Cook County governs Illinois’ most populous region, handling county services from courts to public health amid a backdrop of ongoing governance challenges.
The Supreme Court has agreed to review challenges to AR-15 bans in Connecticut and Cook County, Illinois. The cases arrive as federal and state actions on semiautomatic rifles intensify after Bruen’s history-and-tradition framework, with gun-rights groups arguing that bans are unconstitutional while supporters say they protect public safety.
A heat dome has driven record electricity demand across the eastern United States. Officials warn temperatures will stay high this week and the grid faces stress as cooling needs rise. Cooling centers expand and energy-use guidance is issued to prevent outages.
A sweeping heat dome has kept tens of millions under heat alerts from the Midwest to the East Coast. Overnight temperatures are failing to cool, heightening health risks and straining power grids. El Niño is intensifying the heat, and cooling centers, water, and hydration remain critical.
Illinois authorities have suspended the license of a funeral director after 57 unrefrigerated bodies were found at the South Chicago Chapel, in various states of decomposition. Investigators say the remains, stored in deplorable conditions with rodent infestation, are being identified and properly disposed of. Families are being notified as identifications are completed.