $50 million from the CTA.

Police from the Cook County Sheriff’s Office will patrol the CTA as the mass transit agency tries to head off threats from the Trump administration that it must shape up on crime or risk losing millions in federal funding.

It’s with excitement that we announce Maplewood Brewery & Distillery and Half Acre Beer Co will join together to create a premier Chicago beverage company. We combine as individually strong, complementary businesses that share similar visions for the future of our industry and city.

Today, Michelle and I are proud to announce that we will be hosting the dedication ceremony for the Obama Presidential Center on June 18th in Chicago, and welcoming the public on June 19th.

We can’t wait for you to visit. Go to obama.org to learn more.

So long, Rev. Jackson. Details on Friday’s homecoming service

What you need to know about the service honoring the civil rights icon who died on Feb. 17, that will feature three former presidents and thousands attending the memorial tribute Friday.

Raja poll shows 10-point lead on Stratton; Kim and Kifowit launch new comptroller ads; Kaegi and Hynes clash over ‘homeowner’ claim

Why is the Cook County state’s attorney prosecuting nonviolent ICE protesters? blockclubchi.co/3ZXJS6K

The Congress Theater overhaul is "full speed ahead," with construction to start in March, the alderman says. blockclubchi.co/4casEdD

New PPP poll has Stratton down by two; Another ‘poll’ shows Biss leading

Chicago Park District pushes $630M plan to revamp Soldier Field post-Bears The Park District pitched state officials on converting the 61,500-seat venue to a destination for concerts and other special events once the Bears leave.

The Chicago Park District has proposed a more than half a billion-dollar plan to revamp Soldier Field for when the Bears move.

The Park District pitched the state on converting the 61,500-seat venue to a destination for concerts and special events, a transformation that could cost about $630M.

Uber acquiring parking app SpotHero as it moves beyond ride-hailing and food delivery Uber said it plans to offer a parking reservation experience powered by SpotHero for events and at venues and airports.

Uber acquiring parking app SpotHero as it moves beyond ride-hailing and food delivery

Indiana’s Bears offer ‘An absolute cornucopia of new taxes’

Chicago Police Department’s Compliance With Consent Decree ‘Too Slow’: Federal Judge “I share your impatience,” U.S. District Court Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer said. “I do recognize it is too slow.”

“I share your impatience,” U.S. District Court Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer told the more than a dozen Chicagoans who told her the reform push has not resulted in significant change in their lives. “I do recognize it is too slow.” @wttw.bsky.social

Chicago City Council approves Foundry Park project, the downsized successor to failed Lincoln Yards venture

The City Council on Wednesday gave final zoning approval to Foundry Park, JDL Development’s new and scaled-back vision for North Side industrial land along the Chicago River that once was supposed to be home to the Lincoln Yards megaproject.

REJECTED: A measure to let Chicagoans snap a photo to provide the city with recorded evidence of bus, bicycle lanes and crosswalk violations FAILS, on a vote of 16-31.

Miraculously, all 14 Democratic candidates in #IL09 are packed onto a stage at Green Mill in Uptown for a forum hosted by the 46th Ward Dems and moderated by Axios reporter Justin Kaufmann

HAPPY PACZKI DAY

When the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. turned 80, the Chicago City Council spent hours paying tribute to him — including Ald. Ed Burke, before he was convicted of racketeering. Here’s what happened:

Rev. Jesse Jackson, civil rights icon and Chicago-based presidential candidate, dies at 84 Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, the Chicago-based Baptist minister, political figure and two-time presidential candidate, has died.

RIP Rev. Jesse Jackson, civil rights icon and Chicago-based presidential candidate. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/17/r...

A federal agent shot a Chicago woman 5 times after saying she tried to ram him with her car.

Newly released evidence contradict that agent's account — and shows that agents boasted about the shooting. blockclubchi.co/463Y4i1

Good morning from Chicago’s Loop, where Marimar Martinez and her attorneys are holding a press conference to announce a civil lawsuit stemming from her shooting by a Border Patrol agent in October.
They have some of the agent’s texts blown up on posters

Government Loses Hard Drives It Was Supposed to Put ICE Detention Center Footage On A Kafkaesque saga in which the government has failed to produce critical video footage has reached new levels of absurdity.

Court battle over surveillance footage at the Broadview ICE detention center reaches new levels of kafkaesque absurdity: The DOJ claimed it *couldn't afford* hard drives to put video footage on. Plaintiffs bought THE US GOVERNMENT hard drives. ICE "lost" them.

www.404media.co/government-l...

Truly shocking: Artist Judy Chicago's tale in Artnet of working with Google on the redesign of the former Thompson Center atrium is a horror story - incompetent, slipshod management meets corporate bureaucracy on steroids...
news.artnet.com/art-world/ju...

Illinois endorses American Academy of Pediatrics vaccine schedule despite changes to federal guidance

Illinois will formally adopt the child and adolescent immunization schedule created by the American Academy of Pediatrics, marking another break from federal officials who are limiting the number of recommended vaccines for young children.

Top Cop: COPA Should Probe Chicago Police Conduct During Immigration Raids Because No One Would ‘Trust’ Internal Affairs “When it comes to the Chicago Police Department, there’s always going to be this trust factor,” Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling said.

NEW: Chicago's top cop said he backed an effort to give the agency charged with probing police misconduct the authority to investigate whether officers have violated city law by helping ICE agents because no one would “trust” internal affairs probes. @wttw.bsky.social

Quantum leap or community crossroads? - Chicago Reader Residents organize around the quantum computing megadevelopment planned for Chicago’s southeast side.

new: the first piece in a @chicagoreader.com’s series on quantum shore chicago looks at community resistance to the megadevelopment.

contributor grey lucas traces the neighborhood’s history of fighting disinvestment and environmental racism from the former south works steel plant to present-day.

Chicago Finally Thaws Out, Streak of Sub-Freezing Temperatures Ends at 20 Days Chicago's streak of sub-freezing days came to a merciful end Friday morning.

Chicago’s streak of sub-freezing days came to a merciful end Friday morning when the mercury finally hit 32 degrees for the first time in 20 days.

https://to.wttw.com/4r0lZqK

How The Great Migration — And Segregation — Built The South Side's Black-Owned Lounge Culture For more than a century, cocktail lounges — distinct from dive bars and nightclubs — have served as essential gathering places for Black Chicagoans.

How The Great Migration — And Segregation — Built The South Side's Black-Owned Lounge Culture blockclubchicago.org/2026/02/05/h...

Chicago's top cop must also explain why the number of times officers pointed their guns at individuals increased 44% between 2022 and 2024, according to CPD data. @wttw.bsky.social