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UpdatedTue, May 18, 2021 at 9:21 pm CT Replies(6) U.S. Rep. Marie Newman (IL-03) is being sued by Chicago college professor Iymen Chehade, who alleges that she violated a contract to offer him a job in exchange for dropping out of the March 2020 congressional primary. (Photo by Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images) OAK LAWN, IL — A college professor is suing U.S. Rep. Marie Newman, claiming that she violated a contract to give him a job on her staff if he dropped out of the 2020 Democratic primary in ...

Subscribe Others called for Illinois to drop other restrictions, including mask requirements, capacity limits at bars, restaurants and other venues, and restrictions imposed by local schools. Despite the calls for restrictions to be dropped, many still said mask requirements should be kept. "Keep the mask mandate for a little while longer, but open everything up," one Patch reader wrote. In fact, asked how much longer the state should impose its mask mandate, a plurality — nearly 45 percent, ...

UpdatedFri, Mar 12, 2021 at 3:18 pm CT Replies(380) More than 33.7 million Illinois residents have been vaccinated, with about 25 percent of the population having received their first dose, according to state data. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) ILLINOIS — Thursday marked one year since the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a pandemic — and Saturday will mark exactly a year since Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker ordered all schools closed. This week, Patch polled readers on...

Woodstock Willie Groundhog Breaks With Punxsutawney Phil, Predicts Early Spring On 2/2/21 at 12:51 PM EST Will we get an early spring this year, or are we stuck with six more weeks of winter? It depends on which groundhog you ask (you read that right). On Groundhog Day, which takes place every year on February 2, legend has it that if the groundhog sees his shadow because of clear skies, we get six more weeks of winter. However, if he doesnt see his shadow due to cloudiness, spring will come ea...

Replies(13) How are you celebrating Christmas this year? (Shutterstock) ILLINOIS — The majority of Illinois Patch readers said they plan to limit their Christmas celebrations to their households only and do not plan to travel, but a larger portion of those who responded said they will gather for Christmas as usual despite the pandemic, compared with a similar survey regarding Thanksgiving. Of the nearly 2,000 who responded to Patchs non-scientific survey, more than 58 percent said they will c...

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Subscribe Charmaine Bretz of Naperville, "The spirit of Christmas" Nancy McGuire of Illinois: "Making Gingerbread houses every year is our family tradition. I bake gingerbread pieces all week so we can all make our houses. We all have so much fun making the houses and of course eating the candy as we go along." Rochelle Villegas of Joliet shared this photo of 4-year-old Oliver decorating his gingerbread choo-choo. Elizabeth Lupetini of Western Springs shared this gingerbread creation she said i...