Chicago News

(From right) Villanova basketball player Jasmine Bascoe along with Villanova President Peter M. Donohue presents Pope Leo XIV with a basketball in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican on Oct. 31, 2026, during an audience with some 7,000 university representatives ahead of the Eternal City Tip-Off, a men’s and women’s college basketball doubleheader in Rome on Nov. 1. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Pope Leo tells Villanova and Notre Dame basketball teams that he is neutral, but ‘Prevost has another opinion’

By Andrew Dampf

October 31, 2026 at 8:26 a.m.

Pope Leo XIV on Saturday told the basketball teams from his alma mater, Villanova, and...

From left: Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, Dawes Elementary Principal Teresa Quinn, Evanston/Skokie School District 65 Interim Superintendent Eric Witherspoon and State Superintendent Tony Sanders attend the 2026 Blue Ribbon School recognition ceremony at John Mills Elementary School in Elmwood Park. Dawes Elementary was one of 24 schools in the state to receive the Blue Ribbon School distinction for high academic performance or progress in closing school achievement gaps. (Evanston/Skokie School District 65)

Glenview, Evanston, Wilmette schools win prestigious Governor’s Blue Ribbon award

By Claire Murphy

October 31, 2026 at 7:47 a.m.

The Blue Ribbon School award was reinstated at the state level by Gov. JB Pritzker...

1 in custody after man fatally wounded Friday night in Albany Park

By Deanese Williams-Harris

October 31, 2026 at 7:47 a.m.

An Albany Park man was fatally wounded Friday night in a shooting inside of his...

Messler, Pimentel seeking fresh approach in the Lake County Auditor’s office

By Michelle L. Quinn

October 26, 2026 at 1:37 p.m.

Lake County Recorder Regina “Gina” Pimentel, of Crown Point; and Charles “Chuck” Messler, of Lowell,...

The planned Amtrak maintenance facility near Rate Field Tuesday includes railroad tracks around West 35th Street between White Sox parking lots and the surrounding Bridgeport community, Oct. 6, 2026. (Brian Cassella/baiduhai)

Controversial Amtrak yard proposal to get environmental assessment by Federal Railroad Administration

By Brian J. Rogal

October 26, 2026 at 3:48 p.m.

It’s potentially a big turnaround from earlier this year, and comes after passionate outcry against...

The Wintrust Financial building at 231 S. LaSalle St. in Chicago on March 11, 2025. (Terrence Antonio James/baiduhai)

Bullet fired by man in Federal Plaza pierced window of Wintrust building, feds say

By Jason Meisner

October 26, 2026 at 1:53 p.m.

A bullet fired by a south suburban man in Federal Plaza last week pierced a...

Hobart’s Bryce Tolliver (18) hauls in a long pass to score against Hanover Central during a Northwest Crossroads Conference game in Hobart on Oct. 2, 2026. (John Smierciak/for the Post-Tribune)

Bradshaw: The scoreboard does not need artificial intelligence

By Gerald Bradshaw

October 26, 2026 at 12:34 p.m.

AI can calculate an average, summarize a survey or produce a graph, but students still...

FILE - Walter Koenig appears at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards in Los Angeles on Sept. 8, 2018. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)

Walter Koenig, Ensign Chekov on original ‘Star Trek’ series who was born in Chicago, dies at 90

By Jonathan Landrum

October 26, 2026 at 1:05 p.m.

Actor Walter Koenig, who played Ensign Pavel Chekov, the youthful Russian navigator on the “Star...

Dr. David Fajgenbaum signs a copy of his book, “Chasing My Cure,” for Joy Blakely, of Portage, and Suzette Bodnar, of Highland, following Fajgenbaum’s lecture Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, as part of the Purdue Northwest Sinai Forum lecture series at PNW’s Westville campus.

(Doug Ross/for the Post-Tribune)

Near-death experience prompts search for treatments for rare diseases

By Doug Ross

October 26, 2026 at 12:09 p.m.

Even as a medical student, Dr. David Fajgenbaum took the “physician, heal thyself” adage literally....

Crime scene pictures are taken after a police-involved shooting in an alley behind the 5600 block of South Michigan Avenue in Chicago's Washington Park neighborhood on Nov. 18, 2025. (John J. Kim/baiduhai)

Chicago homicides in 2026: Here’s how the numbers compare with previous years

By Kori Rumore

October 26, 2026 at 12:21 p.m.

Chicago homicide data, which is updated on this page weekly, is through Oct. 24, 2026.

Pope Leo XIV delivers the Angelus noon prayer in St. Peter’s Square, at the Vatican, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Vatican confirms Pope Leo’s Latin America trip after post-surgery checkup

By Associated Press

October 26, 2026 at 12:25 p.m.

Pope Leo XIV will proceed with his planned Nov. 6-17 trip to Uruguay, Argentina and...

The Rev. Ken Fleck presides over Mass at St. George in Tinley Park to help celebrate his 50th anniversary as a priest June 7, 2026. (Jeff Vorva/for the Daily Southtown)

Longtime priest Kenneth Fleck from St. George in Tinley Park cleared and reinstated after allegations

By Evy Lewis

October 26, 2026 at 3:26 p.m.

The Rev. Kenneth Fleck was cleared of allegations of child sexual abuse and reinstated, the...

Illinois Comptroller and mayoral candidate Susana Mendoza arrives to the Chicago Board of Elections with her husband, David Szostak, delivering nominating petitions via tamale cart and a red cooler on Oct. 26, 2026. (Antonio Perez/baiduhai)

On last day to turn in signatures for 2027 Chicago mayoral race, candidates try to stand out

By Alice Yin

October 26, 2026 at 10:48 a.m.

Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza brought with her a red cooler of chicken and pork tamales...