Photos: Chicago Polar Bear Plunge

01/04/2012

Web Extra! Slideshow
Hundreds braved cold temperatures on a windy first day of the new year to take part in a Polar Bear Plunge into the frigid waters of Lake Michigan at North Avenue Beach on Sunday.
Read More...

Mayor's new plan will bolster Malcolm X College's medical program

Malcolm X, remade

01/04/2012

The City Colleges of Chicago are headed for a makeover, and the Near West Side's Malcolm X College is ground zero. In a speech last month, Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced a shift in the way the city colleges work with students: focusing each on a specific career path, with each institution focused on a specific field.
Read More...

Van Pelt-Watkins gains support for 5th District seat as residency issues dog Collins

Pols abandon state senator

01/04/2012

Fifth District state Senator Annazette Collins' loss may be Patricia Van Pelt-Watkins' gain. Residency issues plaguing Collins have caused top Democratic leaders, including Secretary of State Jesse White, to jump ship and throw support behind Van Pelt-Watkins who is challenging Collins in the March 2012 Democratic Primary election.
Read more...

Artist makes bowls from hail-shattered shards of Garfield Park Conservatory

Putting the pieces back together

01/04/2012

Months after a hail storm shattered the glass roof of the Garfield Park Conservatory to pieces, an artist is building it back up — only this time, in bowl form. The conservatory hooked up with Bryan Northup in September, as it was searching for ways to reuse piles and piles of glass following the June storm.
Read More...

River Forest man to take on Davis in 7th District

Jacques Conway's varied background includes former stint on high school board

01/04/2012

A River Forest resident and former Oak Park police officer is leaping into the March Democratic 7th congressional district primary, hoping to unseat longtime South Loop and Near West Side Congressman Danny Davis.
Read more...

Elderly woman scammed out of $15,000

01/04/2012

An 82-year-old woman from 500 block of West Roosevelt Road lost $15,000 in an elaborate scam the afternoon of Dec. 29, in which two unknown offenders impersonated police officers and actually left the victim at the 1st District police station, 1718 S. State St.
Read more...

Prairie Avenue home could be landmarked

01/04/2012

The Harriet F. Rees House, at 2110 S. Prairie Ave., is up for a landmark recommendation Thursday.
Read more...

Tougher G8, NATO protest rules would be permanent for Chicago

01/04/2012

Mayor Rahm Emanuel introduced a handful of tougher fines and regulations for protestors in the city leading up to next spring’s NATO and G8 summit, and he recently said they would be permanent.
Read more...

2011: A year in Chicago photos

12/30/2011

See our favorite Chicago shots from Photo Editor J. Geil during 2011.
Read More...

Moo & Oink name bought as stores shuttered

12/28/2011

Moo & Oink, the shuttered retail meat company, will live on in name only as a minority owned company acquired the former store’s brand and other intellectual property for $530,000 during a public sale of the 30-year-old company last week.
Read more...