The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office argued before the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in defense of the county’s sanctuary ordinance, which bars county employees from sharing immigration-related information with federal authorities. A ruling could set precedent for sanctuary policy across Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin.
Early voting in Chicago and suburban Cook County is running well ahead of 2022 midterm levels heading into the Nov. 3, 2026, general election, with suburban Cook County up 30.4 percent over the same point four years ago. Statewide, Illinois voters had already cast 57 percent more early in-person ballots than during the entire March primary.
The CTA restored normal Green and Pink line service Thursday after crews completed installation of a new west leaf on the 110-year-old Lake Street Bascule Bridge, ending weeks of reroutes and shuttle buses for West Side and Loop commuters. A second closure is planned for spring 2027 when the east leaf is replaced.
The Chicago Bears acquired three-time All-Pro defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons from the Tennessee Titans in exchange for two first-round draft picks and a fourth-round selection, bolstering the team’s interior defensive line as it sits at 5-2 on the season. Simmons, who posted a career-high 11.0 sacks last year, gives the Bears one of the NFL’s most disruptive interior pass rushers.
Home prices rose in 78 percent of U.S. metropolitan areas in the third quarter of 2026, pushing the national median single-family existing-home price to $432,900, a 1.7 percent year-over-year gain, the National Association of Realtors reported. The Midwest, including the Chicago area, posted a 3.6 percent increase to a median of $342,500.
Metra released a draft Systemwide Network Plan outlining two tiers of regional rail transformation across its 11-line network, with a combined estimated price tag of approximately $9.1 billion. The plan envisions all-day, two-directional service and identifies O’Hare Airport as a key crosstown service destination.
Health Care Service Corporation, parent of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, reaffirmed its commitment to offering ACA Marketplace plans in 2027 across all five states it serves, even as 11 other carriers have announced they are exiting the marketplace. Open enrollment begins Nov. 1.
Impersonation scams made up nearly 60 percent of fraud cases handled by Northbrook-based Allstate through the first nine months of 2026, with more than 90 percent of cases involving hard-to-reverse payment methods such as cryptocurrency, gift cards or wire transfers. The company is urging consumers to be on guard as the holiday shopping season begins.
The American Medical Association released a new framework dividing liability for clinical AI harm among developers, health care organizations, physicians and patients, as artificial intelligence takes on a growing role in diagnosis and treatment. The Chicago-based AMA said existing legal frameworks were not designed for technologies where multiple parties share control over clinical AI systems.
The Chicago History Museum will host the 2026 Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Nov. 5, honoring 13 individuals, two organizations and three allies for their contributions to the city’s LGBTQ+ community. The free public event begins at 5:30 p.m. at 1601 N. Clark St.