Damon R. Sheffield

The labor landscape at Portillo's is seeing a shakeup with workers at the company's Aurora food service facility voting to unionize, adding a second location to the growing list of unionized spots for the popular dining chain. In a recent election overseen by the National Labor Relations Board, workers at the food prep site decided 23-16 in favor of partnering with the International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental, and Reinforcing Iron Workers Local 853, as per Chicago Tribune.

A crucial slice of Civil War history has found a new home in the Land of Lincoln. Governor J.B. Pritzker and First Lady M.K. Pritzker have donated a key document signed by President Abraham Lincoln to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield. The historical artifact, a proclamation ordering a blockade of Confederate ports, played a pivotal role in the Union's strategy during the Civil War and was purchased for $471,000 at a Heritage Auctions sale last July, as reported by WGN TV.

The Chicago Police Department has issued an updated alert for Blake Baker, a 26-year-old man missing since January 2016 from the Englewood community. Baker, who is identified as a Black male with a dark brown complexion, stands at 5 feet 4 inches and weighs around 125 pounds. Authorities have described him as having distinctive shoulder-length red and black dreadlocks and brown eyes, but details regarding his last known attire remain unknown.

Walmart opens a new consolidation center in Minooka, Illinois, expected to create 700 jobs and improve supply chain efficiency.

A cyclist was killed in a hit-and-run crash near Gottlieb Hospital in Melrose Park; the suspect remains at large.

Chicago residents are bracing for a buzzing bonanza as billions of periodical cicadas from Brood XIII, which have been quietly fueling up underground for the last 17 years, make their grand, noisy entrance about two weeks ahead of schedule, reports from NBC Chicago indicate. The Morton Arboretum in Lisle confirmed the early arrival of these insects which are expected to overrun the Chicago area soon and advised residents on how to shield their greenery from the incoming swarm.

A suburban Chicago medical supply company owner was found guilty on Monday for his role in a scheme that involved paying kickbacks to a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs employee. According to federal prosecutors. Darren A. Smith, 59, from Hazel Crest, Illinois, was convicted of eight counts of wire fraud after a week-long trial, with each count carrying a potential prison sentence of up to 20 years.

The Chicago community is rallying together in an intense search for a 12-year-old boy, Adreon Hibbler, who has been missing since April 28. According to the

The West Nile virus is making an early appearance in Illinois this year, with the state's first infected bird of 2024 confirmed in Douglas County. The unlucky avian was nabbed on April 2 in Villa Grove, health officials reported Wednesday. As per the Illinois Department of Public Health, this case is a clear reminder for folks to start safeguarding themselves against these blood-sucking pests. In light of the findings, IDPH's head, Dr. Sameer Vohra, laid down the law on precautions. "The news of the first bird with West Nile virus so early in the season is a signal for Illinois residents to begin protecting themselves – and their horses – from vector-borne diseases," Dr. Vohra stated, as WGN-TV

The historic Graue Mill dam in Oak Brook, Illinois was removed last November after ecological concerns outweighed historical preservation efforts.