Here's your new ward map, Chicago. It was approved by City Council today by a 41-8 vote. The number of votes is notable as it means the map will not go to residents to a vote. more ›

The council approved tighter restrictions on parade organizers, give authority to Chicago Police Superintendent Gary McCarthy to deputize law enforcement from other states and closes parks to the public for an extra two hours. The City Council also approved blanket spending authority to the Mayor for the events. more ›

It’s (almost) all over but the shouting between black and Hispanic aldermen over their rival ward remapping proposals. A compromise has been reached on a new ward map that includes 18 majority black wards, 13 majority Hispanic wards, and two wards of Hispanic influence. more ›

A report obtained by NBC5 and the Sun-Times said an investigation into the project showed “missing records, improper procurement practices, unallowable costs and unaccountable inventory items” in 15 15 municipalities. Sen. Mark Kirk and U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley are calling for an FBI investigation. more ›

Saving state taxpayers $12 million a year and eliminating redundancies in the Comptroller's and Treasurer's offices apparently isn't enough for Michael Madigan to support an amendment to the Illinois Constitution merging the two offices. more ›

Rep. Joe Walsh (R-McHenry) showed his concern for important legislative matters in a letter to Congressional colleagues criticizing guidelines which prohibit specific holiday greetings like “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Hannukah.” more ›

The three-judge panel agreed that the new map was a blatant attempt at gerrymandering by Illinois Democrats, but that their Republican counterparts "failed to provide a workable standard" to evaluate such claims. more ›

The case may hinge once again on the finer points of municipal real estate law, but it’s the “disproportionately favorable terms” of the Daley-era agreement, as the Emanuel administration's lawsuit put it, that are really on trial. more ›

16 aldermen, including the entire City Council Latino Caucus, filed their version of the redistricted wards with the City Clerk's office today. more ›

Attorneys for former Gov. Rod Blagojevich have requested he be placed in a drug treatment program when he reports to prison next March. But they haven't responded to requests for comment when asked if Blago has a legitimate problem or if he's trying to cut more time off his sentence. more ›

The ordinance would increase the minimum fine for “resisting a police officer or aiding escape” from $25 to $200, with a maximum fine of $1,000. Parks, playgrounds and beaches would open at 6 a.m. instead of 4 a.m., but still close at 11 p.m. In addition, the ordinance would “clarify the Chicago Police Department’s ability to enter into agreements with the necessary law enforcement agencies to deputize law enforcement personnel,” and allow the Mayor or appointees to execute agreements with public and private entities for anything related to the summits. more ›

It was a no-brainer of a decision, even for Walsh. more ›

A three-judge federal court panel tossed a lawsuit filed by Illinois GOP leaders that claims the redrawn state legislative maps by their Democratic counterparts was unfair to minority groups and Republican voters. more ›

Despite a bitter racial argument that reportedly almost got Ald. Richard Mell punched out in Council chambers, the Mayor says Chicago's aldermen will reach an agreement on a new ward map. more ›

Judge James Zagel sentenced former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to 168 months in prison, for his conviction on corruption charges stemming from his attempts to appoint someone to the Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama's election to the presidency. more ›

The day Rod Blagojevich has been dreading has arrived. more ›

A year ago today Toni Preckwinkle succeeded Todd Stroger as Cook County Board President. (Has it only been a year?) While her first 12 months would have been considered a positive by simply not being Stroger, Preckwinkle has been, for the most part, as advertised. more ›

Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. is still on the collective mind of the House Ethics Committee, which announced their investigation into Jackson's attempts to win appointment to the Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama's election as President will continue. more ›

The mayor’s office refused to produce more than 2,000combined emails the city identified as relevant to the speed camera, water rate and vehicle sticker issues, saying it would’ve been problematic to remove opinions or deliberations it can withhold from the public. more ›

Prosecutors said Blagojevich warrants a harsher sentence because he "repeatedly committed serious criminal acts that have done enormous damage to public confidence in Illinois government. more ›

Yesterday, Judge James Zagel denied Blagojevich's request to have all the f-ing wiretaps prosecutors have on him played in open court. Zagel minced no words in chiding Blago's legal team for the last-minute motion and said filing the motion when they had access to it all along was a waste of time. more ›

Rod Blagojevich takes one more stab at getting his wiretap recordings played in open court. more ›

Former adviser to Rod Blagojevich Antonin "Tony" Rezko, who has already been in prison for 44 months, will have to stew in jail a little while longer. more ›

The Sun-Times reports today on an appellate court judge who claims Berrios is making it hard for him to be re-elected. more ›

The focus in the media hasn't been on who Emanuel appointed, but on who he removed from the board. more ›

Quinn announced last night that he had accepted an offer from Chicago Archbishop Francis George to sit down with the bishops next month to discuss abortion rights; the Bears; the NBA lockout; the Cubs hiring of Dale Sveum and why the Michelin Guide ignored Next. more ›

It marks the first time the summit will be held in North America and comes to town a couple of weeks before the NATO and G8 summits will be held in Chicago. Mayor Emanuel said the summit's choice of Chicago further cements the city's status as a world-class city. more ›

Both aldermen and the mayor will say they worked in concert. more ›

25th Ward Ald. Danny Solis, who also heads City Council's Hispanic Caucus, is suggesting rather loudly that Chicago should have 14 Hispanic wards in the upcoming ward redistricting to reflect the population gains of Hispanic Americans in Chicago between the 2000 and 2010 Censuses. more ›

Thanks to a change in the ordinance, citations for the offense now go to the city's Administrative Hearings Department and not Cook County traffic court. Coupled with an increase in the fine from $50 to up to $500, Chicago generates more revenue from the citations at the expense of Cook County and the state. more ›