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Dr. Stephen Cina took over in 2012 after the previous medical examiner resigned amid criticism that bodies were stacking up in the morgue. Preckwinkle says Cina took the office from "crisis to full accreditation."
It has sat vacant for nearly 15 years, and become a popular target for graffiti artists, but the old Cook County Hospital building could get new life as a hotel and apartment building, with stores at ground level.
A CBS 2 and Better Government Association investigation found that Cook County has failed to collect up to $20 million in fines for the tax violations.
When the office lost accreditation in 2011, there was a shortage of staff, and overcrowding that led to bodies being stacked on top of each other.
Members of the Cook County Board spoke to county department heads on Tuesday about how the state's budget impasse is affecting local services.
Cook County has launched a two-year program to try to better identify people who have trouble putting food on the table for their families and getting them help.
Civic leaders and representatives of the Christian, Jewish and Muslim communities came together today to denounce the anti-Muslim, anti-refugee sentiment that has been picking up steam around the country.
Ousted Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy appeared Friday at a public event with his former boss, Mayor Emanuel, and Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez.
The continued tension over the Laquan McDonald case was a hot topic Friday morning at an annual prayer breakfast attended by some of the state's leading politicians, business leaders, and clergy.
The head of the Chicago's official tourism agency has warned a planned Cook County hotel tax could hurt the city's convention industry, but Mayor Rahm Emanuel seemed less concerned.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle has said she has enough votes to approve a new countywide tax on ammunition for handguns and rifles.
There had been a lot of opposition to the amusement tax hike, which would have hit cable-television customers, bowlers, golfers and others involved with for-profit sports activities.
Three months after pushing through a plan to raise sales taxes by a penny on the dollar, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle is seeking some more new taxes to balance the budget next year.
The Inspector General's 15-page report also refers to Cook County's animal control unit as "efficiently operated," but says there is an "over-reliance on euthanasia."
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle met with a group of anti-violence activists on the South Side on Wednesday, and announced the county would spend $500,000 on so-called "restorative justice" programs in an effort to help prevent ex-cons from going back to court or jail, and to curb violent crime.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle was making her final pitch for a sales tax hike, as the Cook County Board met Wednesday to debate a tax increase she railed against five years ago.
Board President Toni Preckwinkle is seeking to reinstate the tax -- first enacted during the administration of predecessor Todd Stroger -- primarily to cover the county's pension shortfall.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said Tuesday she will present a preliminary budget plan that includes a proposal to increase the county sales tax she spent years rolling back.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle's proposal to increase the county sales tax – five years after she won office by denouncing an identical tax hike imposed by her predecessor – has some business owners on the county's outskirts worried they'll lose customers.
The Cook County Board president campaigned in 2010 in opposition to a one cent tax increase adopted in 2008. After winning, she moved to roll back the tax, eliminating it in 2013.
Four top Cook County officials offered a wide spectrum of opinions Thursday as they talked about resolving problems in the criminal justice system, though all agreed too many people charged with minor crimes end up locked up in jail.
Illinois judges used to decide whether a young suspect was tried as an adult or a juvenile. Preckwinkle wants to undo a 1982 change in state law which makes transfers for some felony charges automatic – for example, in cases of rape or murder.
Saying he'll get the job done, Cook County Clerk David Orr has endorsed Cook County Commissioner Jesus "Chuy" Garcia for mayor, reports WBBM's Veronica Carter.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle has ruled out challenging Mayor Rahm Emanuel in next year's mayoral election.
For months, Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis has said she's considering a run for mayor. Now she has taken another step toward jumping in the race.
The city of Chicago is accepting submissions for its fourth annual snowplow naming contest, and it appears Mayor Brandon Johnson might have an early favorite: "ABOLISH ICE."
Many shoppers were heading to stores on Friday for post-Christmas sales, following the momentum from a robust holiday shopping season.
A family in Zion is putting their life back together after they lost everything in a Christmas Eve house fire.
A Bensenville man is accused of trying to kidnap a Jewel-Osco employee with special needs while she was at work.
The band announced Perry Bamonte's death on their official website on Friday.
The Veterans Affairs Department is reimposing a near total ban on abortions for veterans and their families that was modified in 2022.
Strikes against ISIS targets in Nigeria come after President Trump spent weeks accusing the West African country's government of failing to rein in the persecution of Christians.
The message, aired on Channel 4 on Christmas Day, reflected on the impact of President Trump's second term in office thus far.
Pope Leo XIV has revealed he privately urged Gov. JB Pritzker not to sign a bill legalizing medical assistance in dying in Illinois.
President Trump invoked a law called Title 10 to bring members of the Illinois National Guard under federal service over the objections of state and local leaders.
A new report shines a light on electricity shortages that Illinois could face in less than 10 years.
With less than two weeks until Christmas, if you're sending gifts to people far from home, the deadlines to get them there on time are fast approaching.
A condo owner in Country Club Hills says he's forced to sell his home after his condo association failed to reimburse him for repairs to his leaking roof. Edward Hadnott's condo has sat empty since a major roof leak in 2022.
The U.S. stopped minting pennies this week, and some groups have issued a warning about the headaches that can create for some businesses and consumers.
Why is one school in the west Chicago suburb of Lisle paying a water bill three times higher than another? The answer has to do with a private utility company.
Millions of people with an Affordable Care Act health plan face a massive jump in premiums next year — this chart shows just how much.
It's the holiday season, which means it's the most common time of year for norovirus to spread. Here's what you need to know about this winter stomach bug.
A study conducted in part by Chicago's Northwestern Medicine found that tanning beds not only triple the risk of melanoma, but can also damage DNA across nearly the whole skin surface.
An investigation into the case of a Michigan man who contracted rabies after an organ transplant provided more details on the infection's origin.
The newest measles vaccination numbers released by Chicago Public Schools shows immunizations are finally moving in the right direction.
The Chicago Bears are expanding their search for a new stadium to Northwest Indiana, even though they already own land in Arlington Heights and have also proposed a new lakefront stadium in Chicago.
A Culver's is coming to Chicago's South Loop, a real estate broker has confirmed.
A new vision for passenger rail is on track in southeastern Wisconsin. The MARK Passenger Rail Commission held its inaugural meeting on December 5, 2025, at Racine City Hall.
U.S. Steel says it'll resume making steel slabs at its Granite City Works plant in Illinois amid strengthening demand.
Traffic at O'Hare International Airport is growing faster than expected, and this has Chicago city leaders wanting to make big changes to future construction plans at the airport.
The band announced Perry Bamonte's death on their official website on Friday.
The message, aired on Channel 4 on Christmas Day, reflected on the impact of President Trump's second term in office thus far.
The singer said an MRI showed a cancerous spot on one of his lungs after he recovered from a lengthy bout of bronchitis.
James Ransone, the actor who played Ziggy Sobotka in the HBO series "The Wire" and appeared in many other TV shows and movies, has died.
Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre is hosting "The Phantom of the Opera," and staff offered a firsthand look at the iconic chandelier inside the theater this week.
Whether you grew up with them as a child, or your kids play with them now, model trains are a traditional part of the holidays for many people. This weekend, there's a special celebration of the classic toys in the Pullman neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago.
A Bensenville man is accused of trying to kidnap a Jewel-Osco employee with special needs while she was at work.
With the help of donations from the community, a family in Zion is picking up the pieces after losing everything in a Christmas Eve house fire.
Many shoppers were heading to stores on Friday for post-Christmas sales, following the momentum from a robust holiday shopping season.
U.S. safety regulators have launched a probe into some Tesla Model 3 cars over the vehicle's door handles.
A family in Zion is putting their life back together after they lost everything in a Christmas Eve house fire.
The city of Chicago is accepting submissions for its fourth annual snowplow naming contest, and it appears Mayor Brandon Johnson might have an early favorite: "ABOLISH ICE."
Many shoppers were heading to stores on Friday for post-Christmas sales, following the momentum from a robust holiday shopping season.
From gun safety to rogue towers, protection from squatters, medical assistance in dying and more, here are some of the most notable changes in the new year.
A Bensenville man is accused of trying to kidnap a Jewel-Osco employee with special needs while she was at work.
Cameras not working, video evidence missed by police and a psychic that leads a hit and run victim's son to a clue that changes the case
Some Chicago area hospitals are at risk of significant flooding both in and around the buildings, according to new KFF Health News/Fathom models.
Lawmakers in Springfield are looking to address the high water bills being reported in some suburbs from customers of Illinois American Water.
Electric bills in the Chicago area could go up as much as $70 in the next three years because of data centers, according to the Citizens Utility Board.
Advocates and legislators are seeking solutions and and accountability for a pattern of Chicago police arresting Black gun owners on firearms charges despite valid FOID and CCL licenses.
One year ago, the Chicago Bears were fighting for draft positioning. Now they've clinched a playoff spot in the first year of a new coaching regime.
As the 11-4 Chicago Bears prepare for their Sunday night matchup with the 11-4 San Francisco 49ers, one player earned an extra Christmas present from the league thanks to his impressive performance against the Green Bay Packers.
Travis Konecny scored and added his 300th career assist, leading the Philadelphia Flyers past the Blackhawks 3-1 and handing depleted Chicago its sixth straight loss.
The Bulls trailed 117-107 but closed the game on a 19-6 run.
Three Chicago Bears players have been named to the 2026 NFC Pro Bowl roster: safety Kevin Byard III, center Drew Dalman, and left guard Joe Thuney.
Three women were wounded in a shooting on Christmas night on Thursday in west suburban Aurora.
A woman was released on electronic monitoring Wednesday after authorities said she drove drunk and caused a crash that injured a family of four in Lombard, Illinois.
Multiple cars were broken into this week in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood.
Four women have been charged with leading police on a high-speed chase after stealing from a retail store in the west Chicago suburb of Villa Park.
A woman has been charged with attacking four people at a CTA bus stop in the Lawndale neighborhood, including a woman she allegedly slashed with a broken beer bottle after threatening that woman's mother.
