Chicago
Chicago's Red Light Cameras Keep Fueling Corruption Scandals
A state senator joins several local officials in federal indictments for taking bribes in exchange for contracts.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot Says People Charged With Violent Crimes Are Guilty Because Prosecutors Say So
"When those charges are brought, these people are guilty," Lightfoot said.
Illinois Appeals Court Rules Chicago Slapped Drivers With Illegally High Fines for Years
A plaintiff in the class-action lawsuit says he had to declare bankruptcy after Chicago dumped $20,000 of ticket debts on him.
Her Dream Was To Open a Vegan Tattoo Shop. Zoning Officials Shut Her Down.
"It's a lot to try and put this stuff all together all on my own, using my own savings, and then having to start all over," says Venus Vegan Tattoo owner Selena Carrion.
61st Street Dramatizes Chicago's Brutal, Hostile Criminal Justice System
The innocent and guilty alike are ground down by cynical, self-serving officials.
Chicago's More Aggressive Speed Cameras Issued 2.8 Million Tickets Last Year
The city's army of 160 speed cameras issued a ticket every 11 seconds during 2021 and generated $89 million in revenue.
A High School Banned Students From Selling Snacks. Predictably, a Black Market for Snacks Emerged.
A sociologist spent 112 days tracking students' illicit deals for chips and other goodies.
Kids Stay Home as Chicago Teachers Revolt
Plus: Looking back on the Capitol riot, library book bans, and more...
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot Doubles Down on Calls for New Law to Seize Property From Suspected Gang Members
Civil liberties advocates say the law is just a reheated version of flawed state anti-gang law.
The Packers Have a Unique Way To Fund Stadium Improvements: Ask Fans for Money
Other teams beg for taxpayer handouts.
Jussie Smollett Tries To Convince the Court 'There Was No Hoax'
Accused of orchestrating a hate crime hoax, the former actor took the stand at his trial on Monday.
Chicago Audit Finds ShotSpotter Alerts Rarely Lead to Evidence of Gun Crimes
The report followed media investigations into ShotSpotter's reliability and activist pressure on Chicago to cut its contract with ShotSpotter.
Will Illinois Give Government Worker Unions a Constitutional Right To Overrule Laws They Don't Like?
Taking the "public" out of public service
Lawsuit Says Chicago Cops Pointed Guns at Young Girls During Warrantless Search
The latest in a long string of allegations that Chicago police terrorized families during botched raids
Chicago Police Agree to Reforms After Wrong-Door Raid on a Naked Woman's Home Sparked Nearly 100 Misconduct Allegations
Some of the changes may make a difference. Others, not so much.
Body Camera Footage Shows a Chicago Cop Shooting a 13-Year-Old Boy Who Had His Hands Up
Prosecutors initially suggested that the boy had a gun in his hand, but the government walked that back today.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot Says Teachers Must Go Back to School: 'Enough Is Enough'
"We are failing those children by not giving them the option to return to school."
Closing Bars and Restaurants Didn't Stop People From Gathering
Now officials in Chicago and New York are reconsidering their rules.
Massive Illinois Police Reform Bill Ends Cash Bail, Limits Deadly Force, Mandates Body Cameras, and Makes It Easier To Dump Crooked Cops
Unfortunately, qualified immunity remains intact.
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Aaron Sorkin takes on the famous trial of activists who organized an anti-war protest during the 1968 Democratic convention.
Video Shows Chicago Police Humiliating Naked Woman During Wrong-Door Raid
Chicago went to court to try and block a local news station from airing the body camera footage.
Senseless Restrictions on Outdoor Activities Undermine the Goal of Curbing COVID-19
By arbitrarily foreclosing relatively safe social and recreational options, politicians encourage defiance, resentment, and riskier substitutes.
Illinois' Governor Begs Citizens To Let Government Tax Them Even More
Lawmakers are bribing citizens with a tiny tax break in exchange for the power to jack up income tax rates down the line.
Chicago Residents Wait Months for Permission To Defend Themselves
Despite an alarming increase in crime, Illinois is illegally delaying gun licenses.
Chicago Cuts School Police Budget by More Than Half
In other news, Chicago Public Schools will still spend $15 million on school police.
Chicago City Council Votes To Partially Reform Its Notoriously Harsh Vehicle Impound Program
A 2018 Reason investigation showed how Chicago's impound program ensnared innocent owners, stripped them of their cars, and soaked them in debt.
Trump Administration Justifies Federal Police Surge With Fake News
Plus: "learning pods" are an unfair target, COVID-19 reinfections are unlikely, and more...
Department of Homeland Security Reportedly Sending 150 Agents to Chicago in Expansion of Federal Crackdown
Trump and other White House officials say the feds may soon be coming to other major cities as well.
The University of Chicago Took a Stand for Free Speech. Faculty Say They Live in Fear Anyway.
Former professor John Cochrane: "I spent much of my last few years of teaching afraid that I would say something that could be misunderstood and thus be offensive to someone."
Chicago Mayor Introduces Major Reforms to Punitive Vehicle Impound Program
Reason showed how Chicago's impound program traps innocent owners in thousands of dollars of debt in 2018.
Chicago Cops Nap and Snack in the Ruins of Riots
If this is what cities are paying billions for, no wonder people are calling for defunding.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot Warns Stay-At-Home Violators: 'We Will Take You To Jail, Period'
She then proceeded to yell at a group of teens.
Chicago Jail Inmate With COVID-19 Dies Shackled to His Hospital Bed
The Cook County jail is the country's largest known single source of new coronavirus infections.
Chicago Police Shooting Captured on Video Leads to Outrage, Dropped Charges
Man tackled, shot twice for crime of illegally shifting between train cars.
Chicago Judge Says His Bail Reforms Were a Success. But Independent Reviews Show Flaws and More Crimes.
Did Cook County overdo it and let too many dangerous defendants free?
Illinois Spent the Last Decade Losing Population and Learning Nothing
Our most troubled state enters 2020 having lost residents for six years in a row.
Chicago Cops Body-Slammed a Man on Thanksgiving, Then Charged Him With Assault
The arresting officer is on desk duty and an investigation is underway.
Trump Speaks to Cops, Takes Credit for Crime Drop
"All over the world they're talking about Chicago," Trump said at a law enforcement conference today. "Afghanistan is a safe place by comparison."
Chicago Teachers Go on Strike to Demand Higher Pay, Smaller Class Sizes, New Schools, More Staff, and Affordable Housing
More than 300,000 students in Chicago were out of school on Friday as the teachers strike continued.
Chicago Impounded This Grandmother's Car For a Pot Offense She Didn't Commit. Now She Owes $6,000
Allie Nelson is the latest plaintiff in a lawsuit challenging Chicago's vehicle impound racket, which seizes cars from the innocent and guilty alike.
It's Not a Mystery Why America's Biggest Cities Are Losing Population
Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City all have some easily identifiable management problems.
